Eye weight question

[smrity]

Thanks Nancy ,that's a great information .

[nancyann]

Smrity:  Glad I could help....

[chrissmom]

Hi smrity,
Chris had his gold weight put in right after the final surgery for the tumor.  His doctor was expecting that he would need it and he did! I watched the opthalmologist perform the surgery.  It took about an hour for the entire procedure. You can't tell its in the upper eyelid, unless you look very close and then you see a little bump there.  Chris did fine for a year but when he went back to college, the studying, the ligjhts, dry dorm room and continous computer use took it's toll.  His lower lid became lax and yesterday he had surgery to lift it.

The eye weight is a blessing.  You won't be sorry, if you choose to have it done.  There is very little down time, as NancyAnn explained. Chris had slight swelling and a little bruise for a couple of days.  Good luck...whatever you decide.

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

I am still doing the blinkeze stick on eye weight thing.
http://www.medcompare.com/details/34993/Blinkeze-External-Lid-Weights.html
(Insurance has yet to reimburse us … and they won’t pay for all the tape strips)
When I take off the weight I have 25 % blink action. When I have the weight on I have 100% blink action.

Days after surgery I lost the blink action 100%- so I guess I am improving since the post op days. (I am at 5 months now). I am wondering how long I will be doing this sticky tape thing and if I really will have 100% blinking action return. I guess I will wait this out (weight it out ...ar ar LOL ) and see if I will need to get an implant or not.

3 weeks ago I managed to stop having to tape ‘under’ the eye. I hope to one day to rid myself of ALL the sticky tape (blinkeze, nasal strips at night for the paralyzed nostril etc to stay open) … then I truly will become unglued.

Here’s winking at you (with my sticky tape on) – Nancy.

Cheers,

4

[nancyann]

Hey 4 - you doll baby you!    I think it's GREAT news that you have 25% blink recovery!!   YEAH!!!   It IS a slow process, isn't it?
As the saying goes, 'patience IS a virtue'.   

Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Kaybo]

Hello All You Winkers!
I love my weight, but it took 3 tries to get the right weight.  I had them give me a little something b/c I didn't want to "hear" the procedure.  I had to have my eye sewn shut for 3 months about 4 months after my surgery b/c the cornea was scratched so badly -- I actually heard them cutting my eyelid (HORRIBLE, i know, I'm sorry)!!!!  I didn't want ANY part of that again.  Recovering from the drugs were much worse than the procedure.  The third time, they forget to give me something and I was wanting to get thru so I could go watch my daughter's soccer game, so I didn't want to take the time for the drug to take affect.  I was at the game about an hour later!  I bruise REALLY bad and did the first two times and then the 3rd was right around Halloween and I actually WANTED to bruise for my costume and didn't -- go figure!!
I just made my hubby tell me about my blinking -- he thinks I am nuts - its not like it has been this way for a LONG time now.  He wondered why I was reevaluating my blinking now!!  He said it always "moves/twitches" like it is going to blink when the other one does, but it doesn't close all the way every time.  I don't seem to produce tears, but I must some b/c I don't use that much lubricant during the day.  However, I can honestly tell you that my eye has teared (running down my face) 3 times in 12 years -- & one was MLK weekend when I was in Houston and Jeanlea & I had just been PMing about eye stuff!!  Isn't that weird??
OK, enough about my eyes!
4~ I tried a "stick on" weight first b/c my mom had Bells Palsey (I think she just wanted to look like me!!!) -- the permanent one is MUCH better and easier.  I hope you get your function back & don't need it, but if you do someday, I hope your insurance will pay.  My weight (which BTW I didn't get for SEVEN YEARS after my surgery) is wonderful! 
K

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

k,

I am at 85% blink action now and have full eye closure (however slower closure than the normal eye still) ... so in hindsight I think the temporary weight was a good thing, in my case, as I only use drops at night when I take off the weight to go to bed.

My eyelid functions are retuning - now if only my face were normal… and I was not showing signs of synkinesis… this involuntary winking at people when I eat is awkward.

This whole AN journey is quite the “weightingâ€? (waiting  )  game… and an endurance of “patienceâ€? (patients  )

Groan …. LOL… Har de har har 

Cheers,

4

[Kaybo]

4~
At least you still have a sense of humor!!  In my book, that is one of the most important things that can carry us thru anything!!!
K

[CROOKEDSMILE]

RIGHT AFTER MY SURGERY I HAD COMPLETE PARALYSIS AND MY EYE WAS WIDE OPEN. WOULDN'T CLOSE OR FLICKER AT ALL WHEN I TRIED. NOW BEFORE HAVING MY WEIGHT PUT IN I COULD AT TIMES CLOSE IT ALL THE WAY BUT NOT BLINK. DOES THIS PROGRESSION SUGGEST THAT THE NERVE FUNCTION IS COMING BACK TO THE EYELID OR NOT. I AM 7 MONTHS POST OP AND STILL CAN'T BLINK SO IT MADE ME WONDER. I DO FEEL A TIGHTENING SPASM AROUND THE EYE AT TIMES BUT EMG SHOWS NOTHING WHEN THEY TESTED THE EYELID ITSELF AND UNDER THE EYE.