Please read and heed

[TNMIKE]

Christmas Day I woke up with a vision problem in my right eye. I really didnt know what was going on and since it was Christmas I waited until the next day to seek medical attention. The next morning I woke up with almost no vision in that eye and had a three hour surgery to correct a detached retina that afternoon. While they were checking me out they discovered that my left eye had experienced a retinal detachement and healed itself without me realizing it which is very rare they told me. I had laser surgery on it the on the left eye the next day.

I spent seven days with my face parallel to the floor 24/7 which I can tell you is not an easy task. At this point, two weeks after the surgery, I have reduced vision in both eyes. This will hopefully improve over the coming months but nothing is certain. I can see out of my right eye and I thank God for that.

My reason for posting this is not for sympathy purposes. Your prayers are welcome. My reason is to make everyone think about safety. My problem was not a result of an accident. It was due to my extreme myopia. But it has made me think about things. I have taken chances and hurried and gotten by with it. I wear glasses and they have saved me many times in the past.

WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES people. WEAR YOUR RESPIRATOR. WEAR YOUR HEARING PROTECTION. You cant get it back when you lose them. Think before you act.

Have a safe and Happy New Year

MIKE

 

[AndyR]

Yikes! that's scary stuff.
Hang in there. I'm hoping for a full recovery for you.

Andy

 

[yooper]

Good luck in the recovery, hope it is much less painful than the rest has been. Very good info for the need of usu of safety equipment. I am pretty much so deaf in 1 ear as a result of stupidity when I was much younger. (but that another story) I now wear both ear plugs and muffs in hope of making sure I don't loose it in both ears. good luck!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Good luck and heal well.

I use the screen on my helmet but not glasses. Some small stuff still gets through it from time to time and dirt doesn't know there's a screen there. Have gotten an eye full that way. The muffs on my helmet don't work very well so I took them off and just use plugs instead.

Ian

 

[lumberjackchef]

Thanks for those words of wisdom about PPE. I rely on my protection from the Lord but that doesn't take the place of common sense. Our prayers are with you and our hope is for you to enjoy the benefits of a full and rapid recovery.

 

[irishcountry]

Good post and your right I know I have taken lots for granted in the past sacraficing speed for safety. I think many young people do, that said I am glad you are recovering you will be in our prayers as well I wish you a good full recovery!! Take care and take it easy!! irishcountry

 

[woodshop]

Good post and your right I know I have taken lots for granted in the past sacraficing speed for safety. I think many young people do...

Good post tnmike... yes I only got serious about safety in my 40's and later (I'm 55). Took way to many chances back when. Didn't wear as much ear protection as I should have or as often as I should have, and I have some hearing loss today directly due to that. Same in the woodshop, to many shortcuts and a few scars from stitches to prove it. Fortunately nothing to serious, I was lucky. Now I am almost the opposite... I treat my equipment with the respect they deserve knowing that if I don't I'll pay for that. Here is a sign in the entrance of my shop...

 

[irishcountry]

How true that sign is too!! thanks for the pic

 

[MotorSeven]

Thanks for the reminder Mike! I hope that you recover completly........

RD

 

[820wards]

WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES people. WEAR YOUR RESPIRATOR. WEAR YOUR HEARING PROTECTION. You cant get it back when you lose them. Think before you act.

Have a safe and Happy New Year

MIKE[/QUOTE]

Mike, Glad to hear you will recover. My sister was in an auto accident and she ended up with detached retinas on both of her eyes. This was many years ago and she had full recovery in both eyes. You'll get better buddy. Take care.

jerry-

 

[irishcountry]

Hey just thought i'd check in and see how you were doing?? Haven't forgotten about ya hope all is well!! Kinda funny the very next day I was limbing a old pine that blew down and a tiny peice of wood made it through my screen and hit me in the corner of my eye I thought of you and I am going to pick up some glasses on my next trip to the hardware store!! I hope you doing well and feeling better!! have a good one irishcountry

 

[TNMIKE]

Im doing ok

I drove a little for the first time yesterday. ( to the store about a mile away) It isnt easy..kind of like learning all over again. What was really hard was in the store itself. Everything looks the same. Hard to describe it..but very weird.

The stitches are disolving and when they do the ends stick up and its like having a grain of sand in your eye. Im ready for them to be gone.

All in all Im doing ok. Its going to take some time. Im really lucky I can see at all out of my right eye. I think when they change my eyeglass prescription things will be better. For some reason they wait two months to do that.

Cold air and wind are really hard ...I called a friend at Camp Lejeuene last week and had a pair of USMC combat goggles sent my way. What a relief. They have a tinted lenses which is great and both the clear and tinted lenses are ballistic rated.

You are smart to get safety glasses. They are too cheap not to have on hand. Thanks for checking on me..


MIKE

 

[irishcountry]

Takes little steps glad to hear your making them!! I can only imagine it is annoying to have anything in or wrong with you eye even for a day let alone a period of time hang in there wish you a full recovery!! Take care irishcountry

 

[BobL]

Good to hear things are improving Mike. Hopefully you can get back to some milling soon.

I used to wear goggles or safety specs when using CS a but a couple of years back I switched to a full face shield - as shown in my avatar. The first time I used the BIL mill a bolt fell off the mill and hit the chain which flicked the bolt into my shield in the region right between my eyes - it felt like I was hit full on with a big stick and was glad I had something solid between me and the bolt. Recently I switched to one of those crystal-clear full face shields and it provides excellent all round vision. I realize something like this will fog up for you folks in colder climes but for me it works great. I also bought one for the shed and use it when drilling, turning or grinding. The head size adjustment knob at the back of the head provides an excellent hooking point for my Peltor H10B behind the head muffs to lock onto making both more secure .

 

[redprospector]

Good post tnmike... yes I only got serious about safety in my 40's and later (I'm 55). Took way to many chances back when. Didn't wear as much ear protection as I should have or as often as I should have, and I have some hearing loss today directly due to that. Same in the woodshop, to many shortcuts and a few scars from stitches to prove it. Fortunately nothing to serious, I was lucky. Now I am almost the opposite... I treat my equipment with the respect they deserve knowing that if I don't I'll pay for that. Here is a sign in the entrance of my shop...

Good sign. I like what my Dad used to say. "A machine is just like a jealous woman. Take your mind off of her for a second, and she will get your attention back."

Mike, glad your doing better. Keep doing what the doc tell's you, and you'll be ok. My SIL had a detached retina a few years ago. He said it was a real pain in the................................................eye.

Andy

 

[Rockfarmer]

Hey Mike

hope your getting better!

I'm in the habit of wearing my safety glasses and earplugs from work (they make us) and I feel weird without them (like I'm doing something wrong). As far as the glasses fogging issue, they make a spray for that, spray on, wipe off, no big deal, works great.

Just so everyone knows

1 chip of metal (that you might feel as a woodchip) left in your eye overnight could blind you forever!!! Something to think about,...

 

[OcoeeG]

Mike.
Glad to hear your on the mend. Where in TN/NC are you? I live in Chattanooga.

Thanks for looking out and reminding us to wear that safety gear.

 

[TNMIKE]

I have a farm

near Sneedville, TN and a home in Western NC near Asheville. I grew up in Chattanooga. Havent lived there since 1973.

I am able to see things up closely better at this point but my far field vision is pretty bad. I read on the internet where only 40% of retinal detachment patients have there original vision after surgery. Im hoping mine is better in a few months and especially after they change my glasses. Until then I am going to be somewhat limited in what I can do.