What are you doing today?

SilverSage said:
I had my other eye done today (cataract). This time it's scratchy, achy, and runny - much more than the other eye was. I have an appointment with the doc in the morning. Hopefully, it's somewhat better then.
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Oh, man, I'm so dreading it!

Hope it's 100% soon, Kath!

Lee
 
QSis said:
Oh, man, I'm so dreading it!

Hope it's 100% soon, Kath!

Lee
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Are you having the surgery too, Lee?

Thank God I don't have them, (yet!) my Grams did, and my Grandpa GG had glaucoma.

I do have annoying floaters that come and go grrr
 
Other that minor discomfort the first day of surgery (it was manageable with some tylenol), it's really been surprisingly easy. The surgery is quick - I left the house at 5:45 am for a 6:15 check in, and was home by 9:30. Yes, you are awake, and talking if you want (I did), but you don't feel anything. The nurses let me pick the music (they said doc likes Beatles, Eagles, Jackson Browne, etc) I love JB, so that was it. The first day, after the anesthetic wore off, I felt some discomfort. Not what I would call pain. Achy, itchy, and my eye was running, but sleep solved that.

Everybody that has done this told me to get the upgraded lenses. Medicare pays for the standard lens implant, but there are upgraded ones that are more like bifocals or progressives. You don't need reading glasses, etc. Because of prior damage to my eyes (I had a rough 1980's) I was not a candidate for those. I assume my doc would have tried to sell them to me if he could ($$$$), but he said I couldn't wear them. (Funny, my eye doc in the 1980s wouldn't let me wear contacts any longer, for similar reasons.)

The biggest issue afterward is the drops. For 30 days after surgery, you need to maintain an eyedrop regimine. Three drops (antibiotic, steroid, anti-inflamitory) at various times each day, and at least 10 minutes between each. Over the weeks, some drop off, but the last week you are still doing 2 drops a day. Then the other eye starts! So for 7 weeks your life revolves around the eyedrop schedule!


So after 3 weeks on one eye and 2 days on the other, here's what I'm finding. My distance vision is great! I can see fronds on the palm trees across the water and down the street. I didn't see that well with my glasses. The colors are fantastic!!! I didn't realize how muted and yellow things looked through the cataracts. Colors are so brilliant without that cloud.

For reading, I need help. The doc said that I will probably need reading glasses. For now, I still have my computer glasses. They are progressives, variable from reading distance to about 24 inches. I used to wear them all day working on the computer and my desk. They will be fine for reading the next 3 weeks.

After that, once the healing is done, they will be able to do the refraction and determine what, if anything, I need for glasses. My initial thought is that if I only need reading glasses, I will get a bifocal that is blank on top, and reading on the bottom. I have worn glasses since I was 13, and bifocal/progressives since I was 40. I don't want to be messing with glasses on and off all day. Right now, when I don't have them on, I am missing them.

My glasses are always on my face. I don't lose them, misplace them, look for them, leave them home. They are on my face or on my nightstand. I think it would be more trouble to be looking for them, or not have them when you need them.

I wish I hadn't waited so long. Unfortunately, my employer insurance (BCBS of Vermont) wasn't accepted by the eye Institute here in Florida. So I waited until I retired and medicare covered everything.

I can see again. I love it, and I'm happy.
 

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SilverSage said:
Other that minor discomfort the first day of surgery (it was manageable with some tylenol), it's really been surprisingly easy. The surgery is quick - I left the house at 5:45 am for a 6:15 check in, and was home by 9:30. Yes, you are awake, and talking if you want (I did), but you don't feel anything. The nurses let me pick the music (they said doc likes Beatles, Eagles, Jackson Browne, etc) I love JB, so that was it. The first day, after the anesthetic wore off, I felt some discomfort. Not what I would call pain. Achy, itchy, and my eye was running, but sleep solved that.

Everybody that has done this told me to get the upgraded lenses. Medicare pays for the standard lens implant, but there are upgraded ones that are more like bifocals or progressives. You don't need reading glasses, etc. Because of prior damage to my eyes (I had a rough 1980's) I was not a candidate for those. I assume my doc would have tried to sell them to me if he could ($$$$), but he said I couldn't wear them. (Funny, my eye doc in the 1980s wouldn't let me wear contacts any longer, for similar reasons.)

The biggest issue afterward is the drops. For 30 days after surgery, you need to maintain an eyedrop regimine. Three drops (antibiotic, steroid, anti-inflamitory) at various times each day, and at least 10 minutes between each. Over the weeks, some drop off, but the last week you are still doing 2 drops a day. Then the other eye starts! So for 7 weeks your life revolves around the eyedrop schedule!


So after 3 weeks on one eye and 2 days on the other, here's what I'm finding. My distance vision is great! I can see fronds on the palm trees across the water and down the street. I didn't see that well with my glasses. The colors are fantastic!!! I didn't realize how muted and yellow things looked through the cataracts. Colors are so brilliant without that cloud.

For reading, I need help. The doc said that I will probably need reading glasses. For now, I still have my computer glasses. They are progressives, variable from reading distance to about 24 inches. I used to wear them all day working on the computer and my desk. They will be fine for reading the next 3 weeks.

After that, once the healing is done, they will be able to do the refraction and determine what, if anything, I need for glasses. My initial thought is that if I only need reading glasses, I will get a bifocal that is blank on top, and reading on the bottom. I have worn glasses since I was 13, and bifocal/progressives since I was 40. I don't want to be messing with glasses on and off all day. Right now, when I don't have them on, I am missing them.

My glasses are always on my face. I don't lose them, misplace them, look for them, leave them home. They are on my face or on my nightstand. I think it would be more trouble to be looking for them, or not have them when you need them.

I wish I hadn't waited so long. Unfortunately, my employer insurance (BCBS of Vermont) wasn't accepted by the eye Institute here in Florida. So I waited until I retired and medicare covered everything.

I can see again. I love it, and I'm happy.
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Kathy, thank you so much for that great post! I feel a lot better after reading the details of what I might expect!

One of my friends got the "upgraded" lenses that she could ill afford. She is not happy with them, since she needs glasses for reading anyway.

I'm with you about wearing eyeglasses. I started wearing them part-time in junior high to see the blackboard and to watch TV/movies. Then, after college, when I started work on an assembly line at Polaroid, we had to wear safety glasses, and I wore my prescription glasses instead. Been wearing them full time, except to read books, ever since. It would be nice not to have to push my glasses up on my forehead when I have to read grocery labels and I'd love not to have to switch back and forth with prescription sunglasses, but I think I look better with my glasses on.

We'll see (no pun intended).

Lee
 
Needless to say, it was one of those days.
Started out with a long walk across town with April, my neighbour friend/former coworker.
I went shopping, came home, Jules said Pam was sick, went to Hill's instead of Ninja for lunch.
Freedom (our troubled nurse aide girl was there crying in a booth alone) we joined her and listened to her speaking about how horrible her life is at the moment. We're getting her in touch with the proper people to sort that all out.
I heard my very special man Julian passed away.
One of my beloved residents.
I won't tell you much about his condition because of HIPAA, but he was one of those who was absolutely in a different world, yet he remembered everything right down to the letter about YOU if he liked and trusted you.
He liked me and always knew my name/who I was even if it was at 2a in the morning.
All I had to say was, Julian it's me.
I'm going to miss him so much, even though my work hours are few these days.
He and others are the reasons I have not fully retired from the facility yet.
I'd miss them.
I'm going to miss him a lot.
 
I'm going to fit my walk in at some point today, like later... when it warms up a little.
It's only going to be 50° today, then we have a freeze warning tonight.
Nothing else planned otherwise.
I'm not working again until the 7th of next month.
It's glorious to have that option lol
 
I'm going to bed and watch something entertaining, or I may crack open a book.
I'm done with the Internet for tonight.
Phone and laptop are going out in the living room.
Too much stuff today.
 
I went to Colombo 3 days ago. Handed over my application to renew the passport. It was easy as I had a contact there.
Then I went to get my renewed guide license. It was ready, and received it in no time, to find that it had someone else's photo! Waited to get a new one printed.
Then the same two days the Iranian president visited Sri Lanka to declare a power project open. People said that roads were closed as he moved around. I didn't get caught in the traffic as I was working at a friend's office for the rest of the two days, helping him train his new recruit.
Then took the evening train back home.
It was a busy 3 days.
 
Johnny West said:
We are going to a Mariner’s vs Braves game this evening.
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The Mariners won 3-2 in an exciting game and thought they were going to lose it at the end but second relief pitcher shut them down in the 8th and 9th.

The only thing I got to eat was garlic fries and they were horrible - tiny fries, ice cold, and $14… I complain and got a blank stare.

I ate half before I realized there was Parmesan on them.


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That's the way it goes John, at sports events.
The food is often overpriced and not too great.
I've eaten a lot of that over the years at Indycar, Nascar and F1 races.

I went for the long walk across town and did 2 weeks worth of grocery shopping 😲 Lol
I'm in for the day, unless I take another walk this evening.
It's gorgeous outside.
 
Sass Muffin said:
That's the way it goes John, at sports events.
The food is often overpriced and not too great.
I've eaten a lot of that over the years at Indycar, Nascar and F1 races.

I went for the long walk across town and did 2 weeks worth of grocery shopping 😲 Lol
I'm in for the day, unless I take another walk this evening.
It's gorgeous outside.
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Back when we had season tickets the fries were twice the size… but i know what you mean. Nancy had a big hot dog with sauerkraut and was good.
 
LastManStanding said:
Talking about car racing, a few days ago 7 people were killed in the Fox Hill race here in Sri Lanka, when a car veered off the track and ploughed in to the spectators. An 8 year old girl was among the victims.
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We went to a race at MIS one year when my boys were in their teens.
A wheel flew off one of the cars and flew into the crowd and severely injured one of the spectators.
After that Michigan International Speedway put up the tall barriers, and I believe all race tracks in the US followed suit.
We were also at the race where Greg Moore was killed in his crash.
Then there was another one where the Indycar racers car hit the wall and burst into flames.
His name escapes me right now, but his son raced too. Not Earnhardt. Hmm I'll have to think on that one.
Arie Luyendyk! <<< Edit!
Steve and I went to an F1 race in Silverstone, England and saw some near misses.
It was raining buckets, so no wonder.
 
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In other news, I believe I have a condition developing in my wrist.
It's related to arthritis.
Not too bad as of late, but I'm going to have to be seen and have it checked out soon.
Yay.. aging lol
De Quervain tenosynovitis is what I've concluded based on symptoms.
Oh well, I'll live Lol
 
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I have arthritis in my wrist according to Dr. Crandall.
Doesn't surprise me, I'm getting it lots of places throughout my body, but it's not debilitating.

After Jules and I had dinner, we shopped at Kroger and Meijer for a few things.
She's been looking for the sugar free creamy coconut Dr. Pepper.
We couldn't find it anywhere!
She checked this place online.
What??!
For a 12 pack.

Messenger_creation_48a37c8a-eba0-4faa-b9ab-b790269c6ce2.jpeg
 
Ouch! I have a Sparkle soda machine. It makes bubbly using citric acid and baking soda, instead of the carbonator canisters. I like it because I cannot tolerate the High Fructose Corn Syrup. There is a "Dr. Pete" flavor, made by Sodastream that works just fine to flavor Sparkle made stuff, AFTER it is sparkled. (Of course, lots of other things can be used instead of the Sodastream stuff.) I wonder if one might experiment with some Coconut milk, cream or powder to come up with something that might be as pleasing or even more? :unsure:
 
Sass Muffin said:
In other news, I believe I have a condition developing in my wrist.
It's related to arthritis.
Not too bad as of late, but I'm going to have to be seen and have it checked out soon.
Yay.. aging lol
De Quervain tenosynovitis is what I've concluded based on symptoms.
Oh well, I'll live Lol
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I looked up De Quervain tenosynovitis and I have the same symptoms. My doctor said it's arthritis, too. Don't know what the difference is.

My pain at the base of my thumb comes and goes. Left hand, but I'm a righty.

Lee
 
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