Vision- Migrane In The Eye

Migrane In The Eye

Ocular Migrane

8.5" x 11"

ink

Seventh period. Last class of the day, finally. I stood at the door as teenagers tumbled and dragged into my room, laughing, talking, sulking, glaring.

I smiled, but tried to be firm, as I encouraged them to get in the room before the tardy bell rang. Inside, I wondered what my little mischief-makers in the class might be up to today. It should go smoothly, though. They already had a project started that they were enjoying doing-one that allowed them to visit and talk as they worked. But, this class always had someone who would either come in late, angry, and wanting to stir things up, or they would lose patience, or get upset over having to be in class instead of out playing sports. Those teenage hormones and emotions could spill over at any time.

I walked into the room to my desk, and, one tall, big, quiet, football player followed me to stand beside me. I stood by my desk as the tardy bell rang, ready to check my roll and put it out on the clip outside my door. The football player continued to stand by me. He didn't say anything, but he didn't sit down, either.

I needed to get that roll done, but this one student would not sit down, no matter what I said to him. "Please sit down" didn't work. Neither did, " You need to be in your seat", "I said to sit down," or "You will be tardy if you are not in your seat, " or "Did you need something?"

The assignment was on the board, but the students knew what to do anyway. Projects had been started, and they just waited for their materials to be passed out. For once, they were content to talk quietly as they waited.

I had to get that roll checked and decided that it was not worth an argument at that moment to get this boy to move. I picked up the roll sheet from my desk and started to look at the names.

A cold fear struck me. I'm sure that I gasped as I gripped the roll sheet and my pen.

Across the names on the sheet, it looked as if there was a tear in the paper. Jagged edges that separated and would not go back together. I blinked, I squinted, I moved the paper around, but the two parts of the paper would not go back together. Nothing worked. Was I going blind all of a sudden? I wanted to grab the boy beside me and ask if the paper was torn. But, I couldn't do that. I had to control myself and be the grown-up here.

Instead, resourceful person that I am, I handed the roll sheet and my pen to the boy.

"Here," I said. "You might as well do this since you are standing there. I need to get papers passed out."

The boy smiled and eagerly checked the roll and hung it out for me. Then he sat down at his desk. Maybe he just wanted to be a helper that day. I still don't know, but, I felt like he was put there, at that moment, to help me out. Instead of being upset with him, I was just glad that he was there.

I picked up the stack of art work to pass out, but I still couldn't read any names on them. There was that tear across all of the writing. So, I split the papers up and had three students pass them out, to speed things up. Some students liked to do things like pass out papers, not to help me, but just to give them something to do while they waited.

The students were busy with their projects and I sat in my chair behind my desk. I put my hands over my eyes for a few minutes, hoping my vision would clear.

"Maybe if I just rest my eyes, or myself, for a few minutes, it will get better."

No one asked about me, why I wasn't working along with them that day, or why I was sitting with my hands over my eyes. One girl did look at me, and I offered, "I have a headache." I didn't have a headache, but I didn't want to tell the class that I was terrified that I might be going blind, right there in class, and to go to the office for help.

"Just make it through this period," I thought.

The end of the period came, students put their work up, still engaged in their conversations, and left the room as the bell rang. After they were gone, I picked up my grade sheet, which was similar to the roll sheet, and I could see again.

"Whew! I hope that never happens again! Whatever it was." I breathed a big sigh of relief.

I had not thought that I had to drive home to the next town after school. What would have happened if it had not gone away, and I couldn't see? And, what if everyone left school and I was there, alone, as I often was, working late, and still couldn't see?

I decided to go home early, and call my opthamologist.

I couldn't get an appointment to see him for two weeks. Fearing that it could happen again, I drove to his office and told the young lady at the desk what had happened. She talked to the doctor, and said that it would be okay, and to come in for my appointment.

I spent a very anxious two weeks, worrying about what happened and that it might happen again.

At the exam, the doctor explained that this was like a migrane, but in the eye. It could have been brought on by stress. (I didn't think I was particularly stressed, and had never in my life had a migrane headache. It was just a normal, in fact, even a little bit better, day at school. But, I did have a lot of anxiety as I tend to be a perfectionist. But that was normal for me.) My eyes checked out fine, and he told me that I could get some reading glasses at the drugstore to help when reading, or he could give me a prescription as the distance reading had changed a little bit. I always had 20/20 vision, and used some reading glasses from the drugstore, for some reading like computer printouts and small print in newspapers. I thought that was just a normal part of aging.

The doctor did tell me that, the thing to look for, was flashing lights. If that happened, I should call him immediately. That could indicate a detached retina. But, as for the migrane in the eye, that was not anything to be concerned about. He said that I might call him if it happened again, though.

This happened several years before I had my diagnosis of Macular Degeneration last year. It was probably about in 2002, and has not happened again. The doctors that I have seen told me that the migrane in the eyes had nothing to do with the MD.

On the MD Support list, there has been a discussion about ocular migranes. So, I thought it was time to show my drawing and share my experience with that vision problem, although it is not a part of Macular Degeneration, as far as I can tell.

I have to emphasize to readers that it is important to get a good eye care professional to check your eyes. You can't always tell, either by looking or by reading of symptoms, just exactly what is going on in the eyes. In some cases, an early diagnosis is imperitive. Sometimes symptoms can be of something that is not serious at all, but other times, they can be extremely telling and urgent. Self diagnosis is not the way to go. The only way that some things can be detected is by

a good exam of the inside of the eye.

We can talk about and share experiences, and that can be of help in understanding and in coping. But there is no substitute for seeing a good eye care professional. So, have regular exams, and see your doctor when you notice any changes in your vision. And, of course, you want to do things that will promote good health for your eyes, as well as for the rest of your body.

You can check out some of the links I have listed under Eye Sites to learn more.

Project-Mock Stained Glass Window Part I

This is another project for Lisa, for teachers, for kids, and the young at heart, or anyone who likes to make things. Have fun with this, no matter what age group you are in. If you try this, or the other project, that results in something that you would like to share, please send me a picture. I would love to add it to my blog and show what you came up with.

Before Christmas, I liked to have my students make these paper, stained glass windows. As they made them, we taped them to the windows. Almost every year, we filled the windows, allowing light to shine through, giving us a very colorful room. In one of my rooms, an old ag shop, a large building with huge windows on the north and south sides, the room was almost like a cathedral, when we had the windows filled. It was very warm and cheerful, almost breathtaking, on a sunny day. And, so sad after we took them all down when we left for the holidays. Usually, the paper was faded and the projects were filled with dust, by the time we were dismissed for Christmas. So, they ended up in the trash can. After we realized this would happen, I told students that they could make more than one. One to display, and one to keep. Some made several, just to make sure that the large windows were totally filled.
Besides filling our art room with these colorful windows, we sometimes shared them by taking them to the local nursing home and to the hospital, along with greeting cards, and little crafts we had made. The residents and patients really enjoyed having the students come to visit them and the colorful things for their rooms.

In order to share the project, my grandson and I are making examples, and I am scanning and saving the results. I do have one old photo that shows a few of the projects in our huge windows. Unfortunately, I didn't think of taking the picture when the sun was shining through the windows, but the focus was on our door decoration that year. You can see some of the "stained glass windows" in the back ground, filling the windows about half way up-as high as we could reach!

I would suggest that, if you would like to do this, and keep your project, you might use better quality paper. Construction paper does fade and become brittle easily. (Teachers use it because it is less expensive.) There are art or craft papers that would work for this. Use a heavy paper that has some body to it, and that says archival or acid free.
When teaching, I would try to find examples of stained glass windows to show students, and I would call attention to places in town where they might have stained glass windows. And we would talk about how the real windows are made. Usually, these would be in churches, but there are other buildings and homes that might also have such stained glass windows. Small stained glass projects such as boxes and light catchers for windows might be something that students could look at or may be familiar with.
In some situations, there might be budgets that allow for making actual stained glass projects. But, the cost, for most schools, is prohibitive, so we teach about them, and find ways to teach about the design, construction, and appreciation at a low cost.
Mock Stained Glass Windows
Materials
Black or dark colored construction paper (1 sheet)
colored tissue paper (assorted or pick the colors you like)
White crayon or white charcoal pencil
Elmer's or other white craft glue
Clear tape for hanging in a window
Old newspaper to protect work surface
Scissors
Alternate Materials
Black or dark colored construction paper (1 sheet) or larger black acid free paper
(You could do this very large, if desired)
waxed paper
iron
Old newspapers
Cup towels to protect iron (optional)
Crayon shavings
White charcoal pencil or white crayon
Craft or Elmer's glue
Scissors
(you can use a stencil or X-Acto knife for very delicate, precise cuts, on better paper)
Clear tape for hanging project in the window

Method


1. Fold a sheet of black paper in half, vertically. ("Hot dog" style, for younger kids!)
2. If you want to make a very neat project, with a covered back, you can use two sheets of paper, folded together, for a backing, so that they will come out the same.
3. With the paper folded, use the white charcoal pencil, or crayon, to draw your design on the black paper. Remember that the paper represents the lead caming, or the black metal that holds the different shapes together. It shouldn't be too thick. The black lines should be fairly thin which would allow more of the color to show through, and also, if you think about a true stained glass window, too much lead would make the windows far too heavy. If it's too thin, of course the "lead" will not support the glass.
Also, remember not to cut the outside edges. That represents the edges of the window, the part that will go in the window frame and hold it all together. A small piece of tape can correct an accidental cut, possibly.
The design can be free form, a picture, a design using a symbol, etc. You can make them up as you go, or use a pattern that you have drawn, or even from something like an old Christmas card. It is much easier if you follow the KISS principal of keeping it simple, especially in your first few efforts.
The above design was drawn by my 10 year old grandson, using the white charcoal pencil shown. He chose to do a design using free forms.
4. The second design I am showing is an angel surrounded by shapes, suggesting a church window. This is the one that I am doing.

5. Cut out the inside of the shapes. Be sure to leave the "lead caming" to connect your shapes!
I used a small pair of scissors but my grandson improvised so he could get the scissors in easier. He had removed the blade from a pencil sharpener and he used this to put a small slit in each shape. (Be sure you use a pad of old newspapers under your work so that you do not cut your work surface!) A stencil knife might be better, or anything to make a small hole to put the scissors into easier. However, note that cutting construction paper with a stencil knife does not leave a smooth cut. There might be some ragged edges that will still need to be trimmed.
I tried my grandson's technique and it did work, but you lack the safety of a handle by using such a small blade.
6. After the shapes are cut out, you might save the inside shapes to be used for another design. My grandson liked his designs and wants to paint them on a t-shirt!
If you do this for a class, you might save all these little bits of paper to be used for things like paper mosaics.
7. Select colors of tissue paper that you like for your design. You can use large pieces, or cut each piece to go behind the shapes in your "window". You may, for example, prefer to use only certain colors in your design, or you might like to use any bright colors, or one color combination.
8. Use glue on the back side of your "lead caming" or strips between the "glass" shapes.
9. Place the colored pieces of tissue paper on the back of your "window" to cover each opening.
Note that, sometimes, there is a right and wrong side to the tissue paper. Hold it up to the light to find out which side will allow the most color through before you glue the shape in.
10. If you cut two pieces of construction paper, place the second sheet behind the first, then glue it into place. This will cover any ragged edges and make for a more finished look on both sides of the window.
11. Place the finished "window" inside a window in your home or building. Use clear tape to secure them. (Don't press the tape too hard or you will have a job cleaning off tape later!) Lights at night will shine through them so that people outside can enjoy them and, during the day, as the sun shines, those indoors will be able to enjoy the colors and designs.
Alternate Method
Follow steps above numbers 1 through 6.
7. Use two sheets of waxed paper, the same size as your black paper.
8. Place crayon shavings on one sheet of waxed paper. You can select colors or randomly arrange them on the waxed paper.
9. Put the second sheet of waxed paper on top of the sheet with the crayon shavings.
10. Place old newspapers on your ironing board or surface where you can iron.
11. Put the two sheets of waxed paper, with crayon shavings between them, on the newspaper padding. Add more sheets of newspaper to protect your iron.
12. Iron until the crayon melts and the waxed paper sticks together.
(If you accidentally get crayon on your iron, you can remove it with sandpaper, after the iron has cooled.)
13. Remove the waxed paper from the newspaper and place the waxed paper over the cut out paper "window".
14. Use white glue on the inside of the "lead caming" or areas of the construction paper to glue the waxed paper in place.
15. If you made double cut outs, glue the second window on the back to make a neater finished back of the project.
16. Tape in a glass window to show.
I seem to be having trouble with adding pictures again. I keep getting a message that it "cannot contact blogger" and then that it is "saving" . But, the pictures won't add. I will add those in a second post like I did with the last project.
Originally, I had tried another version of creating Mock Stained Glass in which the instructions call for floating paper in trays of water with Wesson Oil to get the stained glass look. But, I didn't have the trays, and, in my experimenting, I just had a very oily mess! I don't recall what kind of paper it required, or the directions, but that might be something that others have had better luck with than I did. I know that you can marbelize paper with the oil, but, again, I didn't have the equipment for that, and I found that the projects with oil was too messy.
Enjoy!