Author Topic: ANNOUNCEMENT: TEMPORARY HIATUS (LIFTED) (Read 2408 times)

minnesotamodeler · « **on:** June 10, 2009, 01:23:56 PM »

After completing the kits I now have on the table, MINNESOTAMODELER will not be accepting any more orders for awhile, several weeks at least, due to some new health issues. I have developed a retinal tear, a "macular hole" (look it up) that is causing a severe loss of central vision in one eye. Peripheral vision is not affected, but I cannot do any detailed work, even read, with that eye.

The good news is: Macular degeneration, the first tentative diagnosis, has been ruled out. This is a tremendous relief to me, as that condition is untreatable, progressive and leads eventually to virtual blindness. More good news is that the condition I have is repairable; at least part of the vision I've lost can be restored.

The bad news is that this will require intricate eye surgery and extensive recuperation time of weeks or months. The surgery is scheduled for June 24, 2 weeks from now. It will likely be into August at least before I can resume kit-building. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Your prayers will be appreciated...I value my eyes highly.

--Ray

UPDATE:

As the doc says the eye is looking good, and I'm meanwhile adapting to one-eyed-ness, I am now back in the kit cutting business, accepting orders if you don't mind waiting a little while after ordering since I have no inventory to speak of.

Anyone interested, check 'em out at: http://snipurl.com/9igp

Also will be offering a new design for 1/2A stunt soon, the DroopyDiamond Stunter--big, light and fantastic flier, watch for it.

Thanks for all messages of encouragement and concern.

--Ray Stone
Minnesotamodeler

Robert McHam · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:40:00 PM »

Sure thing Ray, We all value our eyes in this hobby.
You are on my prayer list my friend.

Robert

John Castle · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:23:29 PM »

Hang in there Ray.
It is hard to imagine being a modeler and having the old peepers go offline for a period of time.

Hopefully you will still be around here to dispense your usual good advice.

John

Ralph Wenzel (d) · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:26:47 PM »

Go get 'em, Ray. I know how important eyesight is, and what a fright any threat to it can be.

Good luck

Bill Adair · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2009, 03:14:01 PM »

Ray,

So sorry to hear about your vision problem. You have our thoughts and prayers for a complete recovery.

Don't worry about the kit, as there is no hurry to get it built. In fact, feel free to send what you have done so far, and I can do the rest.

Fortunately, depth perception is not required for flying control line, unless you fly in a confined space like your back yard!

Best of luck with the surgery.

Bill

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:15:49 PM »

Hi Bill,

Your kit is one of those I mentioned as "on the table", 95% done, I'll have it finished and in the mail in another day or so. I'm limping along on one eye at the moment, have been for about 2 weeks now, almost getting used to it! thanks for the offer to take it "as is" but I will complete it.

To all who have responded: Thank you for your good wishes and words of encouragement. I appreciate this good community.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:44:19 AM »

Hey Ray, take care of yourself first. We want you around. The girls still have not flown their planes. They don't want to tear up their first planes they built. Emmy is flying my planes. Will get them out and flying, the little Deltas soon tho. DOC Holliday

Larry Renger · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2009, 09:17:30 AM »

Definitely keep your health as the prime directive! We like having you around.

dankar · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:28:04 AM »

Best to you and quick recovery.
Regards,Dan

Bill Heher · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:44:32 AM »

Hang in there Ray, you will be remembered in our prayers and hopefully have a quick recovery after a sucessful repair job.
The very thought of having eye surgery makes me cringe, I have the utmost respect and admiration for a Dr. who can perform that kind of work - imagine the pressure on all involved.

I took my completed Queen Bee downtown to Colonial Photo and Hobby in Orlando, the guys back at the hobby counter loved it, they couldn't believe I was actually going to fly it C/L!

Dalton Hammett · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:51:22 AM »

***************************
Hey Ray

I want to wish you the very best and a speedy return to the things you enjoy. !!!

Dalton H.

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2009, 03:40:26 PM »

Bill Heher said: "The very thought of eye surgery makes me cringe."

Me too, Bill, and you oughtta see the illustrations of how they're gonna do it. I told them "That's more than I want to know."

Actually I'm looking forward to the surgery, after having been told first this was macular degeneration, for which there is no real treatment--they can slow it down a little, is all--, affects both eyes, and ends in blindness for all intents and purposes (my grandfather suffered from it). After contemplating that for a few days, the news "No, it's a macular hole and we can fix it" was welcome indeed! Maybe it's just their way of getting a guy geared up for the knife...

Jim Thomerson · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2009, 03:57:45 PM »

Although we were assured it was not contagious, my wife and I developed retinal tears in the same week. Used the injected gas bubble and got the retinas back in place, then lazered them. They were going to operate on me. but I figured out how to arrange myself to get the bubble in the right place to push that tear back into place. They checked me out before sending me in for surgery and told me it was a miracle.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:45:24 PM »

Both my Mom and I had retinal tears, and they were treated successfully. Best of luck!

jim gilmore · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:27:37 PM »

Best of Luck to you and get well soon....

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #15 on:** June 12, 2009, 01:11:02 AM »

Yes, the injected gas bubble is part of the treatment--they call it a "bandaid for the retina" after the surgical procedure repair. Sounds real interesting to experience how the bubble affects vision as it dissipates over several weeks.

Aging--just one new experience after another! What an adventure life is, sometimes kinda scary, but always interesting...

Thanks especially for all the success stories, that's very encouraging.

LARRY RICE · « **Reply #16 on:** June 12, 2009, 06:28:23 AM »

You know that we all wish you the best of luck and we will miss you comments on this site.
Larry and the Black Hawk Team

George · « **Reply #17 on:** June 12, 2009, 09:22:55 AM »

Ray, my prayers are with you.

So far I have had new lenses put in (cataracts, both eyes), laser surgery to fix some retina problems (right eye), and a couple of shots in the right eyeball to dissipate blood & floaters. I wasn't too keen on getting shots in the eyeball, but none of it was as bad as I thought it would be.

I hope that your procedures go as well as mine did.

George

Bob Furr · « **Reply #18 on:** June 12, 2009, 11:20:52 AM »

Will keep you in our thoughts and prayers here in Omaha.
Bob

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #19 on:** June 12, 2009, 03:51:23 PM »

OK let me dispel one apparent assumption: I will probably keep posting here as regularly as ever, as long as I can see out of one eye! There won't really be much else to do for awhile anyway. There is a very awkward period of time, about a week, in which I will need to stay "face-down" as much as possible, 24/7, to keep the gas bubble at the back of my eye so it will hold the retina in place while healing. They suggest renting a chiropracter's chair for the duration. Sounds silly I know, what a mental image, not very dignified but there it is...

I have a laptop I can open flat and lay it on a stool under the chair so I can see it and reach it, to maintain my presence on the web, and entertain myself when reading gets too tedious. So you'll still be hearing from me I'm sure.

They also tell me that this will almost certainly accelerate the cataract I have forming, so I'll be getting that fixed in about a year (they say). Gotta hurry and get all this done while my wife is still working since I'm on her insurance...lessee, I also need a new knee, and maybe a hip, polyps removed from vocal cords (common problem of preachers and drill sergeants), etc. But, one thing at a time. Eyes now.

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #20 on:** July 10, 2009, 01:48:24 PM »

Update on the vision thing:
Just returned from my 2-week evaluation with the surgeon. He is very happy with the results, says the hole is completely closed and healing. I still don't have any vision to speak of thru that eye, but Dr. says that's OK, due to swelling, stitches not yet relaxed and severed nerves not yet regenerated...ought to improve gradually over the next 3 months (!).

Then we get to talk about either a new eyeglass prescription for that eye (as the surgery has changed its shape a little), or a cataract replacement. Oh joy, more surgery, albeit a little less extreme.

Still not sure when I'll be comfortable resuming kit making but surely within a few more weeks' recuperation. Right now I can hardly even find the wood with the Xacto due to no depth perception whatever. (Try it sometime--cut out some parts with one eye closed. No cheating, now...)

Again, thanks to all for your well-wishes.

Robert McHam · « **Reply #21 on:** July 10, 2009, 01:55:39 PM »

Ray, We are all glad for good news friend! Thanks for the update.

Robert

ray copeland · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2009, 07:12:14 PM »

Hey Ray !! Glad your recovery is on track!! Still showing off the planes i built from the kits i got from you even tho some are more glue than balsa by now. I have a lot of flights on those planes , they are so much fun!! Take care and get better soon,, your friend , Ray

john e. holliday · « **Reply #23 on:** July 11, 2009, 09:04:38 AM »

Ray, glad things are going well. Remember to follow the doctor's orders. I will not try the Exacto to balsa experiment with one eye. I am angerous enough with both eyes. Get well, DOC Holliday

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2009, 09:43:27 PM »

Thanks guys.

GGeezer · « **Reply #25 on:** July 14, 2009, 12:34:40 AM »

Quote from: minnesotamodeler on July 10, 2009, 01:48:24 PM

" Right now I can hardly even find the wood with the Xacto due to no depth perception whatever. (Try it sometime--cut out some parts with one eye closed. No cheating, now...)"

This must be something one can overcome. I have a good friend who lost an eye as a child. He builds awesome models, flies R/C Precision aerobatics better than most of us, Has a private pilot's license and on and on.
Hope you get well soon.
Orv.

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #26 on:** July 22, 2009, 02:08:25 AM »

Bump (see update at top)

Robert McHam · « **Reply #27 on:** July 22, 2009, 06:20:08 AM »

Welcome back Ray!

Robert

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #28 on:** July 23, 2009, 04:29:53 PM »

Muchas gracias sr.