I’m not sure how this will go but I’m going to attempt a limited vision edition of Wise Madness. This is the story of my cataract surgery. I had to be at the hospital at 6 which meant getting up at 5. I tried to go to sleep early but to no avail. That lack of sleep was the only thing I wasn’t looking forward to. I was not just looking forward to being able to see but to the operation itself.
As it would take an hour and several transfers to get to the hospital by public transit I decided to spring for Juno. I didn’t want to be late so I opened the app early to see how long it would take for a car to get to me. Google said the trip was 14 minutes. At 5:25 or so I ordered the car. I watched its approach on the app. I saw him make a wrong turn, then another wrong turn, then make a U-turn. That did not make me optimistic. When I got in the car he got the address I was going to wrong. I decided to follow along on Google maps. He did not choose the optimal route a few times but perhaps his app told him differently. But then he dropped me off at the Emergency Entrance. That’s not what I needed. He then backed up to a loading zone. That wasn’t what I wanted either. I had to use my Google app to get me to the address, the entrance on Raymond Street. The address was Raymond Street. I have no idea what he was thinking.
With all that I got there 10 minutes early and had to wait downstairs in the lobby before they let us up to the out-patient surgical ward. Once there things went smoothly. They took my insurance and contact info then sent me to the surgical waiting room. I didn’t wait that long before the called me in. They took my vitals and then put four sets of drops in my eye, to dilate and numb them. Apparently I have a strong blink reflex. My eyelash kept intercepting the drop. After that was done I was back in yet another waiting room for about 45 minutes. They finally brought me up to surgery. The fun part was walking without my glasses and one eye dilated. At one point I asked, “where do I go?” and the nurse said, “see that yellow sign?” I said, “no, that’s why I’m here.” But it was easy, I just had to go to the end of the hall and hang a left.
Things I learned. When you get cataract surgery you keep all your clothes on but have to take off your glasses and watch and empty your pockets. It’s best if you wear a lose fitting button down short-sleeve shirt. The sleeves are so they can attach the blood pressure cuff. They didn’t explain but I took the button down to be so you can take it off without pulling it over your head and maybe touching your eye.
You are awake during the procedure, you need to be because the doctor might need for you to look up. They tie your head down with a band so you don’t move it. They tie your arms down so you don’t carelessly rub your eye. I was sedated with Midazolam. The anesthesiologist must have upped the dose when the procedure started as I have no memory of that. Next thing I knew the surgeon was working on my eye. I was looking into whatever it is that he puts in my eyes. I saw it as four circles touching and arranged in a square. I didn’t feel much of anything. They must have upped the does again when they finished as I have no memory of that either. That was disappointing.
The covered my eye with a circular shield with holes in it, looks something like the drain in a sink and taped it to my face. I can show you that. I took a selfie.
Style Statement
They don’t let you go home alone from surgery; the wonderful Allison came all the way from New Jersey to pick me up. Not only that but she took me out for breakfast. The whole thing started so early we got out of there by 9:30. She was the first person I got to see with my new eye. It was still swollen so not perfect and I could only see between the two layers of tape and through the mesh of the cup. But I still saw her clearer than I had before even though I had to turn my head the way a bird does to see straight ahead. She was a sight for sore eyes! It’s good to have good friends.
She drove me home and I was able to navigate from the car to my apartment unaided without glasses! My eyesight has been steadily improving. I looked out the window a few minutes ago and could read the street sign. A bus came down the street and I could read all the writing on it. I can’t see the computer screen but that might be because of the mesh. It might be because the eye can’t accommodate and is farsighted. So I have my glasses on and I’m looking out my right eye. I might get an eye patch to wear to the second eye is done. When I’m out I’ll cover the right eye and only use my good left eye. I’ll reverse that when reading.
Reading! I’ll be able to read again. I want to get a kindle as I no longer have room for a library. Maybe I can eventually restore my library of over 1000 books. I’ll be able to go to the movies and see the screen. When I see Hadestown I’ll be able to make things out from my balcony seat. I’ll see what my friends look like. That’s a warning, you should look your best next time you see me. First impressions are important.
What am I leaving out? Oh right, an idiot story. I was given a package to read to prepare for the surgery. I of course put that off until last night. I discovered that because I’m on Medicaid, I could have arranged for a free ride to the hospital. I will use that when my right eye is done. I wonder if that’s for all doctor visits. That would help when I have to go to the Hutch campus on the other side of the Bronx. That’s where I see my GI.
I will try and watch TV without my glasses after this is posted. That will be exciting. Everything I do will be exciting for a while. This will be my first time seeing well without glasses in almost 40 years.
Wise Madness 