A Black Tangle, Flashing Lights, and a New Challenge

Today’s Topic: The Black Tangle, Flashing Lights and a Torn Retina

Good Morning, Quilters!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, Deep Work Quilting, my sister and I spent most of February learning to longarm.  But that’s not all we did…

Welcome to the World, Owen!

We also welcomed my new grandson, Owen Charles into the world! Congratulations to my daughter, Deirdre and her husband as well as Owen’s big brother.

All are well –though I think the big brother has mixed emotions about the little interloper!

The Black Tangle and Flashing Lights

One afternoon while my sister was working on the longarm, I began quilting a small quilt top my mother made years ago.

I was happy to be back in more familiar territory–free motion quilting on my Q20.

As I stitched, I began to notice a black tangle in my right eye. It looked like a knotted piece of embroidery floss.

At first I thought it was a shadow in my eye caused by staring at my quilt and window light for so long.

Flashing Lights

I stopped quilting and assumed it would go away, but instead I began seeing flashing lights.

I was more frustrated that I couldn’t quilt than I was alarmed.

Torn Retina

By the next morning, I was sufficiently alarmed to call the ophthalmologist who told me to come in immediately for evaluation.

Over the course of the day, I was diagnosed with a torn retina and underwent laser surgery to repair the tears and most importantly, to prevent a detached retina.

Good News

I feel very fortunate to live in a time and place where excellent care is readily available!  I am extremely grateful to the skilled surgeon, Dr. Polly Quiram who performed the laser surgery as well as the rest of the staff at VitreoRetinal Surgery in Woodbury, MN!

While the vision in my right eye is quite poor right now, the “tangle” will clear and I can expect to return to my normal level of nearsightedness.

A New Challenge

For now I have very poor vision in my right eye.  It is challenging to thread a needle and to stitch.  I completed my Mom’s sunburst quilt, but that was only possible because I have well-developed muscle memory.

Photography is also challenging.  Normally, when I take photos with my DSLR, I close my left eye and look through the viewfinder with my right.  That doesn’t work now.  For the near future, I plan to use my cellphone for photos so I can use both eyes. You may notice a quality difference in the blog photos.

Public Service Announcement

If you ever notice  floaters and flashers, call your doctor right away. It’s important that a tear doesn’t become a detachment!

Read more at the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

It’s been a great reminder to me to never take my vision (or my health) for granted.  And to be grateful to all the medical doctors and staff who spend years honing their skill to keep us all healthy and quilting!

Your Grateful Quilter,

Lori

PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ.  For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com.  Thank you!

56 responses to “A Black Tangle, Flashing Lights, and a New Challenge”

  1. So glad you got the care you needed. We need you special “vision” in the quilting world.

  2. Just a note about ‘floaters’, the only time “floaters” are a warning is if you don’t normally have them or if they increase dramatically. I always have floaters, always have… they come and they go, but there is usually one in one eye all the time!!!

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