Cataract Surgery

First of all, I have the most terrific sister and brother-in-law.  They picked me up earlyTuesday morning to take me for cataract surgery.  Let me tell you, I am not a stranger to being cut on and various parts of my body removed, fixed, and replaced.  I can handle all that - but the thought of never seeing again terrifies me.  I can do without hearing the crap that comes out of intelligent mouths, but the thought of never seeing my girls eyes sparkle or see my grandson wiggle his eyebrows at me and smile is beyond my comprehension.  So needless to say I was a bit on the nervous side.  Sis and Bro were right there with me with all the comforting words and gestures. 

I didn't have a long wait before I was called back to my out patient room and given my darling attire for the morning.  My nurse was a friend from High School and we chit chatted a bit then down to business.  Eye drops in the case of this surgery is the key to it all.  I think I experienced a total of 5 different types of drops all with their own little agenda and these little diamonds must go in every 30 minutes or an hour.  We did the drop regimen and then a very pleasant young man picked me up in a neat chair bed.  We zipped down the halls to the operating room and there I was met by another friendly group of nurses and doctors who explained all the steps and tried to make me comfortable. 

I was not asleep for any of this procedure and I am so glad I got to see from the inside out.  The nurse advised she was giving me some happy drugs via the IV pigtail; the Doctor put a little drop in my eye and then moved a ominous looking machine over my face; and instructed me to watch the lights.  I then watched the little "razor" move across my eye and cut away the old crusted lens and its casing all the while a beautiful array of colors played across my eye.  A new lens was dropped in, a patch taped over the eye and the adhesive sheet was removed from my face and it was all over.  A cup of coffee and muffins from the nurses and a chicken sandwich from Sis and Bro were waiting on me in the room.  I consumed most of both, but did share a muffin with Bro, got dressed and sat and waited to go home.

Easy as pie!  When the patch was removed I wanted to shout with joy.  I could see again and everything looked so clean and new.  I could actually see the leaves on the trees, not a green fuzzy glob.  This week i am getting the left eye done and then the depth perception will clear even more and I will be able to walk with fumbling around.  Can't wait!

Until next time  . . .

Happy Reading!
Belle

I Can See

I will write more in depth later - but cataract surgery went very well and I Can See
. . . the leaves on the trees
. . . the small print on the television
. . . the flowers in my yard
. . . the billboard verbiage
and oh so much more!

Sewing

As I have posted before, I have been sewing since I could thread a needle.  I guess that was a test, Grandmother said I could learn to sew when I could thread the needle.  Good test!  I cut me a short piece of string, grabbed a needle and tried for hours to get that blasted thread through the eye of that needle.  You turn your head to the right and then the left, hang your tongue out of the side of the mouth and focus.  Now at 60, I still have to concentrate to get those needles threaded.  But don't cheat - don't use a needle threader; threading the needle is part of the process and you can't skip any steps.

I got my own first sewing machine for Christmas in 1969.  My Mom's old Necchi had done me proud, but to have my own was fantastic.  I wore that machine out many years ago and took over Mom's Necchi and have been through many hand me down machines since then.  I have hinted, told, begged and pleaded for a new machine to no avail.  Hubby don't take hints and his motto is if you want it, go get it so that is just what I did!

I ask Hubby to take me to Jo Ann's in Macon to take a look.  I had done my research on line and found the machine I wanted.  Hubby was astounded at the machine available and the cost of same.  He carefully guided me away from those $3500 machines by Viking and kept me steered toward the Singer's that had the Sale Signs taped to them.  He was so funny!  He made a comment about the Husquvarna machine and the saleslady told him "it will sew your clothes and cut your grass"! 

I got my Singer Curvy (which was on sale at a terrific price - $300 off) and headed home.  At my age, it takes a lot to get the heart pounding, but I did have that spark of excitement.  Hubby wanted to stop and eat on the way home, I wanted to go home and sew!  We ate.  I unboxed that beauty and read the two books of instructions, popped in the DVD and went through the tutorial and plugged her in.  Lights started blinking and a horrible whistle started blowing and I sat and watched it thinking it was warming up.  I don't think in this day and age anything has to "warm up" but I calmly waited and waited and waited.  I finally cut the machine off, unplugged everything, grabbed the book and started over.  No change.  I stomped my foot, I yelled at the machine, and then boxed it right back up. 

The kind people exchanged the machine with no problem expressing their sympathy and showed nothing but kindness.  The new machine did exactly as the books and DVD said it would and I have been sewing happily along.  Sometimes there is a bad apple in the bunch and stuff happens.  It is in the manner of the resolution that makes a difference in a satisfied customer and a unsatisfied customer. 

I made four pillows for the youngest granddaughters yesterday and have another set for my oldest granddaughter to make.  I don't have much time with her so she will have to make hers with her Mom.  I bought some patterns to make up some jumpers for my girls and my neighbor came over with loads of sewing.  I love to sew for her because she enjoys what I make for her. 

Lot's to do so I must get at it!  Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Sight is a Blessed Thing

For the last three years I thought I was going blind.  It probably started a good bit before that, but I started paying attention when everything over 20 feet in front of me was blurred.  I could not drive at night due to the lights from other vehicles blinding me, but what a light show the reflectors and signs made.  A halo of lights blinking and dancing were all I could see which really distorted my sight.  A doctor was recommended as off I went.  The doctor advised I definitely needed glasses for both reading and distance and prescribed some pretty potent glasses, then sent me to his assistant that handled glasses.  As I left I made an appointment for the next year.  A couple of weeks later I received a call to come for a fitting for the glasses and WOW!  I could really see.  I was so excited I could see without any blurring.

The first month I could see fine, then gradually over the next month I was right back where I started.  That little niggling of fear crept in and I honestly thought I was going blind.  When my next appointment came up, I saw a different doctor.  She advised there had indeed been a tremendous change in my eyes.  she did several tests, couldn't find anything wrong (her words "there is definitely something wrong, but I don't know what it is"), prescribed new glasses and made me an appointment for the next year.

Repeat.  The first month I could see great, then my vision digressed rapidly.  Enough is enough and off I went to another Eye Clinic.  I went by the old doctor's office and filled out a request for my records to be sent to the new doctor.  They still haven't received the records and it has been two months. 

The nurse at the new doctor's office did all those little test they do for pressure, etc., and then I saw the doc.  He shined his little light in my eyes and told me I had cataracts and I wouldn't be able to see until they were removed.  He also advised that changing glasses wouldn't do me any good.  Okay - he saw this with a penlight.  We discussed my history and he explained the processes of the surgery.  Returning me to his nurse who advised she new I had cataracts when she did my preliminary exam and test.  She did some more test, I completed some paperwork and she scheduled my surgery.

This is a perfect example of competent versus incompetent.  I should have insisted on more tests or gone to another doctor after the first doctor's visit.  I have come to realize that I can not put my trust in doctors to take care of my infirmities. 

So next two weeks will see me going unblind and I will soon be able to see again.  I might miss the light show, but at least I will be able to drive once again.  Keep me in your prayers and I will be able to see you soon!

Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

It is so easy to remind people to "judge not" when they are talking about you, then have an entirely different view when you are talking about others.

Memories

The residents and former residents of our little county have started a Memory page on Facebook that has gone wild!  It is so fun to read the comments on this page and see the old pictures.  The cars, hairstyles, clothes, all bring back memories.

To you young folks out there - memories are a picture of your past.  The happier the memory, the more beautiful the picture!