Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Kaleb's Eye

No one knew Kaleb had an eye problem until the school tried to get him to cover his left eye and read letters with the right. Why this was never done at his physicals I don't know. I assumed it had been. But it must not have been or they would have found this as soon as he arrived here from Haiti. When the school discovered it, we took him to our eye Dr. The problem was serious enough that he was referred to a specialist who is only in town one day every month. 

Kaleb has very little vision in his right eye. He has been patching his left eye for two years (at least. I can't really remember when this all started). But before we knew about his eyes, his left eye was just doing all the work, but he could see okay.

I took him for his appointment on Monday. At that time the Dr. said something she's not mentioned before that is going to change things for Kaleb. "No contact sports. No sports with a ball. Stick with running and swimming for him." 

First team sport spring 2010



Fall 2012

That kind of threw me because she's never said that before. Maybe she doesn't realize that organized sports start before you are even out of pullups now.

I was getting ready to sign him up for winter basketball. He's played two years with a year off between.
winter 2010/2011

2012/2013


I asked about protective goggles. She said no. The goggles could still get hit and it would still impact his eye. She said if he is hit in or near the eye, it is so fragile that he'd probably lose all sight in the eye. Wow.

He enjoys being on a team, but thankfully he's not a gifted athlete. He tries--when he's focused--but he's not the one out front scoring points. 

He is a runner, of course, but he won't be on a team until at least sixth grade. I think we are going to look into gymnastics. We are going to try to protect the eye, but he could just as easily get hit in the  eye in PE or on playground. He could walk into a door or get hit by something random. He could get a foot or elbow in the face at the pool. So we are not going to go overboard about it. 

Still, it does change things. But we will make it work. We always do.

11 comments:

One Crowded House said...

Well that really stinks- I'm surprised that there aren't goggles big enough to protect it.

Kathy Cassel said...

I guess he could get hit in the goggles and that would put pressure too near the eye. She said full helmet only for any sport but no football whatsoever but he'd look really goofy wearing a full helmet for basketball! We'll go with running and gymnastics now and reconsider everything when he's in middle school. He may not even miss the sports once he's in cross country and track.

Emily said...

Have you considered swim team? Whitney isn't supposed to do contact sports either because of her fragile eye. Swimming--as you know by now from reading my blog--has been the best thing in the world for her in every sense.

megan said...

Josh and Brandon bowled every Saturday for years. You're on a 5 person team and you get patches all the time for getting your first 100 game or bowling so many pins over your average. If gymnastics doesn't work out you can see if there are bowling leagues near you.

Kathy Cassel said...

Emily-when we got home the first thing I did was look up info about our local swim team. He cannot swim 25 yards with rotary breathing. I was teaching him during the summer but it rained well over half the time. I was hoping there might be a pool where I could teach him all year because our pool is only open Memorial Day to Labor Day. One pool is open and gives pre swim team lessons. It's the pool where the team swims. But I'd have to pay them to teach him and it's $125 a month and is 45 minutes one way. If I can work with him each summer, he may be able to make a middle school team in three years.

Kathy Cassel said...

Megan--I don't think he'd do well because he has to be moving all the time. That's why soccer and basketball work best for him. Running too but no team at this age. I'm not sure gymnastics is even going to work out because of having to wait for your turn. We'll see.

Renee said...

Wow! That is really hard. I am surprised they missed it too.

:)De said...

That is hard news to hear. Is there any treatment to strengthen the bones in that area? or is she saying no contact for now? You are right though... my little one had a small skull fracture that he had to wear a helmet for and during that time he broke his collar bone, got his finger caught in the door and stepped on a rock and cut his foot. Stuff happens, kids get hurt... we just do the best we can to keep them safe.

Anonymous said...

I had to open things up enough for our little project the other day that it looks like I can now post comments to your blogs. :)

Uncle Ken

Kathy Cassel said...

Wonder why you couldn't post before?

Kathy Cassel said...

Thanks for all the comments and concerns for Kaleb.