Attitude of Gratitude

 Saturday, November 14, 2020

I recently had cataract surgery on both of my eyes and right this morning I am not feeling thrilled about it but for anyone who is feeling scared about getting the actual surgery, don't be afraid. It was likely one of the easiest procedures I have ever been through. My sight had gotten very bad and at night I could not drive anymore. The last time I did, I drove blind and that scared the hell out of me. I am sure it is only by the Grace of God that I got home. It was raining, dark, and headlights coming toward me, and extremely difficult to make anything out. It was all a blur and I was driving at high speed. It was tempting to kiss the ground when I pulled into my driveway. I swore I would not drive at night again until I had had the surgery. 

It was about two weeks later that I went in to get my right eye done. My friend dropped me off at the hospital and would return when they called her to come and get me. I went in to the lobby where everyone goes now before finding their respective floors. I was asked the Covid 19 questions before being cleared to continue to the clinic. Once I had assured them I did not have a cold, sore throat, dizziness, or fever, and had not been out of the country recently nor had I been around anyone else who had been, I was given the green light. 

I found the elevator and went up to the second floor, Eye Clinic. I immediately found it quite funny because the sign is HUGE!! so you couldn't miss it. I waited at the designated spot, when the receptionist (Victoria) came out and greeted me with a big smile. She was friendly, kind, and knew what I was feeling. She deals with people every day going through the same or similar feelings. It's the unknown, the "I have no idea what to expect" feeling, the "I hope to God nothing goes wrong" feeling. She assured me that all would go well, and that I could go and sit down in the waiting area. After I got settled, another very nice nurse came out with a bin of drops to put in my eye. One was to start dissolving the lens in the back, and the others were for numbing the eye and like an anti biotic to prevent infection. All done very quickly and then to sit and wait for the next round. She came back two or three times to complete the same procedure. None of it hurt and I could still see. I wasn't at all afraid by then. 

Once it was my turn, I was taken in to sit in a very comfy chair that was leaned way back when I got in. They inserted an intra venous line and gave me something to take me to lala land. LOL. I wasn't completely asleep but I wasn't awake either. The whole thing was done in about 20 minutes. Old lens out, and new one in. My ride was called to come and get me and take me home. I felt quite good, albeit a bit nervous about the new lens however I knew I could call them if I needed to. I actually did a couple of days later and it turned out that I was experiencing something completely normal so didn't have to worry. Whew!! I am so grateful to have had that done. Then, one week later, they did the other eye. It was very similar in every way except this one hurt a bit. Nothing major but I was surprised. Then after was the drops. You had to remember to use the drops because it made your body accept the foreign object. They are quite soothing as your eyes can get quite dry. I used them up like a hungry beggar because I wasn't going to have anything go wrong if I could prevent it. 

I am so grateful and happy that I got this done. I see wonderfully well, and my eyes are healthy and the best part is that I don't have to wear glasses for driving or watching TV anymore. How liberating that is. I hate that I have to wear them for reading but who knows? Maybe in the near future I will get the Laser treatment done so that I can lose for that as well. We'll see, lol. 

Namaste

Heather 

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