Bionic Eyes
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June 8th, 2009
I am back from the hospital. With results, I think. Hopefully important ones.
I will try to share them, but it was a lot to take in and I’m not sure I have all the technicalities right, or am getting translations right etc. But I’ll do my best.
I started out talking to a nurse. She tested my eyesight and we concluded that I basically couldn’t see anything. Then she took some pictures of my eyes. And then I got eyedrops and waited and got more eyedrops. And then the head doctor called me in. He said that I do not have AMD. So that’s good, if it’s true. I guess I have to trust the opinion of the chief doctor of eye stuff. But he could also see that my eyes were in bad shape, so he wanted to get a surgeon to come take a look at me so we could make a plan and get something done. Turned out there was only one surgeon in the house and he was in surgery. A surgeon doing surgery, what are the odds? So I had to wait for that. It all took a lot longer than expected. Instead of the supposed 1-2 hours it ended up taking 4-5 hours.
Eventually the surgeon came. And took a look at me. And that’s when new stuff started coming up. The chief doc had still been talking about cataracts, but after looking at my eyes the surgeon found that they were massively damaged by the diabetes. And that’s what we need to have something done about. And quickly if possible. And this is where the facts elude me a little, but basically my eyes are full of scar tissue and junk. And it’s only going to get worse if something isn’t done. So what they’re going to do is… they’re going to replace my eyes. or some of them at least. I think they’re going to replace the retinas. Or is that not possible? I know there was something about replacing the liquidy bits in the eyes with oils. With silicone? Or was that the retina? In any case It’s going to take several operations. Unpleasant, complicated ones. But it has to be done. And the good news is that there is a hope that it can improve my eyesight again. Can you imagine? It almost makes me cry to think of it. Being able to see again. What I wouldn’t give. I know I have to try not to get my hopes up too much. Because they can’t promise anything. It might not work. It might just stop it getting worse. And there’s always a tiny chance that it goes horribly wrong and I’ll be blinded forever. But there’s a chance I oould get to see better again. And that’s what I will cling on to for now.
They did an EKG on me and took some blood samples. Tomorrow I have to go talk to an anasteseologist. And hopefully we’ll set a date for the first operation (on the right eye). Within a week or two is the goal. I am going to be fully anaesthesized. It’s possible to do it with just local anaesthesia, but since my eyes are so messed up and it will be quite complicated surgery, the surgeon recommended the full dose. And I’m fine with that. With local anaesthesia I would have to lie still on a bed for an hour and a half while they cut in my eye. That doesn’t sound like fun to me. I’d rather sleep it all away. And I still get to go home the same day, so that’s ok. They might do something about the cataracts at the same time, and maybe even do the last laser treatments while I’m under. But the important thing is cleaning the mess out.
My dad sat patiently and waited through the whole thing. He’s a saint. Good thing he was there to help me get home. Those eyedrops really mess up your sight in the sunshine. I couldn’t see a thing. He had to direct me along. “Left… Right.. now there’s a step up…left”. And so on. Tomorrow I’ll go alone though. It should only be a chat. And then I’m planning to stop at the playground afterwards and get some time with the goats. To power up. And hopefully we can get to the operations as soon as possible.
It’s all a bit much, really. But it’s also a little hope. And that’s a good thing to have. Cross your fingers for me.
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