Second Eye

So I was pretty sure I'd feel like this:

But I didn't. The second procedure went very smooth with a nice low blood pressure to start things out. This time I listened as the doctor talked during surgery and he was actually explaining what he was doing for me. I assume he did it first time, but I couldn't pay attention. 

It was easy peasy and I was tired all day and went to bed at 8PM and slept until 5AM! I woke up without any itchy scratchy eye and when daylight rolls around, I'll discover what I can see with my weaker eye. 
Mother Nature also cooperated by sending the nasty weather to the south of us and we had no rain or snow. 

I actually stayed Off Line all day Thursday other than to send a thumbs up to a couple of friends. 

I'm looking forward to what the day brings.

The day[s] after eye surgery

 Well Friday morning was a huge surprise after seeing the moon so clearly.

At 9AM the Tech, Josh, called me to follow up with how things were going. 

He had his basic questions that he had to ask. Date of Birth, name, and so forth. Was the eye swollen, red, dripping, fuzzy,...it was a list of things he had to go through. 

Nope, nope, nope, all good.

The sun just broke over the trees when he asked how things were going. I gasped like a little girl and told him that the pine trees outside my house had texture in the bark along with beautiful colors. I said the snow was incredible with all the contrasts of white, blues, and shadows.

Really. I was floored at how incredible things looked. Stunned would be a good word. The world had depth to it.

Josh asked me to look at the chart that I'd been given and stand 10 feet away from it.

What could I see?

Dang, I could read line 8 and sort of stumbled through line 9. He chuckled and then said, "Wow, we are happy when our patients can read the big E at the top of the chart!"

Yep, I was giddy and not from the meds they gave me during surgery. I was giddy at the visual explosions of color, light, and clarity. 

Josh signed off and said he'd talk to me next Friday after the Right Eye Surgery. He said he'd tell Dr. Whitford the good news I relayed to him.

I knew ahead of time that my close up vision couldn't be corrected. So I prepared myself to deal with great distance vision and crappy close vision.
I had purchased a pair of cheap readers. I am totally annoyed at having to wear them on the end of my nose. Maybe I'll get those half glasses. 

Now here is the funny part.

Cons of getting your eyes fixed.

You can see your face without glasses and at my age it looks just weird to me. I can see all the Crow's Feet at the edges of my eyes that my glasses hid. Oh crap, where did all those wrinkles come from??

As I looked in the bathroom mirror, I was aghast at the spots, dust and smears that were on the mirror! OMG. I immediately stopped what I was doing and cleaned it. The clean mirror did not make me look younger. Perhaps I should have left it smeary....

Huh. 

I'm working out a way to use my cheaters for computer work, but it is a pain taking them on and off. I have to peer over them and I don't like that much.

BUT, I can wear regular sunglasses outside and I don't have to wear the Granny Over the Glasses Sunglasses!

Saturday was the first day I ventured out without glasses and took a nice long walk with Mr. Charlie. He was so happy to be out and about with me. 

I took my infrared camera out with a filter that only allows IR in Black and White. I know, odd choice after being able to see colors. But I could see such wonderful contrasts through the view finder.

For now, I spent a very limited time using my computer. But as time goes on I imagine I'll get back into the swing of things.

Charlie walking with me on the road:

Charlie saying he will not enter deep snow with his vest on:

Beautiful contrasts:

Manus Manum Lavat

This family of eagles with two juveniles and two baldies are still hanging out around our place. I guess I don't mind at all because they are such incredible looking birds.

I have to scan the trees each day before Charlie gets to go out and do his thing. 

Mica has improved immensely with her diaper padded/booted foot. She was trotting around in the farthest part of the pasture at feeding time last night. It doesn't seem to me that there is an abscess, but what exactly do I know? Perhaps she bruised her foot or something. All I know is that it makes me happy to see the old girl happy again.

I got Rich in for an eye appointment finally! He normally goes to the VA for his eye appointments, but getting anything done through their vision department is at best a bit difficult. I imagine it relates to staffing shortages. And who wants to drive 5 hours for an eye exam anyway? [Especially since I have limited distance vision now!]

Today is my consult with the cataract surgeon. While at the appointment yesterday for Rich I asked if they would be dilating my eyes at the consult/exam. The answer was yes. 

Oh. Crap.
When Olive came over to help me with Mica and do a quick walk before she went to pick up her son, she decided that she would drive me to the appointment. I was shocked but pleased at her offer.

I figured I'd have to sit in the waiting room for hours to get some eyesight back from being dilated.

I told her I wouldn't want to impose on her. She laughed. Of course just this week she announced that she was pregnant and I offered my services to help out with anything she might need. Someone to play with her 2 year old if she was tired, or whatever I could do.

She quipped, "Don't worry! There will be times I call on you to come keep an eye on Aiden while we go for baby scans!"

Yep, that sure sounds reasonable!

I got a text from my neighbors at the top of the hill. Would I feed and walk their dogs this weekend when they went out of town? They hated to impose...but they would compensate me.
I replied that there would be no compensation, I'd be thrilled to do it.

There is an old Latin saying that I learned in my first year of  High School Latin.

Manus Manum lavat.
"One hand washes the other."

It certainly works in rural areas with good neighbors.

Sunday Stills #22

The eyes have it.

There is so much to say about the eyes and what they mean to us.

Eyes are windows to the souls they say.

This was our mule Willy. 

I was out in the pasture when he came charging along and slid to a stop in the evening light.

His eyes could be kind or they could be wild.

And then I leave you with this simple one:

Eye Spy

sunday stills #22