"Man's extremity" was indeed "God's opportunity" in my case, for it was not until every earthly means in which I had any hope had failed me, and I had spent hundreds of dollars on oculists, one year of enforced idleness from work, and nearly two years of suffering, and was faced with the awful dread of blindness, that I turned, as a last resort, to God entirely and put myself under Christian Science treatment.
My trouble, as I have said, lasted for nearly two years, during which time I had the best medical attendance possible. The first specialist who took my case thought my chance of recovery was fair at first, but at the end of his efforts he had no hope. When I asked him what my chances of recovery were, he said, "Nil." He advised me to leave the city and go home to my parents in the country, words which to me meant, You need not spend any more money, you will never be able to resume your occupation.
Later I determined to leave nothing undone and, by the advice of a friend, went to Montreal and put myself under the care of an oculist of Continental reputation. After the first examination he entertained hopes for my recovery, but as time went on he expressed grave doubts, and said the chances of recovery were very much against me (I was at this time in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal); he said I had a very peculiar case of retinitis. He compared my eyes to a mirror, from the back of which the mercury had been scratched in spots. I remained in the hospital over a month and underwent the operation which was to cure me, but without any benefit. I returned to Ottawa, and after continued suffering (for my eyes were intensely painful most of the time), I rallied sufficiently from disappointment to try another specialist. He ordered me to bed in a darkened room for four weeks, during which time my eyes were again operated upon and I was kept on a light diet, but all to no purpose.
