--- In SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com, "Martin Gerlach" <Martin_at_G...>
wrote:
> Hi there...
>
> I have an off-topic question which a friend of mine said taht you'd
> might be able help me with.
> After talking with Herbie Bear and the mice, Herbie told me that I
> should contact you and ask for advice. So here goes...
>
> The situation is this: Just 10 days ago while moving to my new
> apartment I had a small accident. I suffered a very bad cut to my
> eye. The cut covers most of my right eye and according to the
> doctores its very deep as well (Considering its in my eye).
> They told me that a cut like that would normally have caused my eye
> to pop like a baloon (It didn't though)...
>
> Now that it has more or less healed I have suffered a lose in eye-
> sight at about 20% to 25%. It scares me. Alot... Specially since
its
> gona be permanent. (My vision on that eye is very blured and I
can't
> seem to focus right)...
>
> The beiigest problem for me is taht its become very hard for me to
> draw anymore since I can't focus as I used to do while drawing...
> And it here my big question comes.
>
> Knowing what you have been going through and are still experiancing
> Herbie thought that you'd might have a suggestion to how I can
> regain my full drawing abbillity with the lose og 25% of my eye-
> sight on one eye...
>
> If you have the time then I would really like to know what I could
> do cuz this really scares me... Specially since drawing means so
> much to me...
Was the cut primarily superficial (meaning, it injured only the
outer covering of the eye)? Was the injury at the cornea (center of
the eye) or on the side? Is there anyone in this group who knows
about eye injuries? Mine are primarily internal, and caused by my
own body. Any additional medical information for Martin?
Dude, that really sucks. Seriously. I would rather lose both my
friggin' legs than my eyes, so I understand exactly how you feel.
Since artwork is my primary means of expression, I would be
devastated if I lost it, too.
I currently have only one eye (and that one isn't all that great,
maybe 75% functional ability). It took me many months to adjust to
having no depth perception. Even when the doctor dilates my eyes
(and I am able to see, albeit greatly distorted and warped, through
my left eye), the images no longer line up. My bain has apparently
decided to disregard any input from my left eye, and when it tries to
mate the two different perspectives together, it causes me to get
disoriented and a little wobbly.
What I do on occasion, when I have to ink or color something, is
place an eye patch over my left eye, to totally block out any sight
input from that eye. The catch is, it'll be a lot trickier to line
up your pen with the pencil lines when you decide to ink the
picture. But, over time, your brain will rewire itself, and you'll
be able to accomplish the task.
On average, it takes me 3-4 times longer to draw a picture now (as
compared to my speed before my eye problems started). The key is to
take your time, and if your eyes start bothering you, or you feel a
headache coming on, take a break. No sense pushing yourself.
The eye is an amazing organ, and I believe it's one of the fastest-
healing organs in the human body. I sincerely hope the doctors are
able to fix your situation (or, at the very least, improve it). Just
remember this, man: Persevere.
It's totally normal to be a bundle of nerves when something like
this happens (jusr ask Des how _I_ was. It was one of the handful of
times she'd ever seen me exhibit any emotion other than anger!), and
it's okay to "vent". But that doesn't mean you should give up on
anything. Shit, man, I've got one friggin' eye, and I still draw,
race a ZX6R at 130+ mph down residential roads (and yes, I am a
little crazy), but it took me a long time to get my balls back, if
you know what I mean (not that I ever actually lost them. I imagine
that would be quite painful!)
Allow you body to adjust, and don't push it. Don't worry about
losing your art talent; as happened with me, the duration of time
spent not drawing (after my situation first occurred) eventually led
to a greater understanding of what I was drawing, and led to many new
improvements.
But, if you cannot ink at this time, at least sketch! Keep your
hands and mind from getting rusty! I might not be able to ink and
color much at this time, but I've dome hundreds of sketches! You
gotta keep that part of yourself active. When you feel like drawing
some pictures, just work on sketches. After awhile, your eyesight
will readjust itself, and you'll once again be able to ink and color.
But I wouldn't get my insides knotted up, if I were you (I did
that, and it's not fun! I would not want anyone else to have to
experience that kind of fear and trepidation). It's only been ten
days, right? Give it a few weeks, man. You'll probably be surprised
at just how well your body heals itself (and make sure you eat well,
too! Your body is gonna need some seriously good nutrition in order
for it to carry out its' task).
Christ almighty, I've rambled on long enough. I hope this will
help you in some way, and if you have any other questions or
concerns, please contact me via my e-mail address.
I wish you a speedy recovery, Martin. And I'm sure damn near
everyone else on this group echoes those sentiments, even if they
don't necessarily give voice to them.
Take care, man, and again, if you have any questions or whatever,
drop me an e-mail.
--JMH, giving his fingers a break from the keyboard now...
Received on Mon Apr 19 2004 - 21:25:34 CDT