I HAVE FUCHS' DYSTROPHY

I have Fuchs' Dystrophy.  Fuchs' is an inherited, degenerative eye disease that affects the cornea (skin) of the eye. If untreated, this disease leads to the clouding of the cornea and loss of vision. I first became aware of the problem when I visited my ophthalmologist. I was in my late 40's.  He told me I had a clouding of my cornea and prescribed salt drops.  As the disease progressed I became more aware of its severe affects.

The cornea has 3 layers.  The only layer affected by Fuchs' is the inner or endothelial layer.  This  layer is one cell thick and is composed of thousands of tiny cells that pump water out of the cornea and keep it clear. Fuchs' causes these cells to get hard and stop pumping, resulting in cloudy/blurred vision. For more than 100 years the standard practice consisted of removing the entire cloudy cornea and replacing it with a full thickness donor cornea.

In December of 2000 I had a full cornea transplant in my Right eye.  In that operation the surgeon removed my cornea and replaced it with a new cornea (from a donated eye).  It did not go well. When I woke up from the anesthetic, my vision was distorted. My eyes could not both focus on the same spot and I was sent home with an ointment on the wound that caused my eye to swell shut. The next day I had to return to the hospital emergency room to have the ointment replaced with  a substance I was not allergic to. In the Fall of 2003 the transplanted cornea came loose and I lost my vision. The surgeon reattached the cornea and since then the transplant has remained in place and is clear.  However one of the complications of this surgery is that I have developed Glaucoma.  This condition affects the optic nerve and I am losing some of my peripheral vision.  I am scheduled for laser surgery later this year to alleviate this problem.

Meanwhile my Left eye continued to lose vision.  This Summer I decided to have a cornea transplant  operation on my left eye.  Today the surgeons do not remove the cornea.  The new technique they use to solve this problem is called DSAEK.  In this operation the doctor cuts a small slit in the side of the eye.  He inserts a device that cuts out the damaged inner layer or endothelial cells and this layer is removed.  A donor endothelial layer is wrapped like a burrito and inserted through the slit and is opened up.  With a puff of air the transplant is pushed up against the inside of the cornea  and it takes the place of the removed layer.

I had this operation done to my Left eye on Thursday, September 24th. According to one of the  nurses, the operation took about 20 minutes.  I was able to go home, but I had to lay flat on my back for 12 hours.  During an appointment the following day, the Dr. said "You did great" and he seemed pleased with the result.  After 3 days, my vision improved and I could actually see better than before surgery..  I will need to use eye drops forever, but I am grateful for my improved vision.  I can testify that the new DSAEK  procedure is a vast improvement over the old full cornea transplant.

So you ask, why am I sharing all this with you? Fuchs' is in to my DNA, so since most of you share some of my genes you may have this condition or are carrying it.  My son Andrew, who just turned 50 was recently diagnosed with Fuchs' and will face a similar regimen to the one I  have been pursuing.  Fuchs' begins to show up when you are in your late 40's.   Eye doctors are trained to look for this disease, so I strongly recommend  that you get an annual eye exam.

LAURA FLEMING BROWN RALSTON by sister Mary

RAY F. BROWN by Robert Ralston

RAY W. BROWN REMEMBERS

Subject:  Brown and Metz Family History

Interviewed:  Ray W. Brown, Jr

By:  Dick Brown

Date: May 21, 2000

Transcribed 2/28/06

His mother (Edna Metz Brown) never spoke of friction between the first (Sam B. Metz) family and the second.

Ray remembers Sam B.--“Little, dried up old man who chewed tobacco”.  Mother (Edna) wanted to stop to see”Father”after church on Sunday.  "He (Sam B.) liked to talk---always had something to say.”  Ray was 7or 8 at the time.

Bistlines (Merel’s family) usually stayed with Edna and Ray Sr.  (Ray’s parents) ---a week or 10 days at a time.  “Mother and Merel were closer in age than to Sam B.’s other children."

“One time while they (Sam B. and Lula) still lived in the main house Lula came up the stairs from the basement and handed me a black cast iron toy car.  That was in 1927.  I sure was proud of that car.  I was really upset when the MacAlster boys banged the car against another metal toy.”

“Sam B. sat on an old Morris chair next to the stove, chewing tobacco.  He retired  at 45 years of age."

February 1932--- Ray and Edna took the whole family to Florida. Also included Nellie Metz and Anna Brown.  They stayed in St. Cloud, FL for about a month.  They received word of Sam B. Metz’s  death (February 2nd) and headed home (in 2 cars).  They had an accident with a gray hound bus in Virginia (Edna was driving.)  Also Elmer Hamilton was with them.  After the accident Ray, Edna, Nellie and Ray, Jr took the good car back to Pennsylvania.  They arrived at the  Allensville Lutheran Church after the service had begun.  The rest came home once the other car was repaired.

Conestoga Wagon---Left outside for about a year.  Andrews of Andrews Feed  Co. said it should be put inside. It was (put in the barn, where it still is located). This occurred when Sonny (Luther) was running the farm (the original Metz homestead).

The cast iron double-decker bus came from Uncle Charlie Brown.

Edna (Ray’s mother)----“Short, lots of pep. Helped people, took an interest in the farm, milked cows, made hay, worked in the fields, a good cook.  Very likeable ---everyone liked her. She and Daddy (Ray, Sr.) got along well.  She liked to spend money, He was more thrifty.  She had to go on a budget during the Depression---she did not like it at all.  Later she got money from Uncle Harry (Metz) which she used to buy things."

Ray , Sr.---medium sized, went to Juniata College, passed an exam to teach but did not get a certificate.  Later when he taught GI’s he had to get one.

“He was very precise---studied things out before he began something.” He  always tried new things, adapted to changing conditions.

Ray Jr’s  relationship with his Dad?  “Not always the best” There was friction between them when he was younger. He got over it later.  They did not always agree how to do something.

CORA ELIZABETH'S RECOLLECTIONS OF FAMILY

Subject:  Cyrus Brown Family

Source:  Letter written by Cora Elizabeth Brown (Daughter of Cyrus)

Date: December 30, 1976

Transcript by Dick Brown 1/31/06

Dear Nephew Dick,

I am anxious to cooperate with you, so will get it started.

         
As to my childhood , before mother died it was right happy, my brother Charley and I played together and got along good. But later I was real lonely, as Mother was gone and Charley was able to help out on the farm.  We were expected to work just as soon as we could do anything.  I was 14 when Mother went, so then my responsibility really began---cooking, cleaning, washing, Ironing, etc.

         
One time I was making elderberry jelly, it boiled over and caught fire.  Surely the Lord helped me for I managed to keep it under control.

         
My brothers worked on the farm.  Ray was a teacher, but even after he owned a farm he continued teaching.  I went to school to him and I surely can say a lot of good about him.  He gave us good principles as well as our studies.

         
Fred your grandfather was so kind, so helpful---a fine person.  He went with me or rather took me to Huntingdon to see my future home.  I paid cash for it and have had roomers most of the time---many nice people,.  Just now I have a young couple.   The young man came here in 1972.  In October 1976 (this October) he married and brought his wife . We get along fine and I  surely am glad to have them.

Will was a farmer I believe all his life until he moved to Ocala, FL  I  kept house for him on the farm about 13 years until he married late in life.  He allowed me to drive his car when he was along---that was good.

After I bought my home, Charley lived with me until he moved to Sebring, FL where he bought a home, but lived less than a year.  We were very close.  Many good times we had.  Father and Mother were fairly strict.  Maybe not strict enough with me .  We were brought up in the church---five miles to drive horses and carriage.

The saddest thing that happened to our family was my niece (Tacy)’s tragic death on the highway.  She was a telephone operator and was living with me at the time.   She came to live with Will and I on the farm when she was nine years old when her mother died.  Then when I moved here (Huntingdon)  she spent most of her life with me.

Yes, we had good neighbors in the country.  Mother used to leave me with  a neighbor when she would go away and it did not  suit to take me .

You will notice Dick, I have spoken well of all, that is how I want to do.

I almost forgot Warren.  He was  the tease, he traveled a good bit, then would stop at a college and take a course, but finally married, settled down and farmed, a very successful farmer.

Dick, I was glad to do this,  just hope in a measure it may be satisfactory.  Maybe at another time I can give more interesting information.

You asked about our horses.  Nellie was my driver.  Many a time I took the butter and eggs to Mill Creek and got groceries.

I came up here (Huntingdon) in 1930.  .

LETTER FROM CYRUS TO DAUGHTER CORA ELIZABETH

Cyrus S. Brown Family History

Introduction

This letter was found with Cora Elizabeth's booklet describing her mother's illness and death between 1905 and 1908.  Unlike that document this letter is dated (October 29, 1913).  Apparently Cora was off visiting friends.  Cyrus's comment at the end of the letter seems to imply that she had traveled by train to perhaps the Lewistown area where she had visited previously.  Cora was 19 years of age at this time.  I received this letter along with the booklet from Joyce Brown Baird at the Brown Family Reunion in the summer of 2014.

                                                                                 Dick Brown

Letter From Cyrus To Cora Elizabeth

Mill Creek Pa 10-29-13

Cora E. Brown

Dear Daughter,

I will write you a short letter this morning to let you know how the sick folks are here.  Mrs. Himes still lives she was weaker yesterday than usual.  Mrs. Metz   had not heard this morning. Hulda is improving and I think the prospects are good now for getting well.  I saw Mrs. Fultz walking out on the road yesterday.  I havn't been up yet.

I was feeling fine yesterday.  I got into a big job carelessly 

when I came home from Mill Creek Monday evening.  I unhitched and turned Dan down to the stable and I staid and shut the doors.  When I went down he rolled in the shed  and the horse and harness were a pretty mess.

Well I got them out the best I could.  And yesterday I made my plans to clean up the horse and the harness and when I had the harness washed I thought it a good time [to] oil them so I have them in good shape.

When I got that job done it was time to do the chores.  I take plenty of time to do things.  Ray (son of Cyrus who later married Edna Metz) milks Bess and one black heifer and sometimes gets some from the white one.

We don't save much cream.  Ray and I are both pretty good at getting away with it.  Ray brought me some corn meal and I have mush and milk for supper.  And good rich milk that hasn't been skimmed.  And hot mush out of the pot makes me a fine supper and for breakfast fried mush and an egg fried in butter  a glass of milk.  And for dinner I have it hot and steaming.

Well I will expect to get a card from you this evening.  I suppose you got down alright as it would be in the daily papers.

My best respects to all the friends.

From your father,

C. S. Brown

(HE DIED 6 WEEKS LATER.)

THE ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ELIZABETH FLEMING METZ---A JOURNAL

Cyrus S. Brown Family History

INTRODUCTION

As some of you know, I have been working on family history for about 35 years.  My goal is to share what information I find with family members to show the human side of our ancestors and hopefully spark an interest in others to join me in this work.

                                                               Dick Brown

Cyrus S. Brown (9/23/1847---12/13/1913) married Elizabeth Fleming (1/31/1850---8/10/1908) on January 18, 1877.  They had seven children including Mary, Fred, Warren, William, Ray, Charles and Cora.  Only Fred, Warren and Ray have living descendants.

This document was written by Cora Elizabeth Brown who was , Cyrus and Elizabeth's youngest daughter.  She chronicles the illness and subsequent death of her Mother Elizabeth between 1905 and 1908.  She was 11 years old when her mother first became ill and assumed the duties of running the family household at age 14.  It appears Cora wrote this sometime after her Mother's death, but there is no definite date recorded.

These writings were in a  3 x  5 booklet found by family members in the original homestead, now  called the Wilbur(son of Warren) House and currently owned by Susan and Joe Korinchak.  Joyce Brown Baird acquired the document after Wilbur's death and passed it on to me at the Brown Family Reunion in the summer of 2014.  I have tried to follow the text faithfully and added some punctuation and words in brackets for clarity.

LOVING THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT DEAR MAMA

by

Cora E. Brown

1905-1908

Mama (Elizabeth) took sick with the disease which caused her death, in Sept. 1905, as she had not been feeling at all well for several weeks, she decided to go out to Dr.   Simpson.

So on Sept 2end, her and Papa (Cyrus) went to Mill Creek and she went in to see the Doctor, and after an  examination he told her what it was and that an operation would be necessary to remove it.

So on Monday Mama and Papa started to Philadelphia to the St. Joseph Hospital and on Wed. Sept. 6, 1905 Mama underwent an operation by Dr. E. E. Montgomery,

and so Mamma soon began to get a little stronger and seemed to get along fine and in three weeks she was well enough to come home. 

The first word we received after the operation was that Mama had stood the operation and was getting along  as well as could be expected.

Mama seemed to be feeling right well when she came home, and kept right well for a little while, but it was not long till Dear Mama began to feel unwell again and seen signs of the return of the disease again.

Along about this time Mamma lost her voice and often could scarcely speak above a whisper. This was a great worry to her besides the distress of the return of the disease.  Mamma kept about the same, some days she felt fairly well, and some days she felt very bad, but was still able to do a great deal of the work and be around most of the time but she was far from happy.

She knew that the disease was likely to come back and she was not well enough to be happy, but she did not see anything very alarming until the next August 1906 when she began to feel sure she was again afflicted with the same disease, so she had Dr. Simpson come out on Aug. 30, 1906 and after an examination he found that it was the return of the disease and she would again have to go to the hospital, so on August 31, 1906 Mamma and Papa started again to Phila.

 It surely was hard on her, being there before, she knew what she would have to come thru.  Mama was not in as good health as the other time.  So they operated on Sept. 3, 1906 and Mama (was) very low all night, they did not expect her to live through the night, but she got a little better toward morning and at last was conscious.  The first word we heard was that Mama was very low and we was to prepare for the worst.   

Then the next evening Papa phoned that Mamma was a little better, then from that [time] on Papa still wrote  every day that she was improving slowly, but she was very weak  for several days but kept on getting  a little stronger.  Mama kept this way for about two weeks and then she took worse again, and was very low for a few days, and then got better again and then she got better day by day. She was very anxious to come home to us, but it was two months before the doctors consented to leave her come home.  So on the last day of October Dear Mama and Papa came home again and oh how happy Mamma was, the first thing she said to me was "Cora Dear, I never want to leave you again".

And then Mama just seemed to be so well and happy and enjoying herself so well all winter and we were all very happy together.  I went to school that winter after Mama came home,  Mama was able to do most of the work. That next Christmas Mamma was so well and she had Fred (Fred W. Brown, Cora's oldest brother) and Margaret (Fred's wife) come up for dinner.

Mama kept real well all summer and the next winter.  I don't relate much that happened between this time only that we were, oh, so happy for Mama was well.   One time during the summer of 1907 Mama said to me "Cora, I have never been so happy in my life as I am now". I don't think Mama had much fear of the disease coming back that summer because it did not seem to worry her, altho no   doubt but what Mama often thought about it.  We were now beginning to feel that Mama had been cured.  And Mama was happy about something else at this time.  This was about Sept. 1907.

But alas, Mama was not to be well very long.  On Jan. 7, 1908 the day Anna (daughter of Fred W and Margaret Brown) was born, Mama was down (possibly to assist Margaret after the birth) and seemed to be real well but about the 15th Mama began to feel bad again, a pain in her hip seemed to be all that was the matter and she thought it was neuralgia. But she had Dr. Simpson come out and he said it was neuralgia and gave her medicine for it, but it did not seem to help her very much.

From the time Mama came home from the hospital the second time she seemed to be well all the time until Jan. 15th, 1908 when she began to feel bad again. Then from January 15 she seemed to keep nearly the same only gradually losing strength and the pain increasing until about the first of March, she then wrote to Dr. Montgomery and he advised her to go to Phila again so on the seventh of Mar 1908 Mama and Papa started to Philadelphia for the third time.  Mama stood the trip right well but was in terrible pain most of the time.  After an examination Dr. Montgomery found the trouble.  He did not tell her what it was, but said that it was an inflammation of the bone, but he told Papa what it was.

So on March...Mama and Papa came home again, for the Dr. said it would be better just for Mama to come home.  But when Mama came home I soon seen that she had not been helped or encouraged any.  Papa had just written one card 

as saying that they had gotten down safely, and the doctor rather encouraged them but this was the first time the Dr. had seen Mama and he said they should come again the next day, and this was when the sad news was heard.  Mama was far from happy at this time.

I did not think at this time that Mama would only be with us a few months, but Mama thought it, she was sad and her suffering was awful.  Mama still thought that surely something could be done for her so she decided to try Dr. Getter, but he could not help her either, no one had encouragement for her.

Mama was now very anxious to have Aunt Maggie (Elizabeth's sister Margaret Fleming Ennis) come and great was her disappointment when we would hear that Aunt Margaret could not come for a while.  Aunt M. had talked both other times that she was at the hospital of coming in (Margaret lived In Iowa) but gave it up both times.  But this time she said as soon as she heard the sad news, that she would make arrangements to come as soon as possible.  Aunt Margaret came on July 10, at this time Mama was able to go to the porch to meet her, at this time Mama was not suffering as much, as she had been a few weeks before.

Mama kept on little by little getting weaker and thinner, but at this time Mama still seemed  to have hopes of getting well, perhaps, it was more to make me glad when she spoke encouraging, but soon she began to give up all hope of getting well, but  this was not until about  the first of August.

One day as I was sitting with her, she said "Dear Cora I guess you see that I will have to leave you. I can only be with you a few more days".  Another time she said to me "Cora dear you have been an angel to me. You have nothing to regret".

Mamma's last days with us was a great sermon to all of us, I  haven't any idea that I could of stood it only that I felt that Mama had reached a better land where there is neither pain nor sorrow.

These now were the days that I don't think I could [have] lived thru them only for the one who gives us all, he gave us strength.

From about the first of August until the tenth Mama didn't seem to suffer much pain, but she was so sick  and weak, nearly every day she would talk to us and say comforting words to us.

One day, I was sitting by her bed-side crying, she said to me "Jesus will take care of you as he takes care of me".

On the tenth Mama seemed very weak and she didn't say very much to any of us.  And in the evening about eight o'clock as Papa was sitting by her, he noticed a change and called us all in the room.  And we saw she was dying.  It was about a half hour from the time we noticed the change until she died.  Her dear face lighted up with brightness as her spirit reached the fairer region.

Those who were with her when she died besides us children and Papa were Aunt Harriet (Uncle Will's wife) who had been here a week, Uncle Will (Cyrus's younger brother) came the day she died, and Aunt Margaret, Mrs. Knode, Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Himes was here a little while before she died.  This was Aug 10, 1908.

The funeral took place the next day and a great many friends were here.  The next day Aug 12, 1908, Charley (Cora's brother) took Aunt M. and I to the White Hall Cemetery where Mama's father and mother and brother is buried.

The next day Aunt M. started again for Iowa.  I went with her to Huntingdon. Then the next Saturday I went with Margaret McCord home so then I spent ten days in Grantville, Lewistown and Burnham.

Then I came home on Wednesday the 26th and took up the heavy burden of taking care of the home.  It was very, very hard on me, many was the day I had to spend alone working hard and crying. Oh how I do miss her.  No one knows, only Jesus.

I will always remember that sweet face which was so dear, so very dear to me, she was so kind and her thought was of us who were so dear to her, she knew we would be sad and lonely.  

Our Father gave us strength to come thru it and to bear it, and oh how beautiful that our Father will let us meet again to part no more in that beautiful land where there is no pain or sorrow.            

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE BOOKLET

A piece that was in the paper about Mamma---

As the autaumn leaf that fadeth

when the winter drawth  nigh

so she fadeth from among us

when the tempest still was high.

Hide me oh my saviour

hide me until the storm of life is past

sang in faith thru life's long journey

so her soul sang to the last

Grief and care had crossed her pathway

but she trusted still in god

and nearer draws to Jesus

as she passed beneath the rod

How she loved the blessed saviour

loved the preached words to hear

and she sang his praises

when her voice was strong and clear

She hath left a shining pathway

life well spent in doing good

all will truly say of lizzie

she hath done the best she could 

All her trust was stayed on Jesus

All her care on him she cast,

peacefully her life was ended

God received her soul at last  

AN ENTRY ABOUT CYRUS---

Papa took sick in the winter of 1912.

A cold seemed to be the.........

(Cyrus died on December 13, 1913 of tuberculosis)

LATER ENTRIES---

No one knows how discouraging my young life is only one.

The times Papa and Mamma were at the hospital, Grace Taylor staid with me for company.

The Christian life is of divine origin.

To believe is to receive Christ.

Contrition

Confession

Conversion