I am convinced there is some sort of parasite in my eye. After swimming over a mile in the Cumberland River tonight, freaking out every time a leaf grabbed my foot, and waiting for a dead body to float up underneath me...I got out and decided I had something in my eye. Luckily one of the guys with us was a paramedic and convinced me that it was just mascara that had gotten under my eyelid (he looked in it). And then he also pointed out that nothing could get into my eye since I was wearing goggles. Anyway...then he told me that last time they swam open water some guy got leeches on his toes. So then I momentarily wanted to rip out my eyeball because I was then convinced that a clear colored leech had gotten into my eye. I jumped around saying I had a leech in my eye and tried to pull the invisible leech out of my eye. I got made fun of. And then we ran a 6 mile tempo run and I forgot about it. Anyway...I told you guys I would find Carl a friend. I can only assume they are somewhere inside my belly doing whatever parasites do when they hang out with each other. MTA: What should I name him/her?

MC Hammer still makes music.

Is that a suggestion for his name? Carl and MC Hammer still makes music. No. Too long.

who is Carl? And who are we naming? Are you expecting?

Carl is my tapeworm. Don't you keep up?

Luckily one of the guys with us was a paramedic and convinced me that it was just mascara that had gotten under my eyelid (he looked in it). And then he also pointed out that nothing could get into my eye since I was wearing goggles.

Yeah, I was wrong. Turns out there are actually two ways to prove you're blond. Your test results came back positive for blondness.

Carl is my tapeworm. Don't you keep up?

Alright fine. I'll bite. For some reason the name Albert comes to mind. So, my vote is for you to name the new creature Albert.

OK, here is a question. I hate to threadjack, but she was talking about eye problems. Can chlorine damage your eyes? I fell asleep (alone, SOBER, and not passed out next to some sausage - just getting that out of the way early on).with my contacts in the other day.....after swimming with them in that evening (wearing goggles, of course). No, I normally don't swim with my contacts in. Not sure why I did that day. Anyway, my left vision seemed a little blurry yesterday all day. It seems to be better today, but I was a just a tad bit freaked out. Is there something that I could have or should be doing to negate any harmful effects? Besides the obvious ones of don't swim with your contacts in, nor sleep with them in. MTA: when I reread this, it definitely seems to have GSP written all over it. Fuck it. I'm already so far down after this week that I have nothing to lose.

It's not the chlorine but the warm, moist environment that your eyes are kept in during your swim; there's a chance that any kind of stuff can grow in there when your wear your goggles for long periods of time. Try some rewetting eye drops for contact users. That usually clears up whatever's wrong with my eyes. If it stings when you add some drops, chances are that you have something living in your eye and it doesn't like the drops. Keep using them and you'll finally achieve a sense of peace. Oh, and clean your contacts with more than just the daily rinse solution. Use that thing that has a piece of metal at the bottom and foams up when you place it in that liquid. You can get that stuff at walgreens or target or some such.

How's Ernie doing? I know this has nothing to do with Carl...but I'm just wondering.

We put him on that prescription diet, which he'll have to eat for the rest of his life. Apparently it doesn't taste bad though because my other dog likes to steal it. Anyway, he doesn't seem to be in pain. But unless the food helps, it's only a matter of time before he gets blocked again since it seems to happen monthly. He's also taking fish oil supplements, we actually share a bottle , which is supposed to help too....the fish oil, not the sharing. But maybe the food and the fish oil will help prevent him from getting blocked again...unless we're only slowing down the process and it's a tumor or something in there. If he gets blocked again...we will take him to UT. So i'm hoping he doesn't.