About two weeks ago, my eyes felt very dry. That was the beginning. I tried everything but it kept getting worse--a lot of pain, itching, my face broke out all around my eyes. I couldn’t sleep and it was hard to see because my eyelids had swollen until they were almost covering my eyes. Also, they developed  occasional film that made everything blurry.

I had an appointment with my eye doctor on Friday and she figured out what was wrong with me. It turns out that Timolol, which I had been prescribed for my glaucoma at least 25 years ago can turn on a person after long use. It can cause heart problems, breathing problems, sore joints, as much eye pain as you can imagine as you are slowly poisoned. She took me off it at once. New drops, which I had tested to see if they were the cause, actually lowered my eye pressure to acceptable levels.  She prescribed a cream for the scaly skin around my eyes – like a chemical burn. And something to slightly lessen the pain and itching

It still hurts today and still itches, but much less and I can see a lot better although my eyelids are still somewhat swollen. Thankfully, I can see much better.

It was scary. I didn’t know what was wrong and feared I was going blind

Gigi came over Tuesday and we had a good visit. Both she and I had bought cookies. She is having a lot of relatives forT. We’re having a small one this year, which pleases both of us as it’s been a difficult month between Woody’s neck and my eyes. Six is quite sufficient this year.  Woody will cook the turkey. I will make rum pumpkin pie, apple cranberry sauce, potiron tout rond. Tasha will make appetizers and Dale is making scalloped turnips (or potatoes as he chooses) and stuffing. I’ve made the same stuffing with minor changes for 20 years or so and Woody and I are both tired of it. We hope Dale can come up with something different.

The great news this week is that it finally has been raining – a good on and off rain since Thursday night. We’ve had well over an inch and we can use it and as I write this, it’s still raining. Evergreens have perked up and the garlic should really like having water for a change. Nothing had sprouted. Woody harvested the last of the leeks this week and I cooked them for two meals.  It was not as bountiful a harvest as previous years because of the long drought.  Woody has put all the gardens to sleep. The only active plants are the herbs in the herb bed. I brought a number of herbs inside and hope they will stay alive to be used all winter.

I hope I can read again today.  My eyes were too blurry to be able to read much more than a little bit and that with a magnifying glass. I miss reading. This has been torture all the way round.