How I Was Diagnosed With PMD

I have always considered myself a pretty unlucky person, for at least as long as I can remember. Though some of it, especially when younger was due in part to being insecure I am sure. I am going to give you the long, more unlucky version of the how I found out I had Pellucid Marginal Degeneration.

In December of 2010 I flew to Minneapolis to pick up my daughter (who was kidnapped by her mother out of state). I rented a car and drove to my family around 12 hours away from the Minneapolis airport. We had a wonderful Christmas. I was supposed to return my daughter back to Minneapolis on Jan 2 however we got hit by a blizzard in North Dakota where I was. The blizzard was awfully nasty and closed down 2 of the main Interstates I needed to get back to Minneapolis. Because of this I had to extend my rental car, and change my plane ticket, which I did. This of course resulted in paying the difference for new tickets as the blizzards didn’t affect Minneapolis airport and it was not their problem that I was stranded in North Dakota.

 The next night, we got hit by another blizzard. Back to back blizzards. I again had to call and extend my rental car and change my plane tickets. This again resulting in fees to me for each, for the reasons mentioned prior. Finally Jan 6, I make it to Minneapolis with my daughter and get her to her mother. I finally get to the airport and board my plane, thinking finally things will start going right.

I know you are probably wondering what this has to do with me finding out I have Pellucid Marginal Degeneration but just hold on, the ride is almost over. All seems well while we are flying, until panic sets in on the plane. Apparently a stewardess had a heart attack on our flight and we had to make an emergency landing. Once we landed in the middle of nowhere we were forced to wait on the plane while paramedics came on the plane and assisted the stewardess.

Hours later we were finally able to leave the plane. We were handed pieces of paper with a hotel on them, and told that shuttle service from our hotel was suppose to pick us up. I waited outside in the freezing cold for 6 hours, as I watched everyone get picked up with the exception of me. I called the hotel asking several times, only to get the message that “your driver fell asleep we are sorry”. Finally I broke down and called a taxi and got a ride to the airport 2 hours away.

Finally I get on the next flight back home. Tired, annoyed, sore, stinky, doesn’t scratch the surface of how I was feeling. I land at 7 am only to have to rush to work by 8 am which I barely make in time. When I get to work I have horrible pain in my eyes, and I can barely open them. The light sensitivity was unbearable and I had never felt pain quite as extreme as this. So I asked a friend at work to take me to the emergency room.

To make this already long story a bit shorter, I had developed an ulcer on my eye from extended contact wear on my unfortunate flying experience. After going to the ER I was referred to a ophthalmologist who then diagnosed me with Pellucid Marginal Degeneration.