Mono ocular and PMS

[Chuck & Susan]

I know I have been missing in action, but a lot has been going on.  Between hurricanes and work related upgrades and conferences, life has been hectic.  Also I have had a medical issue to come up that I would like to address. 

About a month and a half ago, I went to bed on a Saturday night...everything was fine.  I woke up Sunday morning with no sight in my left eye (which was my dominate eye).  Susan and I went to the ER and was told that it was a central retinal occlusion, by two different doctors.  The following Monday we went to an eye doctor and a retinal specialist with the same diagnosis. 

Nothing can be done.  It is a permanent sight loss.  I am coming to grips with the situation.  I have had to get glasses and learn how to see things all over again. 

Has anyone else had to deal with the loss of sight in an eye and still be able to ride a bike?  My balance, the way I see things, all has changed.  I am giving myself about 6 months to adjust to the new me.  But I am wondering if I will ever be able to ride a bike again.

Now, can anyone teach this old dog some new tricks?  I am kinda slow with this but am willing to suggestions and advice anyone can give me.  It might be the blind leading the blind but who knows it may all work.  LOL

PM me if you have any suggestions.  I am just wondering if anyone else has to deal with something like this.  I guess I could hold onto a string or something to follow the guy in front of me.  LOL

Thanks.

[jrobinson]

Hang in there Chuck. I've seen guys with parts missing that seems impossible to ride much less still race, but they are still on the track doing what they love.

I can't help with the eye situation, but I bet someone will chime in soon.

[Chuck A.]

This is bad. I sure feel for you. Did they give you any hope that the vein blockage will clear one day and any sight return or has it been to long?

[renchinrider]

Chuck, really sorry to hear this has happened to you, but I'm also optimistic that someone will chime in who's dealt with a similar challenge.

Sure glad y'all got to do your "Flashmob Series" before this all happened!!!

[Chuck & Susan]

This is bad. I sure feel for you. Did they give you any hope that the vein blockage will clear one day and any sight return or has it been to long?

Chuck, there is no hope for the sight to return.  Once the damage is done, it is done.  It is what it is and I am learning to live with it.

[Fencejumper09]

So sorry that you received this news! Stay positive and let us know if you need anything!

[Chitza]

Callahan Eye Center at UAB has a Driving Assesament Clinic. I believe they do driver training as well. I don't know all the particulars, but I have used them for some of my stroke patients. It's worth a call. Let me know if you want me to check them out for you. And as always, if you're in town, WE WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS!

https://www.uabmedicine.org/drive

[klaviator]

Chuck, I'm really sorry to hear this.

On a positive note, back in the 80s I lived in San Diego and rode sport bikes.  One of the guys I rode with only had one eye.  He lost one when he was younger.  He rode a GSXR1100.  He was a little slower than the rest of us in the curves but he was still riding around in the mountains at triple digit speeds on a high performance sportbike. 


So I guess you'll just have to go out and buy a high performance sportbike :DANCING-banana-032:


OK, maybe not but I think you'll be able to ride your wing again. :bike-038:

[KrisCook]

Chuck, does this put you at increased risk of having it happen in your good eye?  This has got to be scary for you. 

But I think, just as I've gotten used to having one contact lens for reading and one for looking far away, which essentially renders me mostly blind in one eye or the other no matter what I'm doing, your brain will adapt to your blind eye. 

And just think!  You can turn a blind eye to offensive stuff, without even trying! 

[kdtrull]

Sorry to hear the bad news Chuck.

On the plus side, as a couple others have noted, your riding days are not necessarily over.

I have an old friend that lost an eye horsing around with a pressure washer when he was a teenager.

It was not long before he adjusted and started driving again.  He gets by just fine but complains about depth perception.  He says he just always compensates to the conservative side.

[norton73]

sorry to hear this.

Hopefully you can get back in the saddle again.

"In 1999, Vesco went after and earned the land speed record for a wheel-driven car with his "Turbinator" streamliner powered by a Lycoming gas turbine helicopter engine, which hit 427.832 mph. Vesco was 60 years old when he set that record. In October of 2001, Vesco went even faster and set an FIA World Land Speed Record of 458.440 mph in the "Turbinator" at Bonneville.

Vesco set those records despite having lost an eye after being hit by a rock while watching a sprint-car race in 1996. He also continued to race at vintage motorcycle events and has been known to give fits to young riders on their modern sport bikes while riding a vintage Norton Manx in local club races.

Vesco was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. A year later, Cycle World got it right in its June, 2000, feature on Vesco, titled "The Forever Racer."


http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=288

[IceCold4x4]

We had a guy at work that rode a Harley into work every so often, he had been missing a eye for a decade or so, you would never know it until you tried to throw him something as catching requires depth perception, I always wondered how safe it was to ride a bike without depth perception but he maintained that unless there was something flying through the air at him he had found different little ways and tricks that seemed to always work when driving / riding. The human brain really is an amazing thing, Give your body time to adjust and deal with the lack of depth perception and then give the bike a chance.

[Chuck & Susan]

I would like to share with you my friends what feels like a major breakthrough. I have been telling myself not to get on the bike for a few months or at least till I felt that my balance even standing was good. Well my wife is correct I am stubborn and hard headed. It was such a nice day here in LA and I kept seeing bikes passing the house. I got too thinking... You know I started riding minibikes and trail bikes 50 years ago on dirt.... Why not start learning again that way. Besides it's not like I never dropped a bike before... Let's see what happens.... I got Susan to video it thinking it might give me something to laugh at one day. Or to show the hospital what happened.... lol

Anyway this is probably the most boring 5 min motorcycle clip on this site. But for me it's a victory!!!  :DANCING-banana-032:

On the way back!!! Maybe by spring I'll be on the street again for long distance rides again.!!

Chuck (The One-Eyed Jack)  ;-)

[klaviator]

 :applause-003: :applause-003: :applause-003: :applause-003: :applause-003:

[Guidedawg]

Anyway this is probably the most boring 5 min motorcycle clip on this site.

Nonsense!  One eyed cornering and direction changes...large bike with off-road skills....narrow escape from packs of wild dogs.  It's something for everyone!

But for me it's a victory!!!

But then tragedy  :sad-055:  Your eyesight may indeed be pretty bad, because I'm sure that's not a Victory. It's a Honda.