I don’t talk about medical appointments much lately. After blogging for almost six years, how many times can I write about going to see the doctor?
My quarterly endocrinologist appointments, checking in with my primary doctor a couple of times each year (if I don’t get sick), maybe a podiatrist or dermatologist appointment now and then.
And… my yearly check-in with my ophthalmologist.
In less than a week, I will celebrate 27 years with Type 1 Diabetes. Every year, for 27 years, that meeting with the eye doc is the one I’m probably least prepared for.
Ask me about my diabetes? No problem! Ask me for data on glucose trends, or whether I’ve been in range lately, and I can knock it out of the park. I still have diabetes, but at least I can quantify it.
But eye visits are different. All I know is that my vision hasn’t been as good the past few months as it had been before that. My preparation for this appointment was basically to clean my glasses really well and hope for the best.
That’s my problem. I’m generally the guy who doesn’t want to worry about bad news until he actually hears it. But when you don’t really know what’s going on until you get there, every year hearing ”No sign of retinopathy”, while welcome, makes me think about how many more bullets I’ll be able to dodge until the diagnosis comes.
The flip side of all this is that if you worry, when you hear everything’s okay, you want to kick yourself for worrying so much. We can’t have it both ways. Or can we? This time, I was worrying a little, but carrying myself like it was no big deal. Fake it ‘til you make it, baby.
So it was a tremendous relief to hear “No cataracts, no glaucoma, no sign of retinopathy”. In the end, my real problem was that I worried too much.
I have a new prescription. I’ll probably get new frames this year too. I’ll also try to remember to take better care of the body I’ve got, eyes included. And if I can, I’ll work on worrying less, and using the gift of eyesight to see things clearer than ever before.
Diabetes Blog - Happy-Medium.net 
Comments
Stephen, I hate getting my eyes dilated. I mean hate it. So what is my practice? I go every 6 months. The doctor always says see you in a year. I say no doctor, remember 6 months. Oh yeah well we will see you in 6 and off I go and back at 6 months and then the same thing.
So if I hate it why do it get it done every 6 months? That way I never ever have to worry about it too long. Because the day after the visit, I start worrying.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see my eye doctor yearly for diabetic retinopathy scan. So far perfect eye health 40 years type1.
LikeLike
U go Steve and do whatever works for u!! I visited a CDE in the beginning after my diagnosis & although she was very knowledgeable and very sweet & kind, I had an AWESOME endo and felt the CDE was only repeating I go I already had!! Do I get ur reasoning & my endo has never suggested seeing one again!! We get along great and he’s very up on D tech and exp all the new stuff coming out. My CDE, I felt I was educating her on what was out there!!!
So have no fears my friend!! From reading the responses, I’m guessing a lot of us out there don’t see a CDE unless a specific need arises!!
Happy Monday!! HUGS!!!
LikeLike