The second surgery

Me in my plastic shield

 On Friday the 17th of December I woke up and had no need to put on glasses.  I sat up, took the shield off my left eye, and looked around the room.  I was amazed at how well I could see.  My eye was still dilated so it was by no means crystal clear, but it was so much better than it ever was.  I got out of bed and felt like a baby fawn, no joke.

It was 35 years to the day from the day I got my first contact lenses. I told my surgeon about that and he asked me how on earth could I remember that. "Simple, it changed my life". He said "I guess so". It is amazing to me how even those who fix eyes for a living still don't get it.  Wouldn't you remember the first day you were able to see without glasses? Wear sunglasses? Run and exercise carefree?

The day before I had gone back to get the surgery done.  I wore the same outfit because I am superstitious, Michael says I am a baseball player at heart.  I was anxious, but a lot less nervous.  I had to wait longer to get seen.  It was odd because I was not nervous so I was very much aware of everything happening around me. They were doing all the same things but I without the nerves I felt more.  The eye drops burned, I overheard conversations between nurses, with patients and doctors, it was odd.  I could also see everything through my new eye, which last time around I was just blind. Perhaps most disturbing, I could feel the doctor poking around in my eye.  It was not painful (thank you anesthesia) but a little creepy to feel it, you know?

Everything went well.  I have head aches, but it is to be expected.  I still cannot read (without readers) and I am still not 20/20, but boy what a difference!  I walked around for two weeks with my new eye seeing everything brighter than my old eye, now they match.  They are still not working as a team though.  The doctor says I am learning to see again and it is going to take time.  I get frustrated at times. 47 years is a long time of "making the best of it" with the cards I was dealt. It is true that it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I spent 35 years in contact lenses.  Every day I think at least once about taking my contacts out to rest my eyes.  It sounds funny, but my eyes have been through a trauma and I am used to "giving them a break".  This is it, no breaks now. I just have to try to let them heal and hope it works out. I wore glasses for 45 years and I kind of miss them.  I reach for them every morning.  

On Friday when I went for my post op check up it was the surgeon and a nice resident.  She examined me while he stood by taking the notes and filling in the blanks.  It was two weeks and a day from the first surgery. She read my vision at 20/60 in my right eye.  He was amazed.  He said "Lisa it was 20/100 the day after surgery."  They warned me that it gets better with time, but he never expected that big a jump in such a short time. This week I go in to see my optometrist.  I cannot wait to see what he says.  I know I have to be patient but I cannot wait to get my glasses.  Not only because they are kind of a security blanket for me, but because I hate the over the counter readers and lets be honest - these glasses might actually be pretty!

I left there with 20/60 and 20/35 on Friday.  In my left eye, one day after the surgery, I could see better than Michael AND my doctor. It's been an adventure folks, and it isn't over. I can't wait to *see* what 2022 brings. 😉