Those that are aware of my eye trouble know I was granted the right to save my eye by the VA, perhaps because they know that *something* happened during my last surgery at the Tucson VA Hospital that could have cause the problem. And the problem is a corneal ulcer. Which eats away at the cornea and can lead to blindness. And in a very few cases, the loss of sight in one eye can cause the brain to shut down sight in the other, healthy eye. No one knows why.
After weeks of traditional treatment, which amounted to 3 anti-bacterial eye drops, 2X or 4X per day, the ophthalmologist recommended Oxervate. This is a newer drug approved by the FDA that magically regrows nerves in the damaged cornea and potentially can save my eye. Took 2 months for the VA to approve it. And I’m on the 6th week of the two month treatment now. Just 2 weeks to go. I use a plastic syringe at 2 hour intervals and flood the eye with the solution. Every day. I have noticed that my eye is pretty comfortable now after 6 weeks of treatment. I hasn’t burned for a week or two and burning is a sensation caused as the nerves regrow in the ulcer area…so it’s a good burn. And every once in a while I notice I can see clearly out of that eye. Of course I’ll need a new prescription for lenses for that eye here soon. But it seems to be on the mend. At least I hope so.
Curious about it, I looked up the drug. Retail price is $48,000. For a 2 month treatment. I flood the eye using a syringe with the solution 6 times a day at 2 hour intervals. It costs $133.33/syringe which is $800/day, leading to $5600/week. I suspect drug companies are still calling it *experimental* to avoid having to pay for it for their insured. I have no idea what they are charging the VA for the treatment though the last I read several years ago, a GOP controlled congress passed a law forbidding the government from negotiating drug prices. Not sure if that’s been changed or not. My cost is ZERO. Or at least I think it is. They are slow letting me know about drug co-pay.
I have my fingers crossed that it works.
Near the end of January I left Pahrump and headed for Tucson where John is kind enough to let me stay at his home in a RV parking space that’s there that we wired up for electric last winter. I do pay him $425/month for the privilege. On the trip down I stopped for the night in Quartzsite and had another delicious Silly Al’s Pizza.
Next day drove straight to John’s property and I wasn’t feeling my confident self when I arrived and the steep hill the property is on was giving me anxiety so I asked John to park the RV for me. My reasoning was that the property was steep but he owned it and parked his RV there so he’d know best how to safely park a big rig. Well, he backed up onto a big rock and when the RV came off of it too quickly, it whipsawed the RV so most of my carefully collected Corel dishes whipped out of the cupboards and shattered on the floor. Along with 3 glass bowls and some cups and glasses. Dammit. And I now had a dent in the water bay door frame. Doesn’t prevent opening it, but it’s there.
So what I learned from that, since I’ve whipsawed the RV myself two times before and shattered dishes, is that I need to lash the cupboard doors so they can’t open. And I found a Velcro strap to do just that so now when I travel, I strap the refer doors and the cupboard doors to prevent whipsaw damage to table settings or food flying out of the freezer.
So I’m still here in Tucson where this eye issue first showed up back in Feb. of 2022 (remember it’s now Jan. ’23 in blog time) as I said earlier I’m staying at my friend John’s property. It’s a large lot, like 1/3 to 1/2 acre, with a nice manufactured home, partially fenced lot because he has two dogs, a detached garage, and a long cement driveway. And when he’d bought this property, it already had two flat graded and graveled spaces set up for RV parking by the previous owners. It has lots of cacti as its the desert, and a difficult to traverse road if an RV wants to park here. And mine did! His was already here when I arrived of course, but we decided we could easily put in another power outlet for mine.
He and I installed a 50 amp power setup in December of ’21. At that time there was only a 30 amp outlet and breaker so we’d upgraded that by adding the 50 amp setup, then there was a sewer connection and a dual water connection already there when he bought the place. The power source is at a nearby power pole so it was a low cost installation, no long wire runs needed. When we finished it is two powered RV spaces just like at an RV park, with water and sewer.
Shortly after I moved in the first time back in Dec. ’21 the neighbors complained to the county and so we’ve been going round and round with a Karen type behind us bitching to the county about my RV being here. That has come to a head and just recently John had to go talk to the county and as we suspected, it’s a complaint driven setup. If no one complains, we could have had both our RV’s here forever. But s/he did complain and last year the county came out, inspected, took pictures, but never sent a letter of non-compliance. And I left in April. The complainers home is behind my RV by 100 feet, there’s a wrap around porch there but they never use it for lounging. I’m not blocking their view to the N-S or W and the AT&T cell tower right there on the left in the next picture is in their way looking east anyway. John tried to talk to them but they are just your typical bad neighbors who think they own the entire county and that everything should be to their liking or it has to go. Fuk’em.
And here’s John’s RV on the right, now sold and gone, an RV very similar to mine. His was a 2001 and mine is a 2002. Both Winnebago Journeys. I suggested he just unplug it so he can keep it but I guess that wouldn’t work?
And there’s the front of his home. There’s a small yard but this is south facing so it’s way to hot there most of the year as there isn’t much useful shade in the late afternoon. There’s a nice patio on the opposite side of the house that we hang out on but lately we’ve been sitting in chairs in the shade in front of his garage…which is hidden behind his RV and faces his truck. My car was parked there for just a few minutes one day. Usually I’ve parked in front of my RV.
And here are the other, nice, neighbors to the east of John’s place. Really easy to get along with. They have no problems at all with John or me, but even they have had the nasty neighbor come over and demand they fix the driveway that isn’t even theirs. A short section of cement had crumbled in the driveway out front that everyone uses but nasty neighbor doesn’t own. The good neighbors did of course (and it didn’t hurt that that neighbor is a cement contractor) because they use it and have multiple drivers in the house and the bad neighbor very likely figured that it was due to their complaint. And you know what happens when you appease an a-hole.
Here in the next picture a look at a short section of the cement roadway just in front of John’s property that most of the property owners use. It’s at the south end of all the properties on this hill. Some sections, like the one to the far right just beyond the bad neighbors in this picture is the only access for an RV to where I’m parked, isn’t improved much, just graded and composed of graded dirt with rocks here and there. Not all giant rocks but some are big enough to be a concern. That unimproved section is pretty short though so if I’m careful, my RV makes it fine. I do need to stop and toss really big rocks that occasionally show up on the roadway as if by magic.
Then down below that lateral is the main 4 lane Ajo highway (it’s a steep hill so hard to see that main road from here or even when driving on that lateral). West is to the right, east towards Tucson is left. Mexico is due south a couple hours drive.
This year, when I returned, s/he complained again. This time the county sent that letter, but it didn’t say what the problem was or what to do to rectify it. John went to talk to the county and turns out there can only be 2 dwellings that people live in, on the property. Long story short, after some thought John had a local RV consignment dealer come and buy his RV. Came by yesterday, made an offer that John accepted, and then drove off with his (former) RV. So now there’s just his manufactured home and my RV. He’d pretty much decided he was done with RV’ing anyway I guess. I did offer to leave of course as last year I’d scoped out a backup RV park nearby but further away from the VA hospital which would work for me, but now hopefully I don’t need to.
Well, whatever, I’ll adjust to whatever happens. Meanwhile, I had a B-Day! In the 1st week of February. John had asked me if I wanted to try out a different brew pub we had driven by a couple times but never stopped at. He didn’t know it was my B-Day and I didn’t mention it. Of course I was ready for that so off we went!
What it is is a cluster of steel storage buildings, hollowed out and businesses built inside. I was surprised as you don’t see this kind of commercial setup up north where it’s colder and gets more rain. Check it ——>
Turns out they have open air concerts here on occasion too. Even plays sometimes. Pretty neat.
So, I’m still in West Tucson just a few miles from the VA hospital enjoying the sun. My next check up appointment at the hospital is on April 24th and I’m hoping for good news. After that, dunno. New glasses maybe? But I can do that up in Milton Freewater.
I have been doing some stuff here of course. John and I went to an indoor gem show not long after I arrived when the weather is still spotty and the vendors want to be indoors. It was a fine day with full on sunshine in the 60’s but indoors was nice too. We arrived at the upper level, bought our tickets, and then pass by these picture windows on the way down to floor level. Nice facility it is.
And a week later, we went to the Tucson indoor gem show. Last year we went to the outdoor show with the giant tents but it’s only February in real time and an indoor show was more appropriate. After buying our tickets up on the ground level, we took the escalator down to the show floor below.
I 
Some nice stuff all up in here. But, I’ve mentioned before, I really don’t have the room to collect much of anything. Maybe stamps? So I just look, and don’t buy.
There was this antique car set up on the floor too.
Then there’s these giant doors off the main floor that lead to the enclosed parking lot where several food trucks had set up. Pretty cool but it was too early to be hungry. Anyway…
Nice way to spend the afternoon. Wind was a bit annoying and it was chilly outside but the sunshine all day was nice. Going to the show indoors helped too. Way at the end of this giant hall was this casino like atmosphere with lots of gaming machines. I think they paid off as this is a gambling state, but I didn’t indulge.
And that finishes off February of 2023. Didn’t do much because I couldn’t see very well. So didn’t go many places. Just did the above and hung around home and streamed TV shows. And often there were storms blowing in from the West coast that dumped billions of gallons of moisture all over the west, but here? We just got cool air. In the 60’s mostly. And sunshine nearly every day. Nice. Only 2 nights out of the first couple months I was here were below freezing that required that I shut off the water and drain the hose. Just 2.
Thanks for reading, come back next time!
Thanks for the update! We haven’t been down to Tucson since Covid started, but have reservations at Desert Trails just west of you a few miles from mid-December to mid-March this coming winter. Here in Vancouver, WA it still feels like winter – chilly and wet! Lots of good people are regulars at Desert Trails, and there are some activities, and of course, the great trails right behind the park for walking, hiking or mountain biking. Rates have gone up quite a bit, but still not too bad.
Yeah, I spent 33 years in the Portland area and it used to seem like winter was 11 months long. It’s better now but still…
It’s a pretty nice winter stay area here in Tucson if you like big cities. Generally I try to avoid them but I came to visit with John after he moved here a couple years ago (I’ve known him for 5 years…he is an occasional reader of my blog), and I ended up needing to stay for medical reasons and felt most comfortable with the hospital here to come back again for follow up this year. I know the RV park you’re talking of, I have passed it several times.
If the county comes back with another infraction for where I’m parking I may need to move my RV but the park I was thinking of as a backup is south of Desert Trails. Can’t find it on the map just now but I can drive right too it. Right now John doesn’t charge me much for this space which is nice. Gives me the ‘buddy’ rate. But if I have to move to that other park, it has a similar but slightly higher rate than what I’m paying.
Bad neighbors. Yeah. When I had my moho the trans gave out. Good Sam picked it up and I had them deliver it to my mother’s MT house in a development. Backed it into her driveway to work on it. Well wouldn’t you know- while replacing the tranny her long time ‘friendly’ neighbor let me know he didn’t appreciate it being there. Their house was 2 places up the street, prolly 200′ away. But it blocks the light from the {mom’s} corner street light. And I can’t see past it to the intersecting street. Too bad. It was on its own way out of there within 2 months. Such BS. Too many lookielous.
Another time in the 90s I parked my TT in a campsite in a park permanently. Decided to remove the wheels and fab covers. So tires wouldn’t rot. Wouldn’t you know it the next door busy body- Helen decided to rat me to the manager. Hadn’t known there was a rule against that. That was the same day I removed the tires. Biotch always kept an eye on us. I parked there a year. They increased their lot price. I disliked having to pay for visitors and pulled out.
Really? Wow, people are such a-holes. Two homes away and they complain because they can’t see a light down the street is really a Karen thing to do. As far as the TT goes, at least you had the opportunity to rotate those tires.
I sincerely hope they get your eyes fixed. Medicare eye doc visit gave me the following advice. Get Cat surgery soon. Astigmatism in one eye. Cats in both. Gave up going to VA after they insisted I take a corona covid test and refused to schedule an appointment after I showed up there. At the time, Spring 2022, Didn’t have covid and had the shots.
But after the Medicare eye doc visited a VA clinic~ 40 miles away and had my eyes tested there. They gave me an eye prescription and glasses. I asked about cat surgery. “The VA will perform cat surgery if your eyesight can no longer be corrected with glasses!”
Yeah, I have my fingers crossed that the treatment works. It’s 9 days until my next and I hope last appointment where they’ll examine the ulcer and let me know if it’s all better.
AFA your issue, I’m not aware of that sort of thing. When they laser attached my torn retina, that ruined the cornea so they gave me a new lens automatically. I’ll have to ask John if they refused to fix his. I drove him to a doctor here in Tucson several times including one day to take him and pick him up after cat surgery. I wonder if what you’re saying is the reason here in Tucson too?
Some nice rocks there. ‘Specially that big tourmaline. And you weren’t far from Pala. Where tourmaline mines are. Native American land. East of S. Diego. Didn’t want any bookend end specimens to display in the moho?
Yes, very nice. I only showed half the pictures I took in this article. Many really cool rocks. No, I don’t really have the space for a display of rocks.
It’s sad that there are such sorry assholes still around, I’ve always hoped “Karma” would get them. I chose a place to retire and ya-sure ya betcha, psycho shrew and here eunuch husband live next door. So sweet at 1st, then turn your back and there’s a blade.
Take Care as best as you can, eh?
You’re right of course. Why they are so bothered by other people who aren’t bothering them in the least is a mystery. According to John when he talked to the county, once that other empty RV is gone, there isn’t a thing the neighbors can do about it. And there is NOTHING I’m doing that should concern their sorry asses in the least.
First of all, I am so glad you’re having good results with those meds for your eye, but second of all, HOLY SHIT that’s CRAZY EXPENSIVE and I hope they don’t try to invoice you for any of it!
One of my readers sent me an email with pertinent info from a Dr. friend of his and it seems that the average out-of-pocket expense for those that get the treatment is $5680. I suspect those are averages after insurance so I am really happy to have been a Veteran and getting free care. Just today stopped into the VA eye clinic for a follow up and they wouldn’t say it’s healed, but that it’s much improved and no repeat of the treatment is required. I checked today with accounting and I owed $57 for co-pay meds.