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| Ready for my cataract surgery last Thursday |
My cataract surgery was a success!
Last Thursday I entered the Delaware Eye Institute with loads of trepidation. My late younger brother had a botched cataract surgery a few years ago that ruined his eyesight in his right eye. He found out after the surgery he was the first ever patient of a young woman. I guess everyone has a 'first time". Unfortunately my brother was the innocent victim of her failure.
I knew my eye doctor of fourteen years was going to perform my cataract surgery and that was some relief. However, I was still nervous. Pat had arrived the previous Sunday (first time I've seen him in person in two and a half years) but I just couldn't get into his visit because I was concerned about my upcoming cataract surgery. Pat assured me I had nothing to worry about and he was right. My surgery was a breeze,
I was put under a "twilight" sedation (Vicodin) which I was told "You'll know what is going on but you won't care." Actually I remember being wheeled into the surgery room with a bright light overhead and seeing my doctor round the corner towards me but after that . . . . nothing. Now I can understand why people get hooked on a drug like Vicodin. I literally didn't care and in fact I don't even remember anything. Great! That's just the way I like it.
The first day out I had to wear an eye patch. Not a pirate eyepatch but a clear eyepatch with holes in it so my eye could breath.
One thing I noticed right away was the colors. SO BRIGHT, especially the blues and whites! I didn't realize I was looking through the world in yellow parchment (like this old copies of the U. S. Declaration of Independence). I thought my left eye was all right but when I close my right eye I can see where my left eye casts a dirty yellow haze over everything. That cataract surgery is scheduled for next month. I can't wait!
Now I have the annoying chore of applying a series of expensive (out of pocket) eye drops daily to my repaired eye. Well worth it for the vision I can see now. And another thing that is fabulous, I can see at a distance without glasses. I started off in life being near sighted. Now it's the opposite. I need glasses for reading but I don't need glasses for distance. Pat and my friend Larry had the same experience after their cataract surgery. I'll take it! I could have paid extra and had the bi-focal cataract surgery but I didn't want to take that chance. I don't mind wearing glasses to read.
Oh, by the way, I had a fabulous week with Pat down here. We hit some new restaurants and the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. The only downside was the oppressive heat. Just too hot but more about that later in future blog posts. I have to get ready for my one week post op surgery visit to my doctor.
If you haven't had cataract surgery, get it! This is great. It's like I have a new pair of eyes which, actually, I do!