So, I’ve spent the past two days in bed recovering from a badly damaged cornea. At this point, if you’ve ever scratched a cornea of your own, you are recoiling from the memory of the remembered pain. If you haven’t, you’re probably wondering what the big deal is. Let’s just say that I have a high thresh hold for pain by all accounts and I am in agony. Agony in an eyepatch, that’s me.
And to answer the inevitable question, I have no idea how I did it. None whatsoever. The doctor used a lot of superlatives to describe the three scratches on my eyeball, including “longest” and “deepest” and because I am a total freak, it made me kind of proud. He also insisted that I should remember what caused it, that it would have been something traumatic, but I swear, I don’t.
My eye is super-sensitive to light, so I’m currently sporting a large gauze-and-first-aid-tape patch, topped with a standard-issue black eye patched and worn under a pair of over-sized dark sunglasses. I look hilarious, actually.
But none of that can bring me down today because I finally got my hands on a copy of the Summer issue of Wild Fibers Magazine this afternoon. There is a fantastic article about Juniper Moon Farm and I am just so overwhelmed and humbled by the kind and lovely things that those of you who were interviewed said about the farm and about me.
If you’d like to read the article, you can pick up a copy of Wild Fibers at some bookstore and local yarn shops or you can order a subscription or single issue directly from Wild Fibers.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Been there, done that! OMdoG I remember the pain well. Ever since then (over 25 years) I have been sensitive to light in that eye. Good news is that it does heal quickly compared to other parts of the body.
Bummer! Been there, done that — Kids can be hell on eyeballs. (Lasik was all kinds of fun for the same reasons, BTW, but was well worth it.) At least corneas usually heal quickly. Hope you feel better soon!
Doh! Get well soon and congrats on the fab article!
I ben there too–OUCH and OUCHOUCHOUCHOUCH! But it did heal quickly for me too. Take good care and don’t let anybody replace that eye patch with an eyelash pointing in the wrong direction. Just a little tip.
Can’t wait to order the Wild Fibers issue! Many congrats!
Been there, done that too, not fun, and almost 25 years later I remember exactly whose little finger scratched it. It will heal quickly and I don’t have any lingering light sensitivity from it. Feel better.
Susan, I feel your pain! I impaled my eye on a bristle broom turned upright in a vase last June and am still having repercussions on dry days. DO NOT let your eye dry out–EVER!!! Arm yourself w/ lubricating drops now–the extra viscous kind and get an anesthetic from your doctor if she hasn’t given one already. Oh, and don’t blink or move your eyeball unnecessarily for any reason. I remember holding my eyelid off my eye for the loooongest night while waiting for an a.m. appt’ment. Speedy healing & keep it moist!!! Otherwise, the new cells will stick to the inside of your eyelid and slough off and you’ll have to grow new ones. Good luck.
Wow! No. More. Drama. ok?! Enough with the horrible dangerous and awful please! More with the being recognized and respected for all the marvelousness you are. k? I’m so glad you are being properly profiled and hoping your eye heals quickly and fully. Stay safe all!
Feel better– if you go to that conference, you better make sure your eye patch is embroidered and a piece of art!!!!
hello, concerned about your eye, it should not be causing so much distress (i’ve had a couple of these.)
the surgical pack over the eye should be thick enough, once it’s taped down, to keep that eyelid permanently and strictly shut. I suspect this is not the case, and your poor eyelid is moving, and when it moves it scrapes the abrasion, and that’s what’s causing the pain. Add more layers under the tape until the eyelid is immobilized shut. This will also block light.
next, if someone can bring you some dried comfrey leaves and flowers – fresh is ok too, the plant is flowering now – you could make a very strong infusion. Steep a good handful of plant material in a little boiling water, leave for several hours. In the end, you’ll need less than half a cup of liquid. Chill this in the frig.
remove the surgical pack, dip a sterile pad in the ice-cold comfrey infusion, place over the closed eye for 10 or 15 minutes. Dip the pad in the chilled infusion whenever it warms to skin temperature. Keep the eye closed at all times. The treatment should bring fast relief from some of the pain.
do this sparingly. Perhaps twice a day for a day or two if you find this is the only thing that helps. After that, once a day for 2 or 3 more days.
if you can’t find any comfrey leaves/flowers, calendula would be a good alternative. You could use this more often.
in a flat-out emergency (sounds like maybe now) make a strong infusion from any simple herbal teas you have in the house. Camomile, mint. Chill this quickly in the freezer.
after each cold compress treatment, be sure to replace the thick surgical pack over the eye in such a way as to keep that eyelid closed and immobile.
because of the closeness of the animals, could you & anybody helping you surgically scrub hands first (!) It’s important to not start an eye infection.
Ahhhh, nurturing your inner Pirate, I see. There’s easier way to get rum cocktails, my dear.
Each of my two boys scratched a cornea of mine while sitting on my lap and reaching upward. One was really bad as the bit of tissue windshield wipered back and forth. (Hope it doesn’t cause you more pain to read that).
Can’t wait for my wild fibers to come.
You’ll feel better soon. I’m loving handspinning my cormo and just dyed some cormo-mohair bright chartreuse. Can’t wait to spin it!
Wendy in SC
Something I invented to help with post-surgical eye pain: a Frozen Washcloth Eyecup. Take a well-moistened, thinnish washcloth and stuff it into a small bowl, about the size of half a tennis ball. Like a custard cup. Leaving the center hollow, like a nest. Put it in the freezer. Take it out when it is crunchy, not frozen solid, so you can bend and shape the washcloth a bit to make it comfortable. Rest it on your brow and cheekbone, over your eye but not touching it. The coolness is very soothing and helps you forget the pain for minutes at a time. This saved my sanity following each of two eye surgeries.
Good luck!
I hope you get better real soon. I got a deep paper cut on my cornea once (don’t ask) and it truly was the worst pain I have ever felt – way way worse than childbirth. Once I got to the doctor (12 hours later) they were able to numb it and bandage it and that solved the pain. I agree with one of the other posts that your bandage might not be on right if it still hurts a lot.
Oh…wow…I’ve had bad cornea scratches before, and there is really nothing like that pain. Hope you have some good pain meds
Lots of rest for your eye, and congrats on the article – can’t wait to read it!
SO sorry you’re hurting so much. I had the pleasure if an eyepatch for a weekend while in high school. Friend of mine stabbed me in the eye with a pencil (accidentally). I hope you feel better soon and you heal well and quickly.
Got my copy today-what a wonderful article! You deserve the kudos!
OW OW OW OW OW!!!!
Oops, posted to fast there! I scratched my cornea somehow right around the time I got married, back in 1996. I don’t know how I did it, either! I was wearing contacts at the time, and I haven’t felt safe wearing them since. The pain was absolutely terrible. Just awful. I hope it goes away soon.
Ouch! Hoping you have a fast healing. And I’ll have to get my hands on a copy of that mag.
OMG – scratched my cornea once – OUCH!!! Wear an eyepatch and talk like a pirate and you will be better!
Susan,
i can only imagine the pain
sounds horrid.
i wonder being you’re out and about with the animals alot
and in the elements etc
that ????maybe a piece of dirt, rock, hay, animal hair got into your eye and scratched it up
or a bee
yeah
i dunno
and neither do you
maybe it’s better that way
the KEY is
what can the dr do to help you heal it
since the fact is
IT DID HAPPEN
(it’s not like it’ll suddenly go away if you all of a sudden remember what caused it~in that case it’d be a MUST to RECALL!)
ok
ramble/rant over.
I hope that you heal @ Godspeed
and that your spirits continue to experience many many things that keep you smiling and moving right along.
Get well soon
Heal you cornea.
I might have a few suggestions
but first i need to do a little research
Lots of love
CONGRATULATIONS on the Wild Fibers Mag piece
YOU ROCK!
Lots of Love
Rona
I just saw this on Twitter. Ouch!!! When I read that you scratched your cornea my hand automatically shot up to protect my right eye, which I scratched a couple years ago. My doctor gave me antibiotic eye drops and a non-prescription contact lens to wear (he said it acts like a bandaid). The first two days were miserable. I had to run errands, couldn’t get anyone to do it for me; strangers stared at me as I shopped for groceries with tears streaming down my face.
I lacerated (not scratched) my cornea in bed, reading. I dropped a book on my face and the corner gave me a nasty papercut. Luckily it was a paperback.
I hope you feel better soon. With the contact on I felt almost normal after two days. Fun fact: I’m soooo nearsighted I could see the laceration. Still can see the little scar.
I scratched my cornea while wiping my eyes with a towel… somehow I opened my eye… and the towel fibers went in… and… well you know. And it sucked so fricken bad… and made it really difficult to get work done. So I’ve been sending speedy healing thoughts… I hope it’s helping!!! xoxo!!!