[Anonymous]

#1129991

Lou,
I understand what you are going through. When I went hyper I couldn’t drive because I couldn’t see. I was sick at my stomach all the time because I had lost my equilibrium. The only other person in the house is my 17 year old daughter who is a senior and a real socialite. I was so depressed that I never wanted the day to end. I would get apprehensive when evening would draw near because she would go to bed as normal and I would be left up(most of the night) watching the clock. I didn’t want to be alone! I was the most frightened I have ever been! It took them 3 weeks to diagnose me and they wouldn’t prescribe any meds until they knew what was going on. I went to the hospital 3 times and fired 2 endos before I finally had a diagnosis and treatment.

I have always thought of myself as a fairly strong individual what with raising my girls by myself but this disease truly brought me to my knees. And then it began to get better. It has been six months and I feel like my old self most of the time now. Hang in there it does get better and until then, jump on this BB anytime you need someone to chat with. Were here for ya.

[Anonymous]

#1040505

I so totally hear you about the problems with your hubby. Mine figured if it didn’t affect him *directly* why bother reading something. I found two posts on the BB one on 12/30/99 from JeanC written at 2:00:28 am that she wrote for someone elses hubby (bless you JeanC) and the other posted by Daisy on 1/14/00 12:38:28 pm and Daisy just lists it all right down to a T. I printed both of them, when hubby came home I MADE him read them both, the next day I made both my kids read them. Didn’t help the kids to understand much but hubby sure has done an about face. He is now reading about Graves on some of the home pages (he would rather see what others have experienced to try to understand than a clinical view of it) and he is so much more understanding.

I also explained to him that GD is a lot like people with alcoholism, it is not something you can see/feel (except with TED and the weight gain, the dry skin) but it doesn’t mean it is any less of a disease. Both can kill at their worst points. Still not sure if the analogy has worked, but it was the only one I could think of…big difference is that *society* accepts alcoholism is ‘accepted’ as a disease, GD is so unknown even to many of our drs. endos. etc that it hasn’t had time to accepted or understood. And unfortunately until there is a LOT of research dollars and a HUGE NATIONWIDE Campain awareness is launched it never will be. Only we can teach and educate those we love and sometimes that just isn’t easy it it

Try printing them…hand them to him to read and sit there while he does, when he is done, ask him if he wants to talk to you about with you. Send him to a couple of Warriors home pages, I bookmarked Sue Roses and Dianes for him and let him get his feet wet a little at a tim. If your like me your not ready for him to read the BB yet. Well I relented a little, told him he can start with the first post and go on from there, by the time he gets to my first post from (WOW almost 2 weeks ago now) I will be comfortable enough for him to read it. Right now, he just isn’t a member of this club. Maybe bad logic on my part but…

Good luck and if you want to e-mail me just to vent come ahead, I sure have done it lots and lots and lots lately
*HUGZ* to you
Jody
luckystrike@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

#1129992

Thank you, all, friends.
I have received so many nice e-mails and notes. I appreciate it so.
No matter where I go, as long as I can get to the BB, I guess I will
always be “home”. It is just so hard to change…I hate change…this disease made me change..so I am adjusting, right?
As for the aging process, I will be half a century old in a few weeks, and my local friends say I don’t look like I am “that old”, so I don’t know if Graves’ ages one or not. Don’t have all the gray hair, yet, but do have the baggy eyes pretty good. Still, I am a young thing you know! lol! If I have to I can keep up pretty good!
Thanks again, for all the encouragements. They sure do help!
Hugs & Prayers to all,
Ellie

[Anonymous]

#1129993

Hi, Lou.

There are various low vision devices that can be of help when eyesight deteriorates. For example, I have used a variety of magnifiers and monoculars. A stand magnifier might help you while you quilt, because it is free-standing–it has a base. A hand-held magnifier might help you with reading. A monocular (similar to one-half of a binocular) is useful for reading bus numbers, addresses, and street signs, but it is difficult to use while you are in motion–it is easier to use while standing still. There are many other products, too, that can be of help to people with visual impairments. They are not easy to use, and they do require practice and patience.

Best wishes,
Wendy

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