[2023-03-02] Eye health and coffee

Eye health

I didn't sleep well last night because I was worried there was something wrong with my left eye. It felt a little dry, a little filmy, and a little sore. I conjured up all sorts of concerns. What if I have a detached retina? What if I'm ignoring a problem that's getting worse by the day?

So this morning, I called my optometrist's office and booked an appointment. I was thrilled that they could see me today. In addition to examining my eyes, the optometrist asked whether I was experiencing blurred vision (not really), difficulty seeing at night (no), eye pain (maybe a little, say 1 on a scale from 1 to 10), discharge (no), redness or itchiness (not overly), light sensitivity (no). After she examined me, my optometrist reassured me that I had no injury to my eye and nothing beyond a bit of dryness to contend with. She asked me about my screen habits; I acknowledged that I spend a fair amount of time on my phone (I'm looking at you, Duolingo) and on my laptop (these posts don't write themselves). My optometrist noted that a lot of people stare at screens and don't blink as frequently, leading to dry eyes, especially in the winter. She sent me home with some eye drops and a whole lot of peace of mind.

Peace of mind is what I crave these days. I am not a hypochondriac—far from it. In fact, as I've said before, I could be forgiven for not wanting to see health care professionals any more than I already do to deal with cancer. But I also believe in a holistic approach to health, which means taking care of all parts of my body, including my eyes.

I admitted to the optometrist that I didn't want to ignore a problem that could become progressively worse because I hadn't sought help quickly enough. She provided some useful guidance: if you see new floaters or start perceiving flashes of light (like lightning) in the periphery, see your optometrist immediately.

Coffee with a fellow cancer thriver

Also today, I had coffee with a fellow ovarian cancer thriver. She had reached out to me last week as a result of my Take a leap post, sending me the most adorable email: "I read your blog yesterday so I’m doing what you suggested and reaching out to a total stranger….you! Since we are both in Ottawa, I’m wondering if you would like to get together for coffee?"

Today, we had a lovely chat over coffee. (She was incredibly gracious when I mixed up the date of our meeting, and she was generously accommodating when I suggested that she drive a little further in my direction to give me time to drive toward her.) Once we were settled at the Owl Cafe and Meeting Place, we comfortably chatted about what we have in common: we have both been through ovarian cancer, we both have an inherited mutation in our BRCA gene, and we are both on a PARP inhibitor (a drug that suppresses the growth of new tumours). Beyond facing ovarian cancer and several associated recurrences, my coffee companion also had breast cancer. When she had breast cancer, back in 2005, genetic testing was not as routine as it is today. So it wouldn't be until she developed ovarian cancer, some years later, that she would learn that she was BRCA positive. It made me realize how lucky I am to have gotten ovarian cancer at a time when genetic testing was more common. With luck and science, I hope to avoid breast cancer, which—for people who are BRCA positive—often occurs before or after ovarian cancer. Annual mammograms and breast MRIs will have to do until I get to the front of the queue for a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy.

We talked about genetic testing and the value of such information to us and our relatives. We are both what I call patient zero—the first people in our families to learn that we carry an inherited gene mutation. As much as I would have preferred to know this before developing ovarian cancer, I am grateful that my diagnosis opened up testing for many blood relatives. Armed with information, they can make decisions to protect their health.

What impressed me most about the woman I met today, beyond her grace, was her determination to live life to the fullest. Even in the midst of cancer treatments, she continued to travel and work. Her story gives me hope that I, too, will enjoy a long and purpose-filled life.

She took a leap by reaching out to me, and I'm so glad that she did. As is always the case when I sit down with someone to swap stories, I learn as much as I share.

Takeaways

Here are my takeaways from today: take charge of your health, pay attention to all parts of your body and mind, get tested, act on any results that show the presence of disease or risks, enjoy the peace of mind that comes from results that show no serious issues or dangers, take the medicines that are prescribed, have hope, reach out to others.