Seeing things a lot differently

The first week of May was going to be different. I just didn’t realize how different.

Two members of the Baker City Herald newsroom were going to be on vacation that week. That meant I was supposed to come in Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings to help get the paper out — something that I’m not usually a major player in doing.

I usually do that task two or three times a year, depending on vacation times. This time there was the added twist of having at least one local sports team playing every day that week, and on all but one day those events were home events.

But I soon would find out that wasn’t going to matter.

Monday began bright and early around 5 a.m. The crew that morning turned out to be myself and Chris Collins. Another reporter was out sick.

I was having difficulty seeing in my right eye, but like many people, put off finding out what the problem was.

After deadline Monday a family member and I decided to make appointments for a normal eye exam. At Baker Vision Clinic we were told that it would probably be into July before we could be seen unless there was an emergency. I told the receptionist I “sort of think mine might be.”

So they got me in to see Dr. Sheryl Blankenship. Blankenship examined the eye and almost immediately began the process of setting up an appointment with a speciaist in Boise. The diagnosis — a detached retina. And, I was told, because I had waited almost a week to be seen, the problem was more serious than it might have been. (Did I mention it had been about seven years since my last exam?)

So, it was off to Boise, getting there around 10 p.m. MDT Monday. Tuesday was spent seeing the specialist and making arrangements at St. Alphonsus Hospital for surgery Wednesday morning.

The surgery went smoothly, but I was told I was a lucky man. The surgeon found several small holes in the retina, and one much larger one. Laser surgery has repaired the problem, for now.

The process of rehabilitation will be long and precise. And there are reas of the healing retina that the doctors want to keep an eye on. (No pun intended.)

Doctors gave me the OK to return to work on a limited basis starting last Friday. But there still are some things I’m not allowed to do — heavy lifting and long periods using the eye to name two.

Oh, those sports events I mentioned. They all were played. Most of them were reported by the limited staff available. The rest can be found throughout this section.

We don’t think about things like our eyesight until something goes wrong. Then, sometimes it’s too late.

All I know is I’m seeing things much differently now, both figuratively and spiritually.

Gerry Steele is Baker City Herald sports editor.