A Day at the Emergency Room

Last night I noticed some weird bright flashes in my peripheral vision (left eye). I knew enough to know that this is likely not a good thing and I called the duty nurse for instructions about what to do: got a bot. The other bot, the “nurse,” called me back four hours later at midnight and by this time I was in bed and groggy. I got up this morning and began a series of calls to find out, again, what I should do. I finally reached a real nurse who was very helpful and who urged me to go to the ER.

Which I did. I went to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento by Lyft, not choosing to drive with an eye that may or may not be functioning well…

I received good, if slow, care. Whenever something bad happens it’s bound to be at the weekend or, worse, on a holiday. There were several people in there for eye-related issues. Given that my symptoms might have indicated a retinal detachment, which is definitely an emergency, they were perhaps a little cavalier about it.

In the event it was an age-related problem of the vitreous body pulling away from the retina, and the symptoms have subsided on their own. But I am to go back for a re-check.

Emergency rooms are a strange mixture of boredom and anxiety. I’m glad I had my knitting, my sketchbook, and my audiobook, all of which kept me occupied without too much of either feeling getting in the way.

I went home by way of the local yarn store and picked up a nice tape measure, which I really need and which didn’t break the bank. (I didn’t even look at the yarn, for extra brownie points.)