Great News

I saw Dr. C. yesterday, my Retinologist. He was pleased with my eye and pronounced it fit and empty of all the bad post-operative debris. I knew it was, and I expected this good report, but it was still nice to hear him say the words.
In an ironic twist, yesterday was the third anniversary of my retinal detachment. I remember it so well.
I was chatting on the computer with my friend Uschi in Germany when all of a sudden a curtain dropped on the vision in my left eye! I didn’t quite know what to do. Uschi told me to call my eye doctor, and I did. While I waited for a return call, Uschi and I chatted about what it could be. I suspected a detachment, but kept talking myself out of it. It was nothing, just some strange minor glitch.
They called me back and said I was to come to the hospital immediately. The hospital is 55 miles away. Hubby was in Southern New Hampshire that day on business, my neighbors were gone and after talking to Hubby on the cell phone we decided it was best for me to drive, so I got in my Jeep and headed to the hospital. I did rather well with the drive, until I got to the highway. Then merging onto the road, I felt off balance because I had no vision in the left eye.
My eye doctor examined the eye and brought me by the hand to Dr. C.’s office. We were introduced, he examined my eye and pronounced he needed to operate immediately. He scurried off, leaving me there with my mouth hanging open.
When he returned he told me that he had his A surgical team on standby and he would operate in about an hour, or as soon as he could get me prepped.
I remember asking him what would happen if I didn’t have the surgery? “Simple”, he said, “You’ll stay blind in that eye.”
Okay, so that was probably the easiest decision I have made in the last 20 years.
I was brought down to the pre-operative area, changed out of my clothes, given a cursory physical and got the IV put in.
A nurse came in and told me that they really hated to operate on someone without having their next of kin there, or at least have them know.
I hadn’t been able to reach Hubby since I got to the hospital, so I called my sister, Mel and told her what was going on. I was being so brave right up until I heard her voice, but then I just lost it! She promised to keep trying Hubby’s cell phone to alert him to the fact that they were operating immediately, and we said good-bye.
As they wheeled me into the operating room I remember looking up and asking Dr. C. “When can I go skiing again?” He sort of laughed and then I felt so relaxed that I couldn’t have cared if I never skied again!
I remember the voices during the surgery. I remember Dr. C. telling me to be still and to let them know if I felt anything. I remember the kindness of the Anesthesiologist who held my hand as he kept me on the edge of consciousness. I had no idea that the surgery had lasted three hours.
Hubby arrived during the surgery, and he spoke to Dr. C. after it was over. I saw him when I got to the recovery room, but they wanted to keep me overnight, so he went home and I went to the only free bed they had in the hospital, in “The Pediatric Ward“!

In the hospital after surgery.
I went home the next day,

but the recovery was long and uncomfortable with 4 additional surgeries to clear debris from the eye. But I have my vision and so it has been worth all that I have gone through. Being able to see, is truly a great gift.