How to really freak someone out

For the past few weeks I thought that I was dying, or at least about to lose an eye.

About 4 years ago, taking photographs in the slums of Bangkok, I got a small cut in my left eye, and now and again (especially when I’m on a long haul flight) I’ll get a red, sore eye which looks worse than it feels, and all I can do is put drops in it to keep it lubricated. It’s not a major problem.

Anyway, 3 weeks ago I went for an eye test to get new glasses, and after a minute or two the optometrist (very unprofessionally) started muttering to himself “I don’t like what I’m seeing, I don’t like what I’m seeing, I don’t want to do this.”

When I butted in to ask what he was talking to himself about he said he didn’t want to be the one to tell me this but I’d got a tumour growing in my eye..

And then he started saying that it could be cancerous, it might not be, I’d have to have a biopsy…bla bla bla.

Anyhow it took nearly 3 weeks to get an appointment with an eye specialist, even though the optometrist phoned up while I was there and said it was urgent.

So I’ve been sat here for nearly 3 weeks – having been told not to spend too much time on my computer and to rest my eyes – letting my imagination freak me out.

The good news is that after an hour or two of examination and multiple tests he told me that the optometrist had got it COMPLETELY wrong and I haven’t got a tumour at all.

So thank goodness for that :)

What I’ve do have is some old scar tissue on my eye, and a sort of thin spot on my eyeball, probably from an old head injury.

I’ve had plenty of those, back in my crazy photographer days

Anyhow my eye problem can’t be treated, but probably won’t ever affect my vision and it’s not anything to worry about.

Just got to live with it :)

More soon, including more ‘how-to’ on product creation.

And watch out for a new book from me very soon. It’s almost ready.

Donate to Cancer Treatment Center

Donate to Cancer Treatment Center.

My wayward daughter Kate, who once worked for me as a writer and occasionally contributed to this newsletter, is now running the huge PR team at Envirowise envirowise.gov.uk in Oxford, UK.

A few weeks ago she even had to do a presentation in The House Of Lords under the shadow of Big Ben ( She said it was amazing. I think she was talking about The House Of Lords, not her presentation :) )

Anyway, even though she’s scared of heights, she’s agreed to abseil down the the top of  the famous John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to raise money for the hospital’s new cancer treatment center.

And, if you’re reading this before the 28th April 2008, she’s seeking sponsors/donations.

It’s important stuff people. As you know, cancer is something that touches many families, and when Kate was little I photographed the annual report for The Royal Children’s Hospital in Australia, and I can never forget all the young children in the cancer wards. Some smiling at the camera, some in too much pain, and many of them never growing older.

If you can do something to help please donate at this page.

http://www.justgiving.com/katewiley