Lessons in self-diagnosis and poor judgement

Posted in Sandi's blog on 12 June 2009 | 0 Comments

Today I got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I don’t have cataracts and the bad news is that I don’t have cataracts. For those of you using screen readers, no, it is not a typo.

Over the past year or so, my eyesight just plummeted. As I have only ever experienced gradual but steady sight loss, it didn’t make sense. So when I went to the Low Vision Clinic and they told me that they had done all they could for me and referred me back to my consultant because they saw I had cataracts, that was it. Back home, a few clicks later on Google and I had given myself the full diagnosis. My RP wasn’t getting worse. I just had cataracts and if I was ok for surgery, then I may even be able to have some improved vision. A few more clicks and I was ready for my upcoming appointment with my comprehensive list of questions in order to make my decision about the surgery.

I was nervous and excited. What if I get a new lease on life? What if the surgery goes horribly wrong? So, the big day came and me and what seemed like 12,000 other people waited anxiously to be seen by the guru of all things RP, Mr Andrew Webster. 3 hours and two numb butt cheeks later and I was in. I first met with Mr Fahad Quhill, who examined me and advised that he believed that, although I did have very small cataracts, the cause of my worsening vision was a thinning of the retina, which is part of RP. I just hadn’t expected this, because, I had absolutely unequivocally convinced myself it was cataracts. And when I burst into tears, Mr Quhill gave me a hug. Yes. A consultant gave me a hug. He did ask both me and my husband if it was ok first too. Boy, did I ever feel guilty about my prior comments about consultants’ bedside manner. Yikes. And then when Mr Webster arrived to confirm the diagnoses, he too was really sweet and warm and understanding.

It was then that I realised that these guys were just human and working in an incredibly busy clinic with more patients than time and if they were preoccupied with giving me the best medical attention possible and missed out a few niceties once in a while, then that would be ok, but they didn’t miss a single beat.

0 comments | Tags: Living with Sight Loss, RP, Cataracts