Easy Peasy!

 Several months ago I found out that I had a large cataract in my left eye. I was sent to an ophthalmologist because I needed surgery.

I liked the doctor, but it would be another six months before my surgery was scheduled. So that gave me half a year to worry. In the office, I had seen a video of the laser procedure, and it didn't seem terrible. That made me feel better...right up until the nurse told me that for the laser procedure, I had to pay $1450 out of pocket. I said, "Since that isn't going to happen, what do you do: use a spoon to scoop out the cataract?" Oh how they laughed! But I was serious! Then the doctor proceeded to tell me how they used to do it years ago, and I started wondering: is sight really that important? 😎 The right eye seemed okay still. But then I put my big girl panties on and decided I had to have the surgery. Then he said I had to be awake for it. WTH? How was that going to be accomplished, because if I saw a needle or anything coming towards my eye, it was going to be a wrap.

Then he explained that I wouldn't feel a thing, or even see anything going towards my eye. This would be accomplished by them dousing my eye with numbing solution, antibacterial solution and God only knows what else. He said after that, the only thing I would see would be like looking through a kaleidoscope: nothing but colors. I had no other choice but to trust him. Ugh.

I started doing my $45 eye drops a week before the surgery. I figured they must be made of molten gold but I did what I was told. The day of the surgery arrived and Brie drove me to Latham where the procedure was to take place. They told me to take a seat and I would be called in shortly, as they called your name and then the doctor's name. One doctor had six patients called in before me. I was wondering how he could have done all of these patients so fast, and then I was called. When I was led into the back: I saw all of these patients lined up in recliners, so that was how they were all called in a row. Anyhoo, they had me sit in one of the recliners, and this is so they can lean you back and douse your eyes with 3 sets of 5 eyedrops so your eye is swimming. But as long as it did the trick of keeping me from seeing or feeling anything, I was okay with that. 

The worst thing about this was that it took the anesthesiologist 4 times to get the needle in a vein in my hand for the "relaxer". I told him he  had one more chance and then they had better call in a "vampire" to do it. He finally got it in. Side note: they tell you not to eat or drink anything before the surgery, then by the time you get there you're dehydrated so naturally it's tough to get a good vein! But I digress...

The funny thing that happened was while they were dousing my eye this man came into my section. He saw me and winked and smiled at me as he washed his hands. I was thinking, hmm, who's this cutie? Is he flirting with me, while I'm wearing a mesh cap on my head and mesh booties? NOPE! It was actually the doctor! For some reason he looked totally different than he did in the office. I actually told him that when he came over to see how I was doing, and he laughed. "Everybody tells me that!" he said. It's true. So ix-nay on the irting-flay, ha ha .

Finally they wheeled me into the surgery suite. The doctor said they were going to begin, and I asked the nurse what time it was. She said 12:15. Then, true to what they had told me, I only saw colors and a brief glimpse of the doctor. I felt nothing!! When it was over I asked the nurse again what time it was and she said 12:30. It only took 15 minutes and I didn't feel a thing, for which I was so thankful!

After a brief time of being in the recovery room, drinking water to be sure the "relaxer" hadn't upset my system, I was free to go. Brie was in the lobby and after being wheeled to the door she came and got me. I had a clear plastic "eye patch" taped over my eye, directions for home care and that was it. Easy peasy! It was so easy that I'm going to get the other one done in December, so they will be the same. That cataract isn't as bad and the doctor said I could wait a year or so to get it done, but I don't want one eye to be that much ahead of the other. Plus, since it's only 2 days of downtime because you can't drive for 24 hours, I won't have to use any of my personal PTO if I do it over the Christmas break.

Eyedrops for almost a month; and at the most recent follow-up my eye is now 20/20! So that makes the drowning of the eye worth it. I went from hating eyedrops to being an expert at getting them in. That's a win for sure. My advice is if you need cataract surgery: get it done! It's so worth it. And contrary to popular belief: your eye looks no different but the world certainly does!