Friday, August 07, 2009

Visiting Moreland Park; a non-event


Having taken the rabbits three to the vet earlier this week I thought it only fair play to take myself and son to see our optometrist in San Jose. Last year I was told that I had the beginnings of glaucoma, something I didn't want to hear so I came to my appointment with a bagful of trepidation. Dexter went first, leaving me to stew in my own fears and magazines. After the routine check I got dilated and in this condition was forced to choose some new glasses. Our usual Dr. had taken in an associate or so, and so this was who was examining me today.

Can you read this sign without your glasses?

She peered into my giant pupils with her horrid bright light and a magnifying glass. First the left eye. I enjoy hearing the sharp intake of breath, this means I have caught them not really reading my file. "You have a large scar on your retina." She stepped back in astonishment. And then I tell the story of how in 6th grade I got hit in the face with a kick ball and my retina got damaged. The eye Dr. was one of the researchers at Stanford so he used one of the first lasers to seal up the flap in my retina. It was a ruby laser powered by a vacuum cleaner, the usual patients were monkeys....but it seemed to work just fine on 11 year old girls too. Anyway it was decided that in fact I do not show anything that could be thought of as a sign of glaucoma. I am OK :~) !!!!!! no worries there. Can't hardly wait for my new glasses.

Now cover your left eye and tell me if you can read the fourth line down.

So that is all good. As we were in San Jose it seemed like an interesting thing to check out Moreland Park where the rabbit dumping has been taking place. Having heard stories of armed guards Dexter and I were quite excited by the prospect of getting a picture of one these persons. Alas we found the park bereft guards on any sort.

Moreland Park looks peaceful if you don't know about the dark underbelly of bureaucracy that keeps bunnies prisoners.

It was locked up quite tight and signage posted. We saw no rabbits, which is not surprising as it was almost one o'clock which is nap time where ever a rabbit lives. There is a scummy looking pond where, presumably the rabbits are drinking. There are lots of trees and bushes and hiding places. As far as the rescue goes my understanding is that we are waiting for the OK for the school board......

It is nice to come home to this, look at those whiskers!

14 comments:

Christina said...

Indeed, anytime I hear or see something bad happening to a bunny or any animal, I come home at look at my furry kids and say thank you to a higher power that they are safe, well fed, and loved. I am so thankful that Amelia found you. Your furry sillies look great. I think bunny pictures all over the vet office is a fabulous idea. Cant imagine why anyone wouldnt want to. LOL

Paula said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paula said...

I'm glad to hear you're glaucoma free. I was told just a few years ago by an eye doctor/associate that I had a slightly lazy eye which explained a lot. She told me that they could test you forever and find all kinds of things but they don't. I hope everything is good, all things considered, your eye being laser vacuumed and all. Sheesh!

I read up on Moreland Park today and had the experience of watching part of the video of the salon beating in Oakland. I would tell you that's unbelievable but tonight NBC is doing an in-depth report on the Billings murders that happened not too far from where I live. It's been horrific for our community, especially since the circle of people who committed the crime seems to be growing.

Life is hard, I try to keep my home life soft, comfy, and pliable. Filled with floofiness and whiskers. And safe.

Annette Tait said...

Glad to hear your sight is all well.

(The 4th line down was a bit fuzzy - could be my monitor!)

Hopefully the board will make a positive decision fast for the sake of the rabbits.

Glenna said...

Excellent about your eyes, and what an amazing story about how your retina got damaaged (see, I knew phys ed is bad for you!) I can't read, view--anything--about the bunny situation. It's too horrible for words.

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

I'm glad your eye is okay. It's scary to think about losing one's vision.

Poor park bunnies. I hope they all get rescued and the dumping stops. It's frustrating to know that the problem will persist somewhere no matter what we do. But we must do what we can.

RG said...

Feelers ... when we were kids animals and bugs had Feelers!

Good about the vision ... wouldn't want to mistake Tyler for Sydney or v-v .... you would get -uh - disapproved!

Crafty Green Poet said...

Glad you don't have glaucoma, it runs in our family unfortunately.... I like the way you've interspersed eye tests in among the rest of this post.

I love the photo of Amelia

Deb Cushman said...

We're glad you had a good eye checkup. Deb went to eye doctor this week too. Everything okay, except for getting new computer glasses. Hadn't had them before, but starting to notice the eye strain, you know. Can't give up the computer -- better to just get special glasses :)

The San Jose rabbit situation is sad. Why do people do such things! We hope all the rabbits are able to find good, safe homes.

Beth said...

People would dump bunnies?! How sad! We have several bunnies that live in my school.

I do love those whiskers.

Junkstylediva said...

I am glad to hear no glaucoma. Isn't it interesting how some of these docs come with a diagnosis that is so wrong! Another reason why I don't like western medicine, and even with the health care iniative, it still doesn't make some of these docs any smarter! Dumping bunnies??? People suck! Do I sound bitter? hmmmm, I better meditate about this...actually, no I already know the answer...ALOT of people suck!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

ABOUT MORELAND BUNS: If all goes well there will be a rescue on Tuesday night. There are some days scheduled after that too, to be sure all buns are removed to safe situations.

ABOUT EYES: My understanding is that if you catch the Glaucoma early and start in with drops there will be no or minimal damage to the vision. However I am delighted to not (or at least not yet knocking on wood) have to do or worry about this. Certainly if I were diagnosed I would get a second opinion, because even though they have pictures of my retinas and all that modern stuff, it is still apparently a judgement call on the part of the Dr.. Maybe that just so they can charge for a Dr's examination. Did I say that? was that cynical? oh dear....

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Glenna- no glasses can make the bunny situation easy to view.....

Anonymous said...

Nice post... i mean that in the way you integrated the pictures in with your eye exam... not in the way that sucky people dump rabbits...

Your last pic reminded me of an event a month or so ago when I was called by ridgeback rescue to drive to someone's house and assess a possible owner surrender of a ridgeback. The dog was a shep mix, not a ridgie and there were 2 other dogs there, all in appalling conditions while the guy told me his brother took great care of the dogs (yeah right - they were all overweight, matted, practically feral except the shep who was very friendly but could hardly stand from overweight and tumors)

It KILLED me to be there and to leave and not be able to take those animals with me. We turned on the siren with all the rescues and in the end I believe they ended up with animal control when the sheriff came to evict the tenants and lock the house.

The last picture reminds me of that day only because when I got home I could think of nothing other than snuggling my lakota and holding her tight. When I sent the email with the pics I took out to the diff rescues I sent it with the awful pics of those dogs and ended with a pic of Lakota and Vera (my landlady's dog) and called it a cleansing post.

Hugs to you my friend. Glad you are not facing glaucoma ... when you said "so I came to my appointment with a bagful of " i expected something else at the end of that sentence haha.

sorry for the long comment!