Hick had cataract surgery on Friday. He has been trying to persuade me to schedule an appointment, but I am having none of that. My eye doctor did not say my issue was immediate. Though that was several years ago...
Anyhoo... according to Hick (before his surgery), it's a simple procedure. Only takes 10 minutes or so. They don't knock you out. You sit in the exam chair. His buddies who had it were driving the next day. Piece of cake, according to Hick. BEFORE his surgery.
The Veteran came out at 5:30 a.m. to pick up Hick and drive him to his 6:30 surgery. It was over in Bill-Paying Town, which is a 30-40 minute drive, depending on the route. Hick had to be there by 6:15. Well. Nobody bothered to update me on the proceedings. By 9:30, I was getting a little worried. Hick only has vision in one eye, you know. So this was not a procedure that I took lightly.
At 10:00, the patient and his chauffeur arrived home. According to The Veteran, Hick was back in the surgery area for two hours. Hick had a cotton ball taped to his inner wrist/thumb area. He told a tale that curled my eyelashes!
"I had to take off all my clothes except my underwear, and put on a hospital gown. They laid me down on an operating table. The doctor asked me if I wanted to pray with him and his helper before the surgery. The worst part was when they taped my top eyelid and my bottom eyelid to my face, and the nurse scrubbed my eyeball three or four times. I was awake, but I didn't really care because of the anesthesia.
I have to put in my eyedrops every four hours, and wait 5 minutes between them. I cain't see, so the bottles are different colors so I know which ones to use first. The doctor says I will probably need new glasses, but to wait a month before doing that. To get a pair of cheaters to wear so I can see close up."
Hick had the option of getting a lens to see far away, or up close. He considered the choice for about a day. I said I'd get the close-up lens, because then I could see my phone and be able to read. That I could wear glasses to drive an see far away. But it would be a pain to put on a pair of glasses every time I wanted to look at my phone.
Hick disagree, and got the long vision lens. So he can drive and see the TV, but needs glasses for his phone. Hick spends a LOT of time on his phone! In fact, he looks at it while driving (!), which is now against the law here in Missouri. We'll see how long before he bemoans his long-distance lens.
Anyhoo... Hick had a follow-up appointment that afternoon at 1:45. He said he was going to DRIVE HIMSELF! And that before that, he'd be driving himself to lunch at the Senior Center. No bingo, though, because he COULDN'T SEE! He said the doctor told him he would be okay to drive, as long as he didn't feel like the anesthesia was still affecting him.
Hick had a pair of black Roy Orbison glasses. The Veteran told him to put them on, then took a picture of him, snickering. Hick said he could already see better at a distance. So I'm glad that worked out for him.
For a week, Hick has to tape a clear patch thingy over his eye at night, to make sure he doesn't scratch his new lens.
Turns out cataract surgery is a little more complicated than the tale Hick was spinning...
I cannot imagine being awake for cataract surgery. I had both eyes done but on different days. I did not have to wear a hospital gown and did not sit in the chair, but was on a table. Nothing was taped down. I think they held my eye open with some sort of plastic thing that looked painful.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there was tape. And, it hurt afterwards where they used it. A patient cannot judge how anesthesia affects him or her. The rule is no driving for 24 hours. My friend thought he was okay to drive upon waking after colonoscopy. I cannot imagine a doctor saying that. I always think I am 100 %, but cannot remember everything after I wake up. But, it appears he was 24 hours out anyway.
It turned out I was allergic to two of the eyedrops, so that was the worst part, like dropping fire in my eye. I am like you, I would have preferred to have near vision. However, I was not given that choice, I don't think. It really is not that bad, but I was afraid beforehand.
Hick's procedure was done in a surgery center adjacent to the hospital. I guess they just gave him something that didn't knock him out, but made him not care what they were doing to his eye.
DeleteOne of my boys was allergic to eyedrops they gave him for an eye ailment. It was a scary incident, taking him back in worse shape than before he got the "cure."
I will put it off until I can't see! And spend way more time worrying about it than the procedure will take!
Mine was in a surgery center, too. But, I was out! I was upset, so I can imagine having my child allergic to the drops. I was in so much pain. I put it off as long as I could.
DeleteI would at least need something like the laughing gas at the dentist, or my nerves would be out of control, what with being unable to move, and somebody cutting on my eye!
DeleteHi Val, a few of my friends have had cataract surgery too and as they talked about it, I was really surprised about the whole lens thing. I am so dreading the time when I'm told I should get cataract surgery.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'll squint and tilt my head and pretend nothing is wrong as long as I can!
DeleteI've been told that I have a small cataract forming on one of my eyes. I hope it doesn't get bigger, at least not for a long time. I have floaters that sometimes drive me bonkers and that's enough to deal with for now. Hicks' experience sounds a bit scary to me, but then, I know his stories can be a little skewed, depending on the topic. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteHick's stories are often unreliable, but I believe him on this horror story! Oh, and Hick says cataracts have to RIPEN before they're ready for surgery. So maybe yours is still in the "green" stage...
DeleteA scary cataract surgery tale is the last thing I need right now as I need the surgery myself and was planning to get it done before November so I'd be healed in time for my grand daughter's wedding. I can't have both eyes done at once because there is no one else here to help out if I can't see to feed the cat or do anything else.
ReplyDeleteThe good part is that, according to Hick, he could see better already, right after the surgery. He said it was getting better every hour. He marveled at seeing the TV, and being able to read the on-screen guide, and see the clock on the wall.
DeleteThe drawback is that his up-close vision is not good unless he puts on his "cheater" glasses. He only has vision in one eye, so I guess that would be the equivalent of you having both eyes done at the same time.
My friend had cataracts that had not ripened. She was an accountant full-time and had a business at home. She could barely see, but insurance would not cover until the cataracts were bad enough-ripe enough. Her office was ablaze with five ceiling fixtures and numerous lamps. I was told they would not do both of mine at once because of possible complications. The word certainly filled me with fear--'complications' ? no thanks.
ReplyDeleteMoney makes the world go 'round, and insurance is riding shotgun. Imagine how much they save on a large scale, putting people off until the last minute, maybe waiting for them to kick the bucket!
DeleteI would have been much more worried than Hick about having this procedure, since he can only see out of that one eye! Complications could have been devastating.
I have put mine off, hoping to have HeWho all fixed up first. I went to his appointment this morning and forgot my glasses! Couldn't see for crap, maybe mine are ripe?
ReplyDeleteYes, let HeWho get fixed first! I hope you have a good harvest experience for your ripe cataracts!
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