June 27, 2018 - Wednesday
72 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Today marked a milestone. Approximately a year ago, I began the mental and physical preparations for surrendering my driver's license. With my vision registering 20/200, legally blind, it was time to quit driving.

Most know the story, a year of near infrared treatments for the advanced dry macular degeneration that had settled into both my eyes. I've noticed a great improvement, but had yet to be formally examined. 

Today was the day of reckoning.

I settled into the doctor's chair, nervous and fearful that the improvement had been between my ears, not in my eyes. Occasionally a person's mind tells him one thing, but the facts point to something different.

The doctor began.

"Better or worse? One or two? Tell me when the squares are perfectly aligned."

"Unbelievable," I heard him whisper.

"Let's dilate them."

To make a long story short, other than a slight shadow somewhere in the back of my eyes, all signs of macular degeneration have disappeared. We compared a photograph of the interior of my eyes taken in 2011. The diseased macula were prevalent and the degeneration advanced. 

Today, they're healthy. 

The unheard of has happened. My macular degeneration has completely reversed. 

Sight? Mine registered 20/15 today corrected, better than perfect.

With tearful eyes, I exited the office filled with wonder and gratitude. Thank you to the doctors and scientists who keep searching for a cure to this horrible disease. Thank you for allowing me to be a lab rat. I had nothing to lose and you gave me everything.

Most of all, I'm grateful to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. His grace is overwhelming and I thank you, Lord.

I walked 4.5 miles this morning. It seems everything is blooming or bearing fruit. 

Wednesday afternoon was spent in the shop painting the letters that were sawed several weeks ago.

Mom and I visited all afternoon and the hours flew by as I painted.

The letters will be outlined in black tomorrow and after, I'll begin to concentrate on mounting them on the background.

Touring the garden this evening, I was thrilled to see the cantaloupe are beginning to bloom. Could this be the year? 

Our growing seasons are generally too short for growing melons, but with May's above average temperatures, I started the long season crops several weeks earlier than usual. So far so good.

Sargie opens the Vision Center tomorrow. I'm going for my usual walk then return to the shop to finish the letters. After? Well, I'll leave that up to Mom. 

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...