Post-Op

I went into the Doctor this morning for my second post-op appointment.  This time the eye is healing quite well, and Dr. Andrews is encouraged. 

During the surgery, the epithelium from the center of the eye is removed.  The laser modifies the eye, then the healing process begins.  The skin heals from the center inwards, regenerating itself quickly.  My left eye is healing well, but it is going to be many more weeks of attentiveness to the steroids and antibiotics.  Also being conscious of how often I am on the computer. 

I was displeased to wake up this morning with a cold.  So I am fighting it with everything I have, and am planning on returning to work for half days the rest of this week. 

Update

It is four days after PRK surgery and this time around is much different.  Saturday was absolutely terrible, and found me on the futon for the entire day, hardly moving.  The only thing that seemed to relieve the pain was an ice pack and going in and out of sleep.  Ibuprofen was doing nothing to stop the pain at all, and my dear friend Nicole who is an EMT, told me to start taking Tylenol.  I was in no condition to go anywhere, so had to call a friend to pick some up from King Soopers.  He picked me up, brought me to his family's house and we watched the Olympics.  Saturday night went well, I was hardly in any pain at all. 

Sunday went well.  I was able to watch a movie, enjoy lunch with a coworker and spend some time talking with friends on the phone.  Today is back to being difficult.  I hadn't had any issues with light sensitivity up to this point, but right now I am wearing sunglasses and squinting at the screen with one eye open.  Also, the pain I was experiencing earlier was aching, right now it is stinging.  I hope it means it is healing.  When I go back to see Dr. Andrews tomorrow, he will take out the bandage contact lens and the epithelium will begin to heal on its own. 

I guess the Neurontin is helping to cut the pain, I cannot imagine what it would be like otherwise.  However, it makes me extremely lethargic and loopy.  I am having a hard time remembering what I have done and what I have said in my conversations.  Good thing I have plenty of friends around to check on me.   I cannot tolerate staring at the screen any longer and I think it is time for another nap.

Surgery, round two

My second PRK surgery was yesterday and it was just as horrible as I remembered.  In fact, it was actually worse because I knew exactly what they were doing.  I had to retreat back into my deep yoga breathing to avoid jumping off the operating table.  I also made the nurse hold my hand.  My eye is really swollen this time, because it is necessary for them to use an instrument to hold the eye open.  I think it is a cross between a suction cup and kitchen tongs.  My left eye was fighting as hard as possible to close and it strained the muscles around the eye.  I will spare you the rest of the details. 

At any rate, because I can see out of my right eye, I am using it much more than I should.  The eyes are sympathetic to one another, and the right eye is watering and irritated, much as the left is.  So in other words, I need to get off the computer!  I need to not strain the eye that is trying to heal.  In the meantime, I have the Neurontin to cut the pain, but cannot tolerate any pain medication.  This time around, Dr. A prescribed Valium, which while it is not a painkiller, at least it makes me relax and care less about the pain. 

Last night after the surgery, several of my friends came over with dinner and to chat.  It was great to have their support, although because of the sedatives, I do not really remember our conversation.  My dear friend Becca spent the entire day with me today, going to two different pharmacies and my post-op appointment with me.  She was attempting to read me a book, but I kept falling asleep as soon as I laid down.  So instead we shopped for airline tickets for our trip to the Oregon coast next fall. 

I think I need to go to sleep, my eyes just cannot stay open anymore.  Blessedly, I am not in a huge amount of pain, but if things go the course of last time, the next couple days will be worse.

Eye Surgery, Round Two

I mentioned back in December that there was the possibility that I would need to have additional surgery on my left eye.  Well, that possibility has been realized, and the surgery is scheduled for February 11th.  But this time around, it is just the left eye and for better or worse, I know what is coming.  However, this time around, my dear friend Becca will be in town to help.  That alone is going to make this process much easier!

Dr. A says I am an interesting case because my right eye healed incredibly quickly.  Within just a month after surgery, vision in that eye was 20/20.  However, the left eye is still 20/60, and has remained that way since one month after the surgery.  Evidently it is rare to have one eye heal so quickly, and the other one lag so far behind.  I knew that the astigmatism was much worse in that eye, and this was a possibility.  Before healing begins, it is difficult to tell how the eye will react.  Because astigmatism is an abnormal curvature of the cornea, and PRK modifies the surface of the cornea, the laser can only correct so much in one session.  However, now that a portion of the cornea has already been modified (or abraded or cauterized, pick your verb), the remaining abnormalities can be corrected.

On the upside, my eyes are not nearly as dry or irritated as they were even a month ago.  Believe it or not, I am still happy I did this.  Ask me that three days after the surgery and I may give you a different answer, but in the long term I am thankful.  I don't get headaches from taking glasses off and on, I can still see at the end of the day because I no longer have painfully dry contacts.

Knitting

Well, I got exceptionally motivated and taught myself how to knit.  I found a pattern online and spent a few days clumsily making a pair of slippers.  Then I felted them by hand and have enjoyed having them at work to wear at my desk when it has been bitter cold this week.