Simon Thomsett

Category: Cataract Operation for Rosy, Crowned Eagles | Date: Sep 10 2008 | By: simonthomsett

I wish that I could report a miraculous recovery. But it is not so. There remains the agonizing uncertainty and he has a long way to go before the eyes clear up.
I had remained in Nairobi at the Cockar’s house on Sunday morning and this allowed Drs Barry Cockar, Dan Gardin and Nonee Magre to check on him. Putting the eye drops and drugs into his eyes was easy. What was noticeable was the extensive cloudiness of the cornea and general disruption of the anterior portion of the eye (That which is forward of the Iris). His eye pressure was slightly high in one eye and twice as high as it should be in the other. Unpredictably the eye that took nearly three times longer than the eye in which the Phaco was used was the better one.

The drive home was not that bad as it was a Sunday. Nevertheless a good portion of it is off road driving behind very dusty trucks. Rosy hung onto the front seat and did his best to stay upright. But the experience is not good for a sick patient with very sensitive eyes. I hate this road, as it has not helped in getting animals to and from treatment for the last 4 years. We arrived home and he had a quite warm day being left out on his perch. He is surrounded by familiar sounds and evidently this settled him. That night, he did react to a hand being moved in front of him. He was able to track me as I walked by him a meter away. I was euphoric.

Rosy on his perch

On the Monday, I had hoped he would be better, but he was much the same. I stayed with him most of the day. Giving drugs to him now was a different story. Although quiet on his perch, the moment I start to attempt to apply a greasy ointment his head jerked back, and it all went across his face….not on his eye. Worse the process was in danger of injuring him. So I had to ask for Mwanzia and Jonathan to assist. The brute force way is very upsetting to him, and I have to weigh up the benefits as opposed to the trauma sustained in the struggle. I wish there was an easier way. Applying the drugs 8-10 times a day makes pulling the sheds down and sending the materials for construction at Naivasha a tough task. Sarah Higgins, the new “owner” of Rosy and Girl desperately needs to know the outcome of Rosy’s progress, as the cost of building the new breeding shed is a huge factor to us. If Rosy cannot see, then there is no point in building the new shed and Girl his wife should be released, despite her age. Rosy would then spend the rest of his life in a smaller shed. His life would not be that bad, but it would be a sad thing to accept after all this effort.

Concurrent to this, I am moving all my furniture and equipment, closing down the house, releasing Tim the Lanner, working on setting up a Lammergeyer release, getting car log books sorted, getting a visa, fixing a broken car, and outfitting for a year safari around Africa. All must be near complete by the end of this week!!

Email and communication via the cell phone came to a halt on Monday. Nonee was driving all the way out from Nairobi to check on his eye pressure, and so I stayed at home. It turned out that her car too broke down, and she had to post-pone the appointment to Tuesday. I was so overwhelmed on Monday that I gave up on all else and focused only on Rosy. I think I am trying to do too much.
On Monday, he was uninterested in a dead rabbit I gave him. Even if totally blind he would happily eat a rabbit, but not now. As it was attracting flies I took it away and force fed him by pushing food down his throat. He was very angry.

In the afternoon he was able to feed on the rabbit alone. But a measure of just how blind he is was gained by looking at the pair of cheeky Slender tail mongooses that live in the rock pile in the garden. They came out and fed on the rabbit within 2 feet of him. Had he seen them, or even registered a blur, he would have done something about it.

I resorted to using the camera to take pictures of what looks like a protruding transparent globe that is emerging from the pupil. The photograph clearly shows this to be true in his right eye. The mass seems to distort the pupil too. The other eye there is a cloudy mass that lies just forward of the pupil. The distinct boundary of the “bubble” in that eye is not so clear. The cornea itself seems to be less cloudy. The eye diameter seems larger, and it looks like it is bulging slightly. The intraocular pressure could explain this although I am giving the special eye drops to reduce this pressure. Nevertheless the protrusion is not as bad as it was. I feel that there is post operative reaction in the eye, with a confusion of anterior and posterior eye pressure, and perhaps some damage to the retina following high intraocular pressure.

Rosy’s right eye

Dan phoned me on Monday and felt confident that this globular protrusion was fairly normal, but he would like to see it for himself. I include the picture here so that I can refer the doctors and specialist such as Dr Dan Gradin to it. (Another use for this blog!)
Today (Tuesday) Nonee drove all the way out to take his eye pressure. It is within limits. But she too noticed this strange protrusion and after conferring with Drs Dan Gradin and Barry Cockar, believed it was likely to be a result of fibrin coagulating. There are drugs that will help lessen this, which I shall get tomorrow. But Nonee was also disappointed in the lack of vision. We went over the procedure again and lamented the lack of equipment that would have allowed us to get a perfect dimension of the lens. But right now the lens is not the issue, it is the material that is being produced by the eye that is disturbing the visual pathway. Time will tell.

Laila and Paula have both asked that I keep the news updates going each day. I suspect Rosy’s progress will be slow, and I cannot think of too much to say. Paula said that I should be brave in asking for donations to continue. While we are all very grateful for the donation money received to cover the cost of the surgery, there are still outstanding settlements to cover costs of equipment and services. In addition comes the reality that Rosy’s post operative care and the building of their new shed will amount to at least some $3-4000, of which I would greatly appreciate any help. It was precisely these sorts of costs incurred during my latter tenure as a raptor rehabilitator that I failed to meet and obliged me to close down.

Tags: Cataract, Crowned Eagle, Operation, Rosy, Surgery

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Category: Cataract Operation for Rosy, Crowned Eagles, Raptors | Date: Aug 28 2008 | By: simonthomsett

Rosy the male Crowned Eagle with cataracts was taken out of his shed three weeks ago. The measurements taken by Dr Tony Walia and Dr Nonee Magre at the Kikuyu Eye hospital were circulated by email and we received the great news that Ingeborg Fromberg, the head of Acrivet (info@acrivet.eu) had a few suitable lenses and other vital equipment which she wished to donate to us. It only needed a suitable box number and physical address to send it to. As I live in the sticks, the chances of having a postman driving out to my house carrying a parcel were pretty slim. Dr Nonee Magre offered the Kenya Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (KSPCA) as a suitable address.

Nonee phoned me back this morning (27th Aug) saying that there had been a bit of a delay with regard to being able to do the surgery at Kikuyu Eye Hospital. Dr Walia reassured me that the matter would resolve itself in a positive way. The centenary celebration of the hospital are coming up soon, and the operation on an eagle is mostly recognized as a wonderful PR opportunity, but a few things needed to be done in order to placate a few.

Unfortunately it looks like the operation date may have to be pushed a few more weeks!! I do not have a few more weeks. Rosy, as always, seems to contrive to destroy my plans. The last few months have been tough enough making the resolve to leave, releasing birds, and giving some away. Rosy, the pillar of my life, is unquestionably my nemesis too. He is my brother. I love him. He will win, he always does. It is a typical love / hate relationship.

Girl (Photo by Dave Richards)

We are looking for another place to do the operation while we wait for the supplies to arrive. There is a more brutal approach to cataract operation involving a large incision of the cornea, and a manual extraction of the lens. Without the pin-hole type surgical equipment of today, this is how cataract surgery was done in the past. I even understood that the ancient Egyptians did something of the sort. But this would be a pity given that we do have the specialized equipment here.

Naturally, I could not help but wonder if the CITES regulations that successfully hindered his temporary export to South Africa for the operation could not at this late hour be reversed. But sadly there is no point in even trying, given that I still have not had a response from either South Africa or Kenya. Many have said it would take many months to get the permission, and the chances were slim.

I wrote a letter to my Mum the other day regarding Rosy and I deleted a cheesy comment that he was a part of my left arm. My Mum would scoff at that, as much as I do. It was not what I wanted to say. I dislike a spiritual approach regarding animals. No mystical gaze into the horizon to view my spiritual totem, and to seek their guidance etc. No there is no rainbow warrior insight, no heighten perception, for living with one eagle throughout my life.

When I went into Rosy and Girl’s shed to get him, he was a beast. Snatching and ripping at me and lifting three grown men off their feet in a single bench press of his legs. Biting and yelling at us while we put jesses back on him. I dreaded this moment for weeks and he did not disappoint us. We were pouring sweat and mid way through it I thought of my Dad, who passed away last year and how this would greatly amuse him. As a measure of his respect for Rosy, I noted in his old filing cabinet a file named “Rosy”. There was none of any other bird, animal or even of his children! He had written a script around Rosy, and a boy (me), and Rosy was one heck of a tough customer. Even now I reckon my Dad would have nothing but admiration for Rosy, as he sits outside on the lawn on his perch looking immaculate and proud. When Girl calls from her shed, Rosy calls back. The call is “This is my land”. Just as a lion’s roar. He owns with Girl a territory here and defended it for 16 years. I recorded him a few days ago and if I could figure it out I think I could share his call on this blog. Perhaps later.

What I meant to say to my Mum was that Rosy and I are back to our old relationship. I knelt down to pick him up talking to him the other day. He talked back. It is a very un-eagle like series of notes, but they portray worry, curiosity, concern, confidence and even gratitude. He cannot see a thing, not flinching even if I move my hand quickly to within an inch of his eyes. So when he steps gentle up onto the glove, he has to know it is there. He has to know it is me, for he hates others. The moment he is back on my arm he is happy. For fun I might work him into a pretend fury by growling at him and saying “Rosy is dozy and sometimes very dim!” The reaction I had from him 30 years ago has not changed one iota. Wham! He slams the glove. With evil passion he pummels the length of the glove making me wince in pain. Why I do it I do not know. But if ever I need a reminder of just how strong he is I do this (only with the 3 leather layers plus tyre reinforced glove). With his face an inch from mine he tends to bump his bill on my cheek or nose. He always did, and he does so now. We walk off, he perfectly balanced, my arm held in the same way that decades have taught us. I move, turn and place him back on his perch in a completely non-thinking manner and he like a dance partner follows my lead. You would not know he was blind. To say we are “one” is taking it far too far. But I should bet that few people have had relationships this close and this long….with anything, human or otherwise. Yes there is a sympathy, a prediction down to the finest movement of what the other thinks. It would be mad not to imagine that this is so.

Magu in the sun

In an hour I shall be putting Vero’s, the Verreaux’s Eagle on a plane flown by Tobi Dunn, to be delivered to Martin Wheeler at Tassia Lodge in Ill Ngwesi, Samburu District. I have never met Martin. I knew of him a few years ago when I met his teacher the late Ron Hartley. Ron was the leader of Zimbabwean raptor work and certainly the greatest falconer Africa ever produced. Ron said Martin was a wild one, but a good falconer. I am trusting you Ron.

Right now my heart is down and I am desperately worried that I am doing the right thing by leaving next month. But I have to remind myself that I have no choice. Life depends upon work and income. This has come to an end and what I am doing, as much as it destroys me to do it, must be done for the birds.

Tags: Crowned Eagle, Girl, Operation, Rosy, Vero's

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Category: Cataract Operation for Rosy, Crowned Eagles | Date: Aug 13 2008 | By: simonthomsett

Rosy’s Cataract Operation - Chapter 4

This morning, I left the house with Rosy at 7.30AM and arrived at the Kikuyu Eye Hospital at 11.50AM. It is a distance of only 65 Km took over 4hrs. The street hawkers enquired how he was, having remembered him from last week. I made a wise choice in not sedating him with valium as he could easily have died of heat stroke had he not been able to stand and pant.

Kikuyu Eye Hospital is one of the busiest units in Africa. Dr Nonee Magre met us in the car park and we were shown round the back where we met Dr Tony Walia. We anaesthetized Rosy, using about 1/3rd the recommended dose which put him under sufficient for two instruments to be placed on his eyeball by he and his team.

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Nonee Magre

The first is termed a kerato-metre, its task is to measure the curvature of the cornea. It was working fine, but it could not get data on so large an eye. The other instrument looked like a laser pointer used at lectures, but for it having a huge machine attached to it. It measured the diopter size, the depth of the lens and the diameter. One eye was 10.5mm and the other was 12mm. Twice the size of a human’s. Dr Walia showed us a human lens (it cost $4!). It has two curled spines that keep the lens in the exact place.

I opted to drive home while Rosy was still groggy. He lay near the gear stick and every now and then I was able to check on his breathing. The dosage rates suggested by literature are about two to four times more than is necessary. Fortunately we were conservative and his recovery was slow but sure. In the late afternoon I sat with him till he got better. He spent the evening in my room.

Back Home

Now comes the hard part. These measurements must be sent to USA to have the lens made. In the next few days, Dr Nonee and I will try to pin down the companies and get this complete. It hasn’t been easy so far, so wish us luck.

Tags: Cataract, Crowned Eagle, Eye, Operation, Rosy

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Category: Cataract Operation for Rosy, Crowned Eagles | Date: Aug 08 2008 | By: simonthomsett

Rosy’s trip to Nairobi. Chapter 4

This morning, I took Rosy to Nairobi to meet up with Dr Nonee Magre before going on to see Dr Tony Walia, an eye surgeon from Kikuyu Eye Hospital. The drive in took 3 hrs. Rosy was very hot and stressed, sitting hooded on a blanket-covered spare wheel in the back of the car. Although it is an acknowledged fact that the Mombasa road is a total mess, the bouncing and flapping of Rosy in the back seemed to reinforce just how terrible it truly is. Stuck in standstill traffic for half an hour surrounded by amazed on-lookers and street hawkers (selling maps, dubious DVDs, awful sentimental paintings, toy helicopters, sun glasses, and a thing that sheds cabbage), I managed to calm a hot temper by answering questions, some of which were fairly well informed.

Stuck in the traffic, I opened my emails on my cell phone. Laila told me that donations were coming in for Rosy! I have yet to see the blog or know what is going on, but thank those who are helping. More than anything, it is great to see that people care about an eagle.

Outside of his breeding shed, and away from his mate for the first time in years, he tried to gather his hurt pride. He squeezed my glove hard and his talons went right through 3 layers of saddle hide leather! Girl, his mate, kept calling every ten minutes. Rosy would call back. The territory call of a Crowned Eagle is melodic and wild. Here, confined by jesses and tied to a block and blind, it was upsetting to see. But it does mean he has every wish to hold onto to his title as the master of this territory.

What was very disturbing was the extent of his blindness. I could sweep my hand to an inch of his face, and he saw nothing! Yet yesterday he sat on a small stump in his shed and fed unaided. He must have learnt how to feed himself by touch. He must have located the food by listening to it landing, or it being eaten by Girl. In the shed, he was like a blind man in his own house. Outside, he is out of place.

I put him on a perch, but he soon leapt off it at me in an act of defiance. In the late evening, I put him in a small mews for the night. I became reflective last night and retired far too early to bed.

Dr. Nonee was very helpful and led the way to Dr Walia’s house in Westlands. He had injured his right elbow and was taking a few days off work. Surrounded by his family in his garage, with and arm in a sling, he immediately said that it was cataracts. It was the first confirmed diagnosis by an eye specialist. He noted that the pupil reflex was fine and that the “visual pathway” was good. Like other surgeons, he was amazed at the size of the eye, saying that the lens diameter looked to be over twice that of a human. He suggested that we go through the following stages:

1. Return Tuesday to get his eye measured at the Kikuyu Eye Hospital. This would require sedation and the use of an ultrasound placed on his cornea.
2. Send the measurements, realizing the limitations of the measurements, to make comparisons with other species of eagles that may possibly have had lenses made for them. Using the most likely measurements and comparisons to other similar lenses, ask a (as yet unidentified) company in USA to make them ASAP and post them back. In the meantime, put Rosy on atropine ointment to dilate the pupil so that he might see something.
3. The operation itself, all supposing the lenses make it and are of the flexible type that can be rolled and fed through a small incision, should not be too difficult. The date for that depends entirely on the speed of postage and manufacture of the lenses.

The drive back was not as bad, and although it did consume the better part of the day, it was a first step in the right direction. In weighing up all the variables, I favour this option for the primary reason that Kikuyu Eye Hospital is a three or four hour drive at most. South Africa is too far, besides my application letter outlining the situation and requesting assistance in the issuance of CITES has not been acknowledged, and is never likely to as the export differs in important details. A possible choice of going to the Kenya coastal eye hospital at Kwale will require a traumatic 250 mile drive. There would be no place to house him either. 

I was encouraged at the interest that both Dr. Nonee Magre and Dr. Walia showed in Rosy. The decision is now made to go ahead with this option.

PS. While feeding Rosy, I let Tim and Lucy (the lanners) off to play. Only Tim came back in near darkness. This is Lucy’s first night out.

Tags: Cataract, Crowned Eagle, Operation, Rosy

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