Written by
Joanna Mora

"I have graves disease, it went so long undiagnosed, I've all most lost my vision.5/95 first visit to the doc, blurred vision/ I was treated for eye infection/heat intolerant/told my age/ severe/ hand tremors, stress/ emotional basket case told pre-menopausal/ two weeks later vision double/told it might be allergies and to remove my long time friend Sampson from my home for two weeks/ SAMPSON my old iguana five years old my best friend always loved me no matter how crazed I was.

A blood test was done at this time, as I was leaving the QUACKS office I new this couldn't be right thinking to my self I'll take Sampson with me next time and scare some sense into this women, but as we are intimidated by doctors we do as were told. Blood test back every thing normal/ seeing opthamologists several different ones perfect vision until this all saying bull crap .7/95 really sick head tremors hands couldn't sleep weight went from 125 ponds to 98 pounds but I couldn't stop eating nothing was safe if it could fit in my mouth I ate it, but was still loosing weight felt wired but couldn't do a thing but eat my guts felt like they were dropping out I never had pain like it not even during child birth. Constant painful bowel movements, crying all the time thoughts of suicide just plain hell to be around. This was when I couldn't work any more. The doc didn't like seeing me there kept sending on to eye docs any more blood work. Then Sept, an eye doctor said I think you have graves disease.

I went straight to the library looked up blurred and double vision went straight to graves disease, why couldn't the doctor of do this? Any how radioactive iodine /felt better eyes getting worse 5/96 mir scan 11/96 orbital decompression surgery seven hours but the optic nerve s had been damaged. Today 12/98 I have a docs appt. I'm cold all the time crying again for no reason so lets see what they say today. I have been on no medication since the radioactive iodine but have had blood test every three months I suspect I'm hypo I have to wear dark sunglasses always cant drive but my two grown kids call me Stevie Wonder there's humor in every thing thank god my family has been through hell as much as I have if not more. HMO's are not good. I had an opthamologist tell me mine was the worst case of neglect he had seen in his 20 years of practicing medicine, that doesn't help me any got to look forward."

Joanne