Category: My Eyes

  • Vision Update

    I was diagnosed with Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) more than fifteen years ago. Since then, my vision has slowly deteriorated. I’m not complaining. Without regular eye injections, I’d probably be blind. The injections aren’t as bad as they sound. It’s over in seconds. Numbing drops keep me from feeling anything. The speculum to keep my…

  • Dumped!

    My retina specialist told me to find another doctor. That’s right. I’ve been fired as a patient. In truth, she didn’t tell me — she had someone else do her dirty work. Whatever. My regular eye doctor referred me to the clinic more than ten years ago. The retina specialist for most of that time…

  • My Little Garden

    My garden is ready for a long, hot Georgia summer. A ton of rain helped. We’re six inches above normal for this time of year — most of that coming in May. Getting all the new arrivals into the ground early helped too. I’ve gardened for more than thirty years. Space constraints limited options with…

  • A Glimpse of the Future

    I haven’t taken more than a few days off from the day job for years. Nobody fills in when I’m out. An overwhelming quantity of emails, phone messages, and snail mail waiting when I return offset the benefits of getting away. I use vacation days a few at a time for long weekends throughout the…

  • It’s About that Big Truck…

    In gay parlance, I’m not a “car queen.” Motor vehicles do nothing for me. Even the nicest car or truck is simply a means from point A to point B. Recently, however, I’ve been very interested in one particular vehicle. A bunch of guys rent a house around the corner. A year or so ago, they expanded into…

  • A Christmas Letter

    Dear Friends, Holiday greetings from the Deep South. This year, I’m not sending any cards. My declining vision is such that hand-writing notes and addressing envelopes is too difficult. Yeah, I could print labels and mail form letters, but that’s about as personal as those stupid holiday email messages with dancing elves or some such. May…

  • My Diabetic Doggy: Good News Update

    Toodles was diagnosed with diabetes in May. Insulin injections twice a day are the only treatment option. Because she turns into mini-Kujo, it takes two people to give her an injection. My last Diabetic Doggy post (July 11) revolved around figuring out a way to give her the injections after my ex moved back into…

  • The Upside of My Vision Issues

    Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) prevents me from seeing like I could twenty years ago. It’s like looking at the world through smudged up glasses. The big picture — what things are and where they are located, for example — is still clear, but the smudge obscures anything I focus on. Bellyachin’ won’t help me see better or…

  • My Diabetic Doggy, Part 2

    Last week, I shared about finding out Toodles, my chihuahua, is diabetic. Dealing with a pet’s chronic disease can be expensive. I worried about the cost and what I would decide to do. My rapidly approaching retirement has changed the way I think about money. The difference between wants and needs is a lot clearer.…

  • In with the New

    Last week’s post was (hopefully) the final resting place for some of the baggage I lugged around last year. There’s more, but the load is much lighter than was the case thirty years ago. For this first post of 2016, rather than resolutions, I want to share my priorities for the year. Stay in the moment. Whatever’s happening…