Stretching My Treatment Schedule

I think time is a funny thing. One minute, time seems to fly by so very quickly and in another moment, time drags ever so slowly. With 6 weeks in between rechecks, my mind breaks that down into 42 days.

Sounds like a lot of time, doesn’t it? When it comes to my reality, it is not. This basically comes to a month and a half, where I mark off on the calendar for my eye rechecks, constantly thinking ahead to that next time.

No change, no shot

Currently, my personal track record has been rolling along quite nicely with regard to the results of my visits. These 6-week rechecks have finally given me the pleasant surprise “No change”, “No shot” 4 months in a row.

These magic words thrill me every time, and I leave the office with a spring in my step. Back to the daily checks with the ever-reassuring Amsler grid, my daily calendar being checked off until yet again, I have another visit.

Potential new schedule

Our eyes are challenging for sure and when dealing with macular degeneration, even more so, there is no guarantee that things will stay the same. I know this. I hear this often.

But still, I hope upon all hope that just maybe I am at a plateau of sorts. A holding pattern, if you will. Having no changes in the past 4 months has given me a taste of what could potentially be my new schedule. Maintaining my status quo, if you will.

It was after my last visit, I was tested, dilated, scanned and examined. My retinal specialist explained what might be the next schedule in line for me, and boy was I thrilled.

Being able to go longer between injections

He gave me a small indication of the days ahead, saying that if I have another recheck that clearly shows him that my macular degeneration has stabilized, that there have been no changes in what he sees. If these results are true and there is no need for an injection, my recheck scheduling will change.

I will, in a sense, graduate. Scheduling a recheck would change from 6 to 8 weeks out, 56 days in total. Writing these words sounds silly now, but it is a big deal. A taste of potentially going longer without a visit. Stretching out the hope over more time.

Day to day

Each day I assess my vision, checking with careful awareness. It is one eye against the world, is everything the same? Is the good eye still good? The affected eye holding on?

Do I notice any differences? Am I able to continue doing the things I love to do? Still able to dabble with my paints and lose myself in murder mysteries? Is the Amsler Chart reassuring me?

I repeat this cycle of awareness every day, trying to assure myself that my vision remains the same, as after all, my vision depends on it. Every day I perform the same mini-exam, hoping the stability holds on just as it has been, for now.