THE CATARACT SURGERY

So if it is Monday, it is SURGERY DAY

I had a pretty good sleep, waking up for the usual pee, and since I had to be there about 6 15, KR got up early and I could not go back to sleep.  He got me there by 6 05 and I should have stayed home and gotten to the SurgiCenter at 6 45.  It was just hurry up and wait.

So I sign all kinds of consent, and then they wanted me to sign the anesthesia consent and I said, WAIT, I am NOT having sedation.  So it was back and forth, and I was put in the round house area where all of them wait for surgery.  A little cap on my head, and slipper bags on my feet and warm blanket on me.  Two as a matter of fact.  I had a cup of coffee before I came, but I didn't tell them.

I also was doing my usual coughing so I took half a tab of benedryl before the surgery, didn't want to have a cough during the procedure.  They finally wheeled me in about 7 45 !!!!

So there is velcro on both wrists so I cannot try to scratch.  They taped my forehead so I won't move, not the velcro type, like we use in pedo dentistry.  Then it was a sterile drape over the face, with positive oxygen pressure over a mask under the drape so I guess as to give you some air.  One could really breathe without that, but I suppose some patients found the drape too "not enough air" so they do that.  Then the bright lights came on.

All I could see was this great bright light,surrounded by dark, then it was red and blue lights around the bright light.  There were lots of anesthetic being applied to my eyeball I am sure, and the incision just feels like pressure when Dr Maher inserted the diamond blade into the lens area and used the "phacoemulcification" machine to vibrate and breakup the lens and suction it out.  Sort of like the cavitron machine we use to break up the calculus on the teeth. 

Then he inserts the IOL into the original lens space, and rinse and rinse.  The machine makes this weird noise, and kind of like moaning, and also has vacuum sound, I think, as I read the mechanics of the machine.  So very interesting.  They used to just cut the thing out and of course the cut needs to be sutured, and the lens has to be removed in one piece.  WOW, sort of glad I didn't read up too much on this earlier.

So after the surgery, they put this large patch over the eye, and wheel you out.  Kurt was there in no time flat and I got out about 8 35 and came home to rest.  KR actually arrived home the same time I did.  There was some headache, and some eye itching, or feels like there is some sand.  If I don't blink with the right eye, it feels better.

I took the patch off a little bit.  Before the surgery, if I sit in the garage, I cannot see the sign 226th Street / Felbar Street, at all, not just the letters.  Well, I could see the sign, and the numbers with the right eye.  So, I think I should have had this done YEARS AGO  !!!!  THANK YOU DR OLINGER.

Tomorrow is no trabajo, and I have post op at 1 45.  KR will drive me.  I could hardly wait to see what I CAN SEE !!!!!!! 

Everyone has been praying.  THANK YOU ALL

I had half a BLT, and Kurt took the other half.

Will came over for some food, and he got his car smogged, finally.  He tried to get Medi-Cal, but the line was too long.

What a day !!