A LETTER to a friend

April 27, 2006

Dear Friend,

It's just occurred to me that like us, what my mother had was blepharitis. She was complaining about her eyes tearing all the time especially the right one and she had a painful nerve situation as well.

Except for non crippling osteo-arthritis, she was an active seventy five year-old who chose to have a blepharectomy if that is what it was called, while we were out of town between xmas and new years as teachers do when take their vacations

.In December 1969 we went to the california desert came back new years eve and planned to go see her in the hospital the next morning. WHICH WE DID. but sooner than we had expected.

Sometime around eight-fifteen a nurse called and told us "you better come. She's real bad" and by the time we crossed town and got there she was dead. It wasn't the blepharectomy that killed her, but a pulmonary embolism caused by the anesthetic and lying around for five days.

This thing couldn't happen now because older people's legs are bound and they are gotten up and walked the same day, and sometimes even sent home. You reminded me when you said you were considering having the surgery, and gave a name to what she had. I'd always called it "tear duct or eyelid surgery". . . . so ironic to die from that.

I've not quite understood what the benefit was. I still don't.

I've just done the hot compress treatment which does help, when I remember to do it. . so I don't know if this story helps you decide . . .it's made a lasting impression on me I avoid all unnecessary surgery which is why I never had a hip replacement in 1980. Something which would have changed my life completely