Well, do I ever look funny today! One eye bright and clear and myopic; the other mucky and bloodshot and prickly---and unseeing, as yet. But that's retinal detachment for you.
My friend Carol and I headed off on the 9 a.m. ferry yesterday, getting to my appointment at the eye surgeons' office plenty early. Then, because we were an "add-on", even though a semi- emergency one, we had to be added to the roster of surgeries for the day, which meant that we were there all day, paging through the heaps of old magazines in the waiting room. I finally went in to pre-op at 3:30 but surgery didn't start until after 5.
Let me tell you, it's an interesting experience and I also want to issue a warning: if your vision goes wonky, with floaters and flashing lights, do not pass go, go directly to the eye guy/gal and find out what's going on. If you get it taken care of immediately, you will be fine. If not, if you wait a few days like I did, it may not be an easy row to hoe.
Waiting seemed like the right thing to do, frankly, because it was almost the weekend and I didn't think I'd be able to get in to see my eye guy. But I should have tried because it was clear by yesterday afternoon that the situation was getting worse and worse. By the time of the surgery, the small shadow that had impaired my vision had almost blotted out my left eye's sight with its billowing, flashing shape. What was I thinking on Thursday? I won't think that way again, believe me!
Anyhow, the surgery itself was painless because of good meds, tranks, skilled docs and nurses. But it was interesting because I was awake, could feel pressure if not pain, and could count the pops of the laser "gun" as it cemented (wrong word for it, but apt) down the little rips in the retina. It took about an hour to do the whole job. Later, in the recovery room, the doctor came in and we had quite a conversation about the whole process, with his being very clear about how I need to behave in these next two weeks: face down about half the time during the day and all night while sleeping. Boy, that really cuts into my lifestyle!
So I have cancelled the Rockhoppers gig for Saturday night with Richard and Debbie; I will not be preaching on Sunday on "Sex and the Single Planet"---I will finish that sermon another time and deliver it later (maybe on Mother's Day? what a way to solve that topic's dilemma!); I will diligently observe the face-down prescription and I WILL BE HEALED! (Thanks, Ogre, for your FB comment!)
And you know what? It's great fodder for a sermon----or for a post---on Trust! Stay tuned.
14 comments:
Oh dear, dear, dear! You are in my thoughts and prayers. Be well soon soon soon!
Thanks, Kari, I will do my best! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
Wow! I am glad you are doing better, but what a stressful few days. I hope the healing goes well!
You are doing pretty well for going through all that! Hope your recovery is easy and complete.
Retinal detachment is one of my great fears, as I've been told I'm "at risk" for it. I'm glad to know the surgery itself is relatively painless. Face down, though, would be very tough for me! All my best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Thanks, everyone. EBS, I've learned that there is equipment you can rent to make the face down part easier. And it's not constant. I am supposed to be face down at night (or on my side) and 35 minutes out of each hour. That means I can be face down for awhile, then get up and do other things for 25 minutes. I've also discovered that I can read at the table in this position and I can talk on the phone. So it's not awful! And the times when I am lying face down quietly have turned out to be lovely. Even the cats seem to be enjoying it, curling up around me. Or at least they did after they got used to the idea!
Wishing you the best for your recovery Ms. Kitty. I too think that the face down bit is probably the hardest part. Maybe you should head off to some tropical paradise somewhere and spend the day face down on an air mattress with a scuba mask on checking out the underwater scenery. :-) I am trying to think of other creative and/or pleasant ways of being face down for long periods of time.
Robin
BTW Your 7:10 comment wasn't posted when I started writing mine. Maybe others can come up with some good ideas for staying face down while you recover.
Yowza! Take care of yourself! You know, I've always noticed that when I'm ill or injured, Maddy and Hazel love to "help" me recover. Come to think of it, all that snuggling and purring does help. I hope you're able to find some enjoyment or at least acceptance in your temporary inability to do much.
Thanks, Pixie and Robin. I think this won't be so bad.
Got another one for you Ms. Kitty.
Get one of those massage chairs and maybe even a masseuse to go with it. :-)
WVC = hotter
I thought you might use the experience for a sermon built around "If thine eye offend thee..."
That's just about what this "face-down chair" looks like that I've rented from a local outfit, Robin. Good idea!
Joel, that's probably not exactly the tack I'd take. I need this eye! No plucking allowed.
OK so you have the chair now all you need to do is find a masseuse or two Ms. Kitty.
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