Eye See You

Alittle more than a year ago, I had LASIK done on both of my eyes. The procedure was where they used a laser ("bladeless") to cut a thin flap over my cornea (about the size of one of those small hard contacts), fold it over, zap my cornea to reshape it to improve my eyesight, and then smooth the flap back on. The recovery was slow because the flap was essentially "moveable" if I rubbed my eyes and that would have ruined things but I saw perfect without glasses within 5 days. My prescription for both of my eyes before LASIK was between -8.25 & -9. That's BLIND AS A BAT, folks. So I had my eyeballs zapped & saw 20/20 without glasses or contacts for the first time since SECOND GRADE!!

That worked for 6 months.

Then some astigmatism came back as my eyes were healing into their new shapes. I ended up needing a -1 and -1.75 prescription - mainly for when I was driving and/or trying to see exactly who was around me at a 5ft or more distance or coming towards me. My eyes fluctuated for about 3-4 months when finally they became stable. Stable eyesight means a touch-up can finally be done to get back to 20/20 vision.

So, I had a PRK procedure done to touch up both eyes. I had one eye done at a time so my right eye was first, as that is my dominant eye. That happened at the very end of October. Then it took about 2 to 2-1/2 months for THAT eyesight to come back to 20/20. Finally at the end of December it was better and almost perfect. I did not need my glasses when I drove (for my left eye to see because my right was still blurry from the procedure) and finally put the glasses away right before Christmas.

A PRK procedure is different than a LASIK (and the words stand for other words I don't get) procedure. Instead of cutting a flap, the top layer of the cornea, the epithelial layer is dissolved so the laser can get at the cornea to reshape it. Then a "bandage contact" is put in place to allow that outer layer of cells to regrow. After about 5 days, the epithelial layer regrows and the bandage contact can come off. It then takes 1-3 months to really bounce back to "real" vision.

Today I had the left eye touched up. The drugs they give me to reduce the nerve pain (cuz it stings and HURTS when that epithelial layer grows back...not to mention the gross monkeying with the eyeball that is done during the procedure) make me really loopy. Like an I'm drunk and have no filter kind of loopy. So...therefore, no work for me for a few days until the drug clears my system. I remain "on call" -email, text, and the occasional phone call, but being present just is probably not a good idea. DRIVING is not a good idea. In October, I drove myself to my next day appt then had a hair brained idea to go grocery shopping. I exclaimed quite loudly, "$2.59 for ONE cucumber!??!!" very loudly and then I realized that oops....this was probably NOT a good idea. So I bought red peppers and left the store as quickly as I could.

So I'm stuck at home for a few days unless I can get people to drive my ass around. That's dumb though because I HATE asking for rides and stuff. I HATE not doing things by myself and I always feel like people are doing these kinds of favors out of obligation. Not out of kindness or because they WANT to...but because they feel they have to or they owe me. I HATE THAT FEELING. *sigh* Oh well!!

So I've got a feeling my diet will go off kilter. BUT I HAVE A PLAN!!!! Monday is the start of a weight loss competition for each building at my job. If I pig out this week and weigh in at a higher weight on Monday, I have a chance to help my building out with total weight loss - we will be the biggest losers at the end of April!!! -- which coincides with my ultimate goal. I wonder if I can lose 30 pounds by then.....I bet I can because I kind of dig competition right now.

That's all tonight. I'm getting loopier and my hands feel SUPER soft and I've been laying on the floor in my living room with my Hue light on red & George Michael playing through my bluetooth speaker. Before I typed all of this.

Life is good. Be gentle with yourselves, friends. Really, truly. And for God's sake BE NICE. Especially to those you love. People lose favor with mean people and that negativity can isolate you. Those you love can be hurt by your actions and negative words - decide if you want to hurt people or if you want to build people up. BE POSITIVE, BE NICE, and BE GENTLE.