🌟 Welcome to my TED Talk — Thyroid Eye Disease, That Is 🌟

After more than a decade of reconstructive surgeries to repair TED damage, I’m ready to spill. Why now? Because I’m just about done — and because I hope my experience can help someone else.

TED affects about half of those of us with Graves’ disease (GD), an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid.

My Story in Brief

A couple of months ago, my oculoplastic surgeon announced, “No more surgery for you. You’re a success story!” 🎉

Dr. Stef has been my surgeon since 2013, starting with my second round of orbital decompressions. An orbital decompression involves removing bone and tissue from behind the eye. Over the years, I’ve had numerous surgeries, and Dr. Stef’s expertise and care has made all the difference.

One of my worst surgical experiences happened before I met Dr. Stef. The procedure involved installing and eventually removing lid grafts that did not work out, to put it gently. To put it graphically, I imagined my body screaming, “Get these %$#*&s outta here!”

One of the best surgical experiences (yes, they do exist) was the set of BioTissue grafts that went in earlier this year — partly because those grafts mark the end of my surgical saga.

Trust your gut

My oculoplastic odyssey might have been less grueling with an earlier correct diagnosis. Classic TED symptoms like dry, red eyes, and swelling were initially dismissed as aging. It took three years to get the right diagnosis.

Bottom Line: Trust your instincts. If you think there’s something wrong, you’re probably right. An old friend of mine who taught differential diagnosis at Boston University School of Medicine used to tell his students, “Listen to your patients. They’ll tell you what’s wrong with them.”

Even if you don’t have a name for what’s wrong, don’t give up until you find a doctor who will listen to you.

Here’s a pic from the day after my last appointment with Dr. Stef. You can see the swelling and bruises from the anti-inflammatory injections.