[acerhigh]

I had definitely gotten comfortable over the years and lax in my caution. Never wore gloves anymore, rarely wore eye protection unless I was using the dremel or tile cutter. This day, when my friend came in and asked if he could get a frag...... I had long sleeves on, but he had short.... so I had him reach in the tank and grab the colony....... I only handled the coral outside the tank..... never really put my hands inside the tank to get in the water to help wash any residue off.... I think that is why mine ended up so bad. Whether or not it is true palytoxin poisoning or not...... the caution is the same..... I know palytoxin is lethal, but exposure to it in a diluted state would not necessarily kill any of us.... but rather make you very ill, or blind, or etc.....

I know the doctors told me that whatever it was, it damaged the protective layer of the eye.... and that is why when I put the rewetting drops in my eye that first night it was almost instant excruciating pain.... The saline drops I used when directly inside the eye. like putting salt in an open wound.

anyway, I'm thankful that I'm not blind...... Nervous to even put my hands inside the tank again.... though I have..... but have washed them repeatedly right afterward. and thankful that I have GREAT friends who drove me around to doctor's appts the first few days when I couldn't see well enough to drive.

And hopeful that my story has at least made a few people more aware and cautious about handling corals and the repercussions of what might happen!

Have a GREAT day!

Dan