Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Small Town News, Rockford, MI


from Larry Isberg:
More on the eye surgery story.  Ruth suffered from a detached retina and was referred to a surgeon in St. Louis from treatment.  As it was described to me the doctor 'spot welded' the retina back in place.  The surgery was new and and they were concerned about possible injury to the eye afterwards so the recovery period in the  hospital was several weeks.  Then she had an eye patch for a period.
Lila Streeter Isberg traveled with Ruth to St. Louis and stayed with her until she returned home.  The surgery was a sucess as Ruth had no additional vision problems afterwards (that I know of).  She still had to wear glasses.
Today I think the "spot weld" was done by laser and that she may have been an early patient in the development of that process which now is done quite routinely.
McMillan Hospital is now part of Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.  It is still a leading hospital in the midwest. In my days when I sold surgical instruments I called on Barnes Hospital.