Warning:
Scatology Ahead
Before cataract surgery, I have to put drops in my right eye for three days. I don't know about anyone else, but I miss my eye half the time. I hope I have enough to last! Or, a refill.
And another thing--how shocking is it to have cold drops hit your eyeball? I don't care if I had to do this the rest of my life, it would not get one bit less shocking.
When I think about what I am having done, I feel like throwing up. When I think about it long enough, I have diarrhea. I really want to hit the bottle of valium--HARD. But, I won't. It is insurance. If I know it is here, I rarely take one to sleep. Last time, I took 2.5 mg and slept too long.
I know. I know. You are all gasping because I take valium. Get over it. The pharmacy workers all agree, said they know I am not an addict. They all laughed, saying they know who are the addicts. I won't take Benadryl because it makes me woozy and I sleep too long and I have a hangover!
No, I am not going to take a valium. I was up at four am and just had a bowl of leftover spaghetti. I can feel the spaghetti coma swallowing my brain. So, I am going to bed. It is midnight. I will go over the slugmama's blog and enter once more the giveaway. You should, too.
I still am petrified about the cataract surgery. And, just thinking about it again has made me queasy. Plus, they give me instructions when I am still half conscious, just have my eyes open. Exbf will be there to hear them, too. However, I asked him questions dozens of times after the colonoscopy and then called him at home to question him again. He will go home and not spend the night.
I want someone to sit up all night and watch me and not allow me to take off the cover from my eye and rub my eye. I ripped out stitches in my sleep, stitches on my eyelid, stitches that I should not have been touching. My eyelid just bled and I had a bad white scar. Since my eyelids always look like I have on eye shadow, the huge white scar was sooo evident.
This won't be edited at all...lol..cannot see or think. The spaghetti is winning.
Your turn
Is cataract surgery in your near or far future? Are you as scared as I am, petrified even? Are you afraid like I am that you will end up blind in one eye?
No, but I did have a knee replacement last fall. and I still can't believe I let them saw off part of my leg and glue pieces onto it. Yes, I was really scared.
ReplyDeleteJane,
DeleteI would rather lose a leg than my sight in one eye. Of course, that is because the cataract surgery is imminent. I slept 3 hours last night and have been tossing and turning, so I got up just now feeling I have had no sleep! ugh I can imagine how sawing off my leg would frighten me since my friend had two knee replacements and now has a stiff leg and has never walked again. Thanks for writing.
I hope to avoid any further surgery - I am a wimp. I do understand your fear and hope (so much) it is completely groundless. And I have HUGE difficulties with eye drops. Most of it runs down my face...
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteI am so glad to hear someone else has the problem with eye drops. I always have the person close the eyes, and I drop the med in the inside corner. My kids could take this without flinching and spilling it all. But, I have no one to do this for me. I just put some in and almost missed, so some went into eye and some on face.
Mom was just like you but, she was pleasantly surprised to find out how fast and easy it is. Don't worry you will be just fine! Take care!
ReplyDeleteT'Pol,
DeleteOh, I do need a pleasant surprise. Thanks.
My eye doctor told me the trick to eye drops is to pull out the lower lid, look in the mirror and put the drop in. That way you won't focus on the bottle of drops and probably won't blink.
ReplyDeleteSurgery - will probably have to have cataract surgery in a few years and am not concerned - yet. Had an endartarectomy, 80-90% blocked right carotid, in July. That terrified me because of the ever so slight chance of having a stroke during the surgery. It went fine. On Friday I'm having my gallbladder out - seems to be a simple procedure that is done in hospital as outpatient surgery. Only a .5% possibility of having to have an incision surgery as opposed to the laparscopic surgery that I'm having. Is all this because I'm a month short of being 68?
You'll do fine with the cataract surgery - please be sure to give us a detailed report when you're ready. Love to read your blog.
Bellen,
DeleteHow can I hold a mirror, pull out my lower lid, and hold eye drops at the same time? Am I lying down when I do this?
"Yet" lol...I was not so concerned, either, until now. But, the carotid artery surgery would really terrify me. I wish someone would take my gall bladder out. I would be more cheerful. Right now, I would trade since I am hurting as I type.
Thanks. I will write as soon as I can.
Linda - as she described it the person would be standing in front of a mirror - for me my nose would almost be touching it as I'm really, really nearsighted
DeleteThere are worse things than being blind in one eye but I do hope it all goes well and you come out with decent sight. I would be really scared, I think that is normal before hospital visits. Take care.
ReplyDeleteBarb.
Barb,
DeleteRight now, I cannot think of anything worse...lol. I just need some hand holding right now, and exbf is not into comforting me. So, I feel all alone in real life. If it weren't for this blog, I would feel very alone right now.
I met a man yesterday, Howard, who had both eyes done recently. He was quite pleased with his surgery although he has a time with bright light wears these special sunglasses outside. didn't stop him from coming over to the pioneer harvest yesterday or going on a two week trip. Hang in Linda God has your back!
ReplyDeleteME,
DeleteI wondered about the sunglasses.
The doctor will tell you to use sunglasses. Mom's did. I put eye drops in my eyes (due to allergies) all the time using Bellen's method. I stand in front of my bathroom mirror and do that...
DeleteT.Pol,
DeleteI wish he had told me that BEFORE now, so I could have bought some! I am supposed to have some sort of cover over that one eye. They were vague on that. I don't think I can stand to put them in. I can barely stand long enough for a very quick fix of my hair. And, I don't have to stand still for that or aim. I will try.
I empathize with you regarding the fear but seriously, when it's over you will look back and realize it was needless. Ah, afterward, you'll be able to read the "fine print". Won't that be wonderful. I'm delighted I had cataracts removed four years ago. No glasses needed anymore after 30 years wearing them to read or sew.
ReplyDeleteSissy,
DeleteActually, it is more the aftermath and risk of infection than the surgery that horrifies me. I actually like my glasses but seeing, even though glasses is so difficult. I always envy people who take their glasses off to read. Thanks for the comment.
I put eyedrops in with my eye closed, and mother nature gets the drop right in the corner of my tear duct. Then I open my eye. My sister had both eyes done at different times and she said the worse part was the healing when the eye feels "scritchy" like it has sand in it. But she had the other eye done anyway, and doesn't need glasses now. You will have an email coming in 4, 3, 2, 1. Here it is.
ReplyDeletelotta joy,
DeleteThat is exactly how I usually put eye drops in, but not this time. That method works great on children, too. I dread the "scratchy" feeling because the sand-in-the-eye is the allergy feel and I rub my eyes, a no-no after surgery. Yes, I will have the other eye done, no matter how I hate this. Got it!
I'm so sorry and I don't blame you at all about being upset. I would be climbing the walls or drinking. Honestly, I didn't really drink a lot when the kids were smaller but now that they are gone, I'm all about the sauce. Have a drink or two.
ReplyDeleteI lean my head back, close my eyes and put the drops in the corner of my eyes then just open them. You don't miss.
Sonya Ann,
DeleteI probably need a drink, but with my back and knees, being a bit tipsy would have me falling down and not all from drink...lol. That is exactly how I would do this if it were different eye drops. They told me not to do that. Maybe I will anyway...lol.
Besides, there is nothing here but spiced rum for cooking, no vodka.
My mom had both eyes done and is very happy with the results. I will need it, too, but since I have no health insurance it probably won't happen.
ReplyDeletePatti,
DeleteThe only friend I know that had cataract surgery, contracted a fungus infection that had to be operated on at 3 am. If she had waited until morning, the Eye Foundation could not have saved her sight. Yikes.
Having read the previous post, no wonder you are afraid! Fears are always so much more "real" when you know someone who has had a problem or complications.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was so pleased with her cataract surgeries and the outcome that she wished they had been able to do it sooner. It's made me so much more open to the procedure, should I ever need it.
I'm puttin' ya on the prayer list, Linda.