Meet my Doctor

Neda Shamie, M.D.

A fellowship trained ophthalmologist, Dr Neda Shamie has expertise in the field of Corneal and Refractive Surgery. In addition to being highly skilled in performing cataract surgery with implantation of new technologically advanced intraocular lenses, Dr. Shamie also specializes in laser vision and complex corneal surgery. She has extensive experience in performing complicated anterior segment reconstructive surgery using the most advanced techniques. Since her arrival at Devers in 2006, she has performed nearly 100 EK transplants, with identical results to Dr. Terry.

Dr. Neda Shamie received an undergraduate degree with highest honors from the University of California, Los Angeles and a medical degree from the reputable University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She completed her ophthalmology residency and fellowship training in Cornea, Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine.

Prior to her move to Oregon, Dr. Shamie was a full time faculty member in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine and was highly committed to patient care, residency training as well as to basic science corneal research. She is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, has presented many abstracts, authored articles and chapters in major textbooks, and has been asked to review manuscripts for professional journals. Clinically, Dr. Shamie emphasizes a patient-centered clinical practice and is a strong patient advocate providing the most advanced care in the most compassionate way.

I Once was Blind but Now I SEE.....

Well, the transplant has taken place and I am now on the mend. It was a bit of an ordeal but already the results are astounding and miraculous. Total healing time will be two to three months.

The day after the surgery they removed my bandages and already there was no longer any "fog" but real clarity of vision (the doctor said that it would probably cloud up again over the next couple of days but not to worry that it would then dissipate). The doctor then tested my vision a bit and I was amazed that I had 20/100 (I think I recall that 20/1100 would be expected). My vision is continually improving. Reading is still a struggle but I think that in the next week or two I will be able to read regular print easily (actually, I can already read regular print but it takes a bit of an effort).

I am so thankful to God for this answer to prayer. I am so totally enjoying looking at the world through "unclouded eyes" that I can hardly contain myself. My husband keeps reminding me to go easy but that's hard to do but I am trying to carefully follow the doctors orders.

cornea transplant

For those interested in reading about my problem and seeing a video of the surgery I'll be having next week visit this web site: http://www.dlek-dsek.com/dsaekprocedure.htm

Thanks for remembering me in your prayers.

Time Marches On

Well, I've not done very well with this blog. I never was much of a diary keeper either. Oh well...
I decided to start up this blog again and hope that it proves to be worthwhile--for me at least.

Our time in Oregon really seems to be flying by, I cannot believe that it has been six months already! This summer has just flown by and I don't know where it has gone. I left home at the end of May and did not return until the middle of July! During that time, Don and I went on furlough, attended TEC, Commissioning and Bible Conference. Then Don came home and I went to Pasadena for a two-week intensive at Fuller.

I came home and began working to help put the "finishing" touches on the new DHQ building--which has been fun for the most part. I'll try to post some pictures at a latter date.

This past weekend we were privileged to be a part of a friend's retirement service--Major Pat Jolley. Then this week we will be attending TEC culminating in the Welcome to the cadets this weekend. We fly into Portland Sunday afternoon and that evening we pick up the Commissioners and on Monday we have the dedication for the new building.

On Tuesday, I go to the hospital for a pre-op check up and on Thursday will undergo a cornea transplant. I covet your prayers throughout this process.

Well, here's hoping that I do better with this blog this time around.

Pendelton

I came home Sunday night repacked and was off on Monday to Pendelton for a corps review. It was about a three and a half hour drive. A beautiful drive along the Columbia River and throught the Columbia River Gorge. On the west side of the Dalles it is very green with a lot of pine trees and on the east side it is very dry and reminds me of California landscape.








I took these pictures while driving--not bad! It is an awesome drive. I began my trip home on Tuesday morning listening to Stewart Briscoe preach a message on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts, converts, convinces, corrects, and I can't recall the last three c's. Anyway, it was a good message to begin the day.

Loyalty Day

What a weekend. We came home from furlough and were off again to Newport to take part in the Loyalty Day parade.

**Loyalty Day was originated by the Veterans of Foreign
War (VFW) on the East Coast, with Newport’s Veteran’s starting our local Loyalty
Day celebration in May of 1956. As the celebration continued to spread
throughout the nation, Congress wrote a Joint Resolution and President
Eisenhower signed the Bill into Law designating the First of May as Loyalty Day,
a special day set aside for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.
(http://www.loyaltydays.com/)

It was a great weekend. We 'froze' to death as we rode in the parade but it was great fun. That evening--Saturday--we went to dinner at a place located on the ocean. A breath taking view at sunset. The next morning we attended Bay City corps and Don preached and we installed about five or six individuals into leadership positions. After the Sunday meeting we went to a Girl Scout awards ceremony to watch one of our kids from the corps receive the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive. That evening we had supper with a coupld of Advisory Board members whose home was beautiful and overlooked the ocean.

God's Blessing

As we were traveling to David and Nora's we encountered a rainbow. It was beautiful and I tried to get a picture as we traveled along. I took a few but they don't do it justice. It was a nice reminder from God as to how blessed we are. It was a nice moment for us.

....more, more, more

More Pictures...

More to come...

I'll add a few more photos later. Just wanted to get a few posted at this point.

Love you all.

Home Again....sigh

I can hardly believe that we are back home again. We had such a wonderful time with family. I’ll post the other family pictures so y’all can see each other.

At Philip and Nikki’s we enjoyed playing with the kids—hide and seek and Cars on the x-box. It was good to see that Philip and Nikki are settling in well in new surroundings and greater responsibilities (frustrations and all—huh, Nikki).

At David and Nora’s we not only got to spend time getting to know Justyn and playing with Isaac and Joel but we also got to celebrate Easter. It was such a blessing to see David in this “new” setting learning “pastoral” responsibilities.

Now we’re home and there is no rest for the weary. We leave for Newport tomorrow for a whole slew of activities relating to community celebrations. So pray for us. This kind of schedule gets to be more and more difficult for us old fogies’.

Kevin's Family

We enjoyed some family time last night and here are some pictures of Kevin's family.

April Vacation

Well, after a weekend spent in Willow Valley with the staff at SFOT we are now on vacation. We are visiting first with Kevin. Here are some pictures of our first day together. We went to Shanksville and then we went to the Mall.

Found It

Here is the link to our youth councils video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAk3lL1mylk
It's called Cascade Youth Councils 2008. Enjoy.

What a week...!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is the only way I can think to describe the last few days. This past weekend we were at Youth Councils and it was a great time. It was evident that there was a real moving of the Spirit. There is a video that should be posted on utube soon with council highlights. (I thought it would have been posted by now...but I couldn't find it.) We had a comedy team called the Panic Squad that were hilarious. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time--my cheeks hurt! Then on Sunday morning, it was awesome watching God speaking into the lives of the kids and their response.

Then I hit the skids so to speak when I lost a five and half page paper that I had written for class. While I was finishing up it went haywire and said it had to close. When I opened it up again my five and half paper went to 23 pages of symbols and squares except for the las two pages. I just did not want to do it over again. I wrote the professor and and sent him a copy of what was left. That was last night at about 11:30 p.m.

Today I had a speaking engagment in Salem. It was a wonderful morning and the ladies were very responsive. It was a real blessing. I got home and decided to check my mail and I got a note from my professor with a solution to my problem--bottom line, I don't have to rewrite! Hallelujah!

What a week.

Home Sweet Home

Well, I promised some pictures so here they be! We do like the house and the location. There are plenty of places to walk to--Barns & Nobles, a bagel shop (forget the name at the moment), and the mall. I haven't found a grocery store that I like but hey you can't have everything and at least there is a Cosco nearby.

Last night I attended a Home League Annual Dinner in Albany--not New York and yes there is one in Oregon. Its been a while since I have attended one. I went with another officer from the staff (Major Betsy Kyle the Divisional Women's Ministries Secretary). It was a good time with good attendance and I was privileged to install the new leadership. The first "official" act of my position here although I did speak at the Easter Sunrise Service in Salem the installation seemed more in keeping with the position. The ladies were so apprecitive of my presence that it made me feel special--I know it was because of my position but it still felt nice.

Getting Started

I can't believe that I'm actually beginning my own blog. I have been so inspired and appreciative of Elissa's that I thought I might give this a try.

I wanted to be able to share with my kids and friends our experiences here in the Cascade Division. This seems to be the easiest way to do it. So here goes.....

We are just about unpacked and are getting settled. We love the house--its just the right size for the three of us (Don, myself and Charity the dog). There are some things I would like to do to make it feel more like 'our' home, like painting a couple of rooms but its great as is. I'll take and post some pictures in the next couple of days.

We have felt, from the beginning, that this is where God wants us to be. It has just had that "right" feel and fit. Right now we just want to get past that stage where you are learning everybody's name and position. Which by the way gets harder the older you get, sigh. We are trying to get up to speed on the corps and the division. Its a lot of territory to cover and we will not get to southern Idaho until May. We did get to know the officers a bit at councils which was a time of real blessing. So far everyone seems pleased with us.

Since this is the first blog, I'll keep it short because I want to finish this up and see how it turns out, etc. Plus its after 11 p.m. and I'll turn into a pumpkin if I don't hit the hay soon.

Love to all.