Here’s the problem.
New Years weekend I woke up with some eye discomfort in my left eye –
Yes – the one I just had corneal surgery on this past August at the Kellogg Eye
Institute in Ann Arbor! I thought I
had come down with a cold in it. Of course it was the holiday weekend and we
were miles from home. Tuesday we called
and right away got into the Mid Florida Eye Center in Mt Dora. I was diagnosed with an injury to the outer
layer of my cornea, prescribed a pricey eye drop and referred to one of their
corneal specialists. I have seen that
corneal doctor 2 times - at 2 different branch offices and a third specialist
at yet another of their offices! The
“injury” has been given the name Corneal Ulcer. Within the first 3 days of the
New Year, I already met my Medicare deductible AND have even more costly,
stronger eye drops with names that we can’t pronounce and had to be compounded
at a real pharmacy! No Wal-Mart this
time!
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| Lithia Spring in the morning |
We moved from Trimble Park down towards Brandon and parked at one of the 3 Hillsborough county parks – Lithia Springs. SPFB!! Check out this picture of the springs from H’s up high drone camera! The weather was cold and gray but the spring was still clear as it bubbled up and then flowed around the point and out to the river. The campground sites are still cozy, carved out niches in the live oak woods. Our favorite site was surprisingly available and without hesitation we chose it! It’s also the biggest and most open – and a pull thru!
With only 5 days here and with my eye situation, our “list”
has been curtailed - significantly! We
did bundle up (I covered my eye) and wandered thru the Big Red Barn Flea Market
and had our annual lunch at Anna Marie’s Oyster Bar! A visit with hometown/ high-school friends at their new home in
Sun City Center was a must! And no
matter what – we cannot leave the area without revisiting the Apollo Beach
Power Station and the Manatee Observation Park! Sunday broke breezy and cool but with bright sunshine so we
headed out – with my days supply of eye drops in our trusty little cooler! Everyone else in the county had the same
idea – they were all tired of the cold and gray and wanted to be outside! We had NEVER seen so many people out on
those wonderfully strong looking observation walkways! But – just how much could those beams
endure??? YES – the manatee were there
in abundance, trying to stay warm – hovering just below the surface of the
steaming discharge water of the power plant.
And then there was the run to Brandon to visit yet another
corneal specialist! Dr Fouraker wedged
me in on his busy Friday schedule and was very personable and VERY
thorough! He also changed one of the
compounded eye drops for an even more powerful one! I explained how H and I move around the state and that we were
moving down to Ft Myers on Monday morning.
Not only did he schedule me at 7AM Monday – he checked for a new doctor
in Ft Myers! He also knows “my” Doctor
Sugar up in Ann Arbor! Oh – I wish I
could bring this doctor with us!
H has been patient throughout this ordeal of spending most
of the last week waiting for me to do my eye drops or chasing to this eye
doctors office or to another. But now
it’s getting old. And it’s time to
move to WP Franklin Lock and Dam Campground
– and to call the new corneal specialist for an appointment!
