I just came out of a seven day incarceration ordeal and this is the story of that encounter. A few people would have noticed that I had been out of social media for about ten days, but may not have known why.
We move!
One Saturday in April 2021, I woke up and noticed I could not see clearly after I put on my glasses. I thought the lens were a bit dusty, so I wiped them, but the vision did not improve. I sprinkled the liquid and wiped some more but it was still the same,
But I managed it that weekend, even though I knew it was difficult for me.
By Tuesday when it became unbearable, I called my optometrist friend at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH and after seeing three consultants, I was told my right eye had a problem, and not the lens.
The pressure was extremely high and I had needed eye drops for a full week to crash the eye pressure from 46 to 13. Then I was told I needed to have a Laser PI (Peripheral Iridotomy) done on the eye.
I booked that at a private clinic as UPTH could not do it. I had it done on the second weekend of May 2021. After 2 weeks, I went back to the Teaching Hospital where they confirmed it was a good job. All was well, right?
Enter Phase 2 of the wahala
Life was good. My eyes were not bad and I hadn’t needed my glasses in weeks.
I could use my phone without them, I could use my computer without them, and I could read without them. I still had to use my eye drops regularly, though.
However, on July 11, 2021, England lost the Euros final to Italy. I had taunted the world that it would come home so I shut my phone immediately after the final and went to sleep
I’d answer their trolling in the morning.
I woke up, picked my phone, and responded to a few messages. Went in, had a bath and couldn’t see clearly anymore. I closed my tight eye with my hand and vision was top. I did the same with my left eye and all I could see was whitish mass. The right eye was not working.
I called my optometrist and he summoned me to the UPTH once again where I met 3 different consultants. They all ran teats, looked inside the eye and asked the same question, “Did anything hit your eye?”
My response was the same. I did not get flapped or punched, I didn’t walk into a door or wall, and I don’t play football anymore so I didn’t get elbowed or take a shot in my face.
I was asked to go back to where I did the laser PI, just in case that could be a factor, but they checked, confirmed the PI was still a good job and then told me the current condition had nothing to do with the Laser PI.
I was pushed in for an eye scan and the consultant looked at the results and asked…. “Did anything hit your eye?”
This was beginning to get boring, but I patiently gave the sane answer.
The consultant told me in clear terms that there were no lens in my right eye. They fell off, or fell out of its in situ location. Displaced lens. That can only happen most of the time after forced trauma on the eye. I insisted nothing like that happened.
Next up was the solution. I asked what the solution would be since we now knew the problem and she said, a vitrectomy as permanent solution. You don’t know what that is? Okay, it’s a vitreous retina surgery! You still don’t know what it is? Oya, they’ll cut the eye open, locate the lens that fell off, remove it, then in another surgery, they’ll fix artificial lens to locate the displaced one. And it would cost close to a million naira.
At this time I had completely lost vision in my right eye. In other words, it did not exist. I asked how much time I had and was told I could use a contact lens on my right eye for as much as 8 months. It was no emergency, the consultant said.
I went for the option of the contact lens while I started the process of prepping for the surgery.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Then a few days later, I got a call from my optometrist letting me know that the surgery will either be done in Kaduna, at the National eye hospital, or by a surgeon from Kaduna.
He then added that the surgeon was in town, at another clinic. He wanted me to go there for an assessment. Since, in his words, that’s the man who may do the surgery eventually.
I dashed down to see him and after assessment, he insisted I did it immediately. I booked myself for the next session he’ll be in Port Harcourt. Sometime in September.
SURGERY DAY
I had gone in a day earlier on Friday, October 1, 2021 for assessment and I was booked to be the first on the queue.
I asked questions like, how long the procedure would last, how many days I would need to recuperate etc. I just asked loads of questions. I wanted to know what I was going in to do.
Incarceration Day 1
When the surgeon asked for the blade, I knew it was it. I had been injected around the lower eyelid. It was local Anastasia, so I was quite conscious and knew everything around me. I asked what the time was and the surgeon said, “Matron, he wants to know the time.”
She told me it was 9.25am and then probably handed over the blade he had asked for. I noticed his finger feeling my right eye, then I felt the cut and blood splatter. This guy just cut my eye open. Jesus! Then the surgeon’s voice went, “Cotton Wool.”
It was handed to him and next thing I felt was him mopping up blood from around my eye. He asked for Saline, and then I felt the liquid pour in my eye. Three hours later, I heard the surgeon say, “It is done. That was a perfect surgery.”
I asked what the time was and the matron said it was 12:15pm.
Day 2: I can’t see a thing
I was back at the hospital as early as 7 am the next day where the cast was taken off. My right eye was still closed though I tried to force it open. The nurse put an eye drop in it and then took me to another room to try to read with the right eye. I could not see a thing. She said it was normal, but I did not believe. I panicked. Why would she tell me to read if I was not expected to read in the first place? I complained to the surgeon that I could not see a thing with the right eye. He smiled and told me not to worry that it was normal. He tried to explain something about air being pumped into the eye and it would take about two days before my vision gradually returns.
He looked at the eye through the x-ray thing and told me all was well. He said the Iris claw lens used to replace the displaced one was in place and I had nothing to worry about. That was reassuring, but allow me to worry.
I was handed a piece of paper with rules and regulations to follow for the net 7 days. I told the nurse that I could not read and she began to read them out for me. It was basic things I should not do to ruin the good job done on the eye. Number 4 was not to engage in any rigorous activity, especially sex. Blood of Jesus!
Life was a briefest without the eyes. My job was news gathering and talking. Without the eye and mouth I am completely useless at my job. In fact, there would be no job. I just lay in bed listening to my radio. That was all I could do. Pressing my phone was out of bounds. Mary Warmann came visiting. N
athan Brodrick called. Dr Tunde Akkininu called too. I could not watch the Liverpool vs Manchester City game because I had just one eye. It was not even an option
So, I just backed the TV in the parlour and listened to the commentators. My eyes drops were every hour for 24 hours and the other one every 2 hours for 48 hoots so that was my routine.
Day 3: I see the light
In my quest for vision, I would always close the left eye to check if I could see anything with the right eye. I did that every morning. By Monday, I could see light bulbs on, but nothing else. I will just see the brightness of the bulbs but there was no other vision in the right eye. I don dey fear o.
Day 4: Now I have panicked
Tuesday morning and vision in my right eye had not improved so, I panicked, naturally. I called Doctor Chikezie and screamed out, “My eye is not healing o. there is a problem!”
After he calmed me down, I calmed down and continued to listen to radio, since that was all I could do. At about 3pm, I closed my left eye, then put my hand in front of my face and I could see it. I could also see what looked like my fingers, though the vision was blurred, I ssaw my hand with my right eye. My vision was returning.
Day 5: I see men like trees
By day 5 I was going crazy. The vision in my right eye was improving but the wait was frustrating. I began to see what looked like rust. It was greenish brown and it seemed like it was floating at the top of my right eye. But at least I could see something. Then I started to see black dots, like water droplets hovering around my eye. Those, I learned are known as floaters and are quite normal. My optometrist later explained that during the surgery, my vitreous was touched and I will continue to see floaters until it is fully healed. Hmm! But the vision was improving. I could see the images of people in front of me. I still could not make out the features in their faces, but I will know if a person is in front of me
Day 6: I can see clearly now
I woke up to bright eyes. The right eye was almost fully open and I could see clearly. The Super Eagles had a game against the Central African Republic but I was not going to waste my new eye sight watching whatever mess Gernot Rohr was going to serve. I’d rather search for moths and watch them mate. So, I did not watch the game. I heard they lost. I had not emotions, whatsoever. In the evening, I took a walk around the neighbourhood. I was tired of sitting at home.
Day 7: I think I am ready
My 7 day incarceration is over, but I will just stay indoors for another two days since I return to work on Monday morning, after a visit to the Eye Hoapsital for assessment. I noticed the floaters were much though and I was beginning to get worried. They were all over the place
Life returns to normal
I visited the hospital on Monday morning and the excited surgeon told me it was massive recovery one week post op. I could read with the eye, and almost see clearly with it. He advised that I could go back to work, but cautiously, since the total healing process is about six weeks.
Moral of this story: Nigerians should be health conscious. Our bodies are very important and we must do occasional checks. I did not want to share too much information here, but I was this close to losing my right eye. Health is wealth. Protect your health.
PS
I believe I explained some medical terms like a complete illiterate. I am not a doctor, but I am sure you got the message.
We move!
One Saturday in April 2021, I woke up and noticed I could not see clearly after I put on my glasses. I thought the lens were a bit dusty, so I wiped them, but the vision did not improve. I sprinkled the liquid and wiped some more but it was still the same,
But I managed it that weekend, even though I knew it was difficult for me.
By Tuesday when it became unbearable, I called my optometrist friend at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH and after seeing three consultants, I was told my right eye had a problem, and not the lens.
The pressure was extremely high and I had needed eye drops for a full week to crash the eye pressure from 46 to 13. Then I was told I needed to have a Laser PI (Peripheral Iridotomy) done on the eye.
I booked that at a private clinic as UPTH could not do it. I had it done on the second weekend of May 2021. After 2 weeks, I went back to the Teaching Hospital where they confirmed it was a good job. All was well, right?
Enter Phase 2 of the wahala
Life was good. My eyes were not bad and I hadn’t needed my glasses in weeks.
I could use my phone without them, I could use my computer without them, and I could read without them. I still had to use my eye drops regularly, though.
However, on July 11, 2021, England lost the Euros final to Italy. I had taunted the world that it would come home so I shut my phone immediately after the final and went to sleep
I’d answer their trolling in the morning.
I woke up, picked my phone, and responded to a few messages. Went in, had a bath and couldn’t see clearly anymore. I closed my tight eye with my hand and vision was top. I did the same with my left eye and all I could see was whitish mass. The right eye was not working.
I called my optometrist and he summoned me to the UPTH once again where I met 3 different consultants. They all ran teats, looked inside the eye and asked the same question, “Did anything hit your eye?”
My response was the same. I did not get flapped or punched, I didn’t walk into a door or wall, and I don’t play football anymore so I didn’t get elbowed or take a shot in my face.
I was asked to go back to where I did the laser PI, just in case that could be a factor, but they checked, confirmed the PI was still a good job and then told me the current condition had nothing to do with the Laser PI.
I was pushed in for an eye scan and the consultant looked at the results and asked…. “Did anything hit your eye?”
This was beginning to get boring, but I patiently gave the sane answer.
The consultant told me in clear terms that there were no lens in my right eye. They fell off, or fell out of its in situ location. Displaced lens. That can only happen most of the time after forced trauma on the eye. I insisted nothing like that happened.
Next up was the solution. I asked what the solution would be since we now knew the problem and she said, a vitrectomy as permanent solution. You don’t know what that is? Okay, it’s a vitreous retina surgery! You still don’t know what it is? Oya, they’ll cut the eye open, locate the lens that fell off, remove it, then in another surgery, they’ll fix artificial lens to locate the displaced one. And it would cost close to a million naira.
At this time I had completely lost vision in my right eye. In other words, it did not exist. I asked how much time I had and was told I could use a contact lens on my right eye for as much as 8 months. It was no emergency, the consultant said.
I went for the option of the contact lens while I started the process of prepping for the surgery.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Then a few days later, I got a call from my optometrist letting me know that the surgery will either be done in Kaduna, at the National eye hospital, or by a surgeon from Kaduna.
He then added that the surgeon was in town, at another clinic. He wanted me to go there for an assessment. Since, in his words, that’s the man who may do the surgery eventually.
I dashed down to see him and after assessment, he insisted I did it immediately. I booked myself for the next session he’ll be in Port Harcourt. Sometime in September.
SURGERY DAY
I had gone in a day earlier on Friday, October 1, 2021 for assessment and I was booked to be the first on the queue.
I asked questions like, how long the procedure would last, how many days I would need to recuperate etc. I just asked loads of questions. I wanted to know what I was going in to do.
Incarceration Day 1
When the surgeon asked for the blade, I knew it was it. I had been injected around the lower eyelid. It was local Anastasia, so I was quite conscious and knew everything around me. I asked what the time was and the surgeon said, “Matron, he wants to know the time.”
She told me it was 9.25am and then probably handed over the blade he had asked for. I noticed his finger feeling my right eye, then I felt the cut and blood splatter. This guy just cut my eye open. Jesus! Then the surgeon’s voice went, “Cotton Wool.”
It was handed to him and next thing I felt was him mopping up blood from around my eye. He asked for Saline, and then I felt the liquid pour in my eye. Three hours later, I heard the surgeon say, “It is done. That was a perfect surgery.”
I asked what the time was and the matron said it was 12:15pm.
Day 2: I can’t see a thing
I was back at the hospital as early as 7 am the next day where the cast was taken off. My right eye was still closed though I tried to force it open. The nurse put an eye drop in it and then took me to another room to try to read with the right eye. I could not see a thing. She said it was normal, but I did not believe. I panicked. Why would she tell me to read if I was not expected to read in the first place? I complained to the surgeon that I could not see a thing with the right eye. He smiled and told me not to worry that it was normal. He tried to explain something about air being pumped into the eye and it would take about two days before my vision gradually returns.
He looked at the eye through the x-ray thing and told me all was well. He said the Iris claw lens used to replace the displaced one was in place and I had nothing to worry about. That was reassuring, but allow me to worry.
I was handed a piece of paper with rules and regulations to follow for the net 7 days. I told the nurse that I could not read and she began to read them out for me. It was basic things I should not do to ruin the good job done on the eye. Number 4 was not to engage in any rigorous activity, especially sex. Blood of Jesus!
Life was a briefest without the eyes. My job was news gathering and talking. Without the eye and mouth I am completely useless at my job. In fact, there would be no job. I just lay in bed listening to my radio. That was all I could do. Pressing my phone was out of bounds. Mary Warmann came visiting. N
athan Brodrick called. Dr Tunde Akkininu called too. I could not watch the Liverpool vs Manchester City game because I had just one eye. It was not even an option
So, I just backed the TV in the parlour and listened to the commentators. My eyes drops were every hour for 24 hours and the other one every 2 hours for 48 hoots so that was my routine.
Day 3: I see the light
In my quest for vision, I would always close the left eye to check if I could see anything with the right eye. I did that every morning. By Monday, I could see light bulbs on, but nothing else. I will just see the brightness of the bulbs but there was no other vision in the right eye. I don dey fear o.
Day 4: Now I have panicked
Tuesday morning and vision in my right eye had not improved so, I panicked, naturally. I called Doctor Chikezie and screamed out, “My eye is not healing o. there is a problem!”
After he calmed me down, I calmed down and continued to listen to radio, since that was all I could do. At about 3pm, I closed my left eye, then put my hand in front of my face and I could see it. I could also see what looked like my fingers, though the vision was blurred, I ssaw my hand with my right eye. My vision was returning.
Day 5: I see men like trees
By day 5 I was going crazy. The vision in my right eye was improving but the wait was frustrating. I began to see what looked like rust. It was greenish brown and it seemed like it was floating at the top of my right eye. But at least I could see something. Then I started to see black dots, like water droplets hovering around my eye. Those, I learned are known as floaters and are quite normal. My optometrist later explained that during the surgery, my vitreous was touched and I will continue to see floaters until it is fully healed. Hmm! But the vision was improving. I could see the images of people in front of me. I still could not make out the features in their faces, but I will know if a person is in front of me
Day 6: I can see clearly now
I woke up to bright eyes. The right eye was almost fully open and I could see clearly. The Super Eagles had a game against the Central African Republic but I was not going to waste my new eye sight watching whatever mess Gernot Rohr was going to serve. I’d rather search for moths and watch them mate. So, I did not watch the game. I heard they lost. I had not emotions, whatsoever. In the evening, I took a walk around the neighbourhood. I was tired of sitting at home.
Day 7: I think I am ready
My 7 day incarceration is over, but I will just stay indoors for another two days since I return to work on Monday morning, after a visit to the Eye Hoapsital for assessment. I noticed the floaters were much though and I was beginning to get worried. They were all over the place
Life returns to normal
I visited the hospital on Monday morning and the excited surgeon told me it was massive recovery one week post op. I could read with the eye, and almost see clearly with it. He advised that I could go back to work, but cautiously, since the total healing process is about six weeks.
Moral of this story: Nigerians should be health conscious. Our bodies are very important and we must do occasional checks. I did not want to share too much information here, but I was this close to losing my right eye. Health is wealth. Protect your health.
PS
I believe I explained some medical terms like a complete illiterate. I am not a doctor, but I am sure you got the message.
0 thoughts on “My 7 Day incarceration ordeal”
Thanks for sharing your story. I can only imagine what you went through. When you talked about pressure in the eye I could relate cos my mum suffered glacoma. Even after her surgery (like 35 years ago) she still lost her sight; it wasn’t sudden tho, but gradually over the years, she lost it.
It’s great news yours was successful. I’m happy for you. Now you can play “rough” play 😄.
I enjoyed reading this, it was a mixture of everything even though I skipped the surgery part as soon as I saw that ‘blade’ line lol. I noticed the gospel gangstaz references too 🙂
Thank God for great improvements on ur right eye.
Continue to be strong
We thank the Lord for your quick recovery…!
Congratulations..!
Thank God for quick recovery 🙏🏾
Good to know you are healthy and strong again Sir. This was a scary read. Truly good health can never be overemphasized.
Glory be to God for a quick recovery.
I wish you speedy recovery sir
You will be fine sir, thank God it was successful
Sorry for all inconveniences this may have cost you bro. I wish you a quick recovery.
All Glory to God. May God heal you permanently I Jesus name, amen
Thank God for your eyes o. This eye don see meme since Nembe road. I’ve advised you to stop looking at “gehs” but you no dey listen.
Thank God for quick recovery.
Quite vivid!