Cataract Surgery Update #2

The eye is better!

Good news! My recovery from my second cataract surgery is MUCH better! Thank God! Goodness, or whatever expletive I can use. THE PAIN IS GONE!

Now I can resume my normal, or at least what passes for normal, life around here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Here are the latest updates:

I developed a painful red rash in my inner thighs from all the stress I've been going through recently. What to do about this? Go to the Walk-In Clinic and SHOW THEM? Odds are I'll get some pretty young woman to expose my nether regions to her thus ruining her day. No, I decided not to do that. Instead I searched the Internet (don't we all?) and found out that this rash is easily curable. Less drama and some cortisone cream. That I did and the rash is almost gone. One down.

I just paid off a rash (different application) of higher than usual bills. 

1) School/Real Estate Tax ($2,000, still a chunk of money but not the $9,000 that our former residence in Pennsylvania was costing us).

2) Lawn Care (fungus application is $390 a shot, just had two). Well worth it, I found out last year how important my lawn is too me after living through a summer of a Mars landscape left behind after that Army Worm invasion.

3) Eye drop medication for my cataract surgeries (I get my medication through the VA and I decided not to jump through those hoops for this surgery, would take too long and still not have the drops my eye doctor preferred, that set me back over $1,200)

There was another big bill but I forget what it was, I'm still in somewhat of a daze from my painful second cataract surgery and the other bills. Oh, I remember now, it was the $500 I paid to Jose and his crew to dig a pond hole for me. That pond, still in development, gives me a lot of pleasure. Well worth the expense. 

The next few weeks I am doctor appointment free. FREEDOM! I LOVE IT! I actually had another yearly followup appointment with my urologist this week but he had an operation so they had to reschedule my appointment with him which will be in December. 

How is Bill doing? We're still doing the showers every three days. Every morning I have to help him wash up, change is Depends and dress him. I will always have to prepare his food for the rest of his life, no difference than I've been doing for the past 58 years, I always cooked for him. He tired once and it was a disaster. I give him his medication, take him out for his rides (and mine too) and order radios (fourth one coming today from Amazon) to keep him company. Because of his blindness he can't read or see TV but he can listen to the radio. Unfortunately he can't listen to podcast on his iPad because the iPad doesn't have an earphone jack. The only radio station that comes in clearly around here is the local Fox (Faux) News affiliate. He does get the news but unfortunately is subjected to the Fox Brainwashing.  After a few days of that I have to assure him that the "Caravans" of immigrants from our southern border are NOT invading the US to take all our jobs, rape our women and steal all our money. Every day is a challenge folks, living in this dystopic country that the grifters on Fox (Faux) News is feeding to it's all too gullible listeners. Other than than, Bill has stabilized and we're managing. No more pooping his pants and he can get around on his own, albeit slowly. He's very careful not to fall and so far he's been successful.

I am so happy with the result of my cataract surgery. Other than the very painful few days immediately after my second cataract surgery, both operations were successful. I now don't need glasses for distance. Wouldn't that have been a great option when I was young and hanging out in the bars cruising? Back then (last century) I was near-sighted. Now I'm the opposite. Oh the times when I spied someone across the bar only to saunter over there and find out that he wasn't my type at all. That's when I got contact lenses which I wore for many years until I got a stigmatism in my left eye. Then I went for glasses so I could see. Now it's the opposite. I have to take off my glasses for driving. I'm so used to wearing my glasses that sometimes I forget to take them off and I noticed when I'm driving I couldn't see as well. Not having to wear glasses is also great for watching my Netflix rentals on my 60 inch flat screen TV. No more having to clean my glasses every time I watch a movie. Now to get a good movie or series. I just finished watching the first season of "The Gilded Age" which I LOVED. Sure, it's a lot like "Downton Abbey", the American version (same creator, Julian Fellowes) but to me it's grand entertainment. I especially like any movie or series that Christine Baranski graces and she is fabulous in "The Gilded Age."

Well folks, the sun is shining outside and weeds need to be pulled. Have a great day! And sorry about posting yet another current picture of my eighty years old face. Not the handsome young man of forty years ago but there it is. I'm still here, walking  upright and pain free (for now anyway).

Oil Portrait of me 1979 in Provincetown, Mass

Cataract Surgery Update

 

My cataract surgery check off list

Just got back from my eye doctor. He said my cornea abrasion was almost healed. I still feel like I have something in my eye but its tolerable. He said I could stop taking one of my drops tomorrow and dispense with my eye covering when I sleep. Progress!

Later, when I stopped at my favorite local fruit and vegetable stand to stock up on fresh corn, the woman who usually waits on me said she missed seeing me and Bill.

She was afraid something happened to Bill. I told her that I was having problems with my second cataract surgery. That I had an abrasion of my cornea. She said that years ago she had the same problem. She went to sleep with her contact lenses. When she woke up in the morning she couldn't open her eyes! She panicked and texted her doctor with her eyes closed (I don't know how she did that) and he got her eyes open. She said the pain from the abrasion of both of her corneas was so intense she would rather give natural childbirth of all of her four children. Tell me about it. I thought kidney stones were bad (and they are, believe me) but having an abrasion on your cornea HURTS! Remember how when  you were a kid and fell down on the pavement and scrapped your arm and the pain. Then imagine that scrap on your eyeball. Again, I am SO THANKFUL this procedure will soon be history. 

Sometimes life is more than just finding food and shelter (and love if your'e lucky). It's avoiding pain. I don't do pain well. And believe me folks, I've had more than my share of pain in this lifetime. I'm ready to move on to a boring and pain free few months.

Cataract Surgery, One Week Post Op

 

In three hours (11 AM) I see my eye doctor for my one week post op followup to my cataract surgery. 

Thankfully I can report I am no longer in pain. What an experience though, something I wouldn't wish on anybody. I just cannot imagine what my blogger friend Raybeard went through when his surgery went bad and his doctors had another operation on his eye to "pick out the pieces" of the lens they shattered in his eye. That's also what happened to my late brother John, which resulted in an 80% loss of eyesight in his eye. 

The good news is that I can see clearly out that eye now. Thank goodness I only have two eyes. If I was a cyclops with three eyes, I think I would forgo the third operation. 

Cataract Surgery - The Good, Bad and Ugly

 

Last Thursday (September 8th) I had my second cataract surgery. Sad to say but this surgery did not go well. My cornea was scratched. I was in excruciating pain for one full day. The next day, still very painful but at least I could get some respite by sleeping and keeping my eye closed. 

I am now on Day Five of my post cataract surgery. My eye socket is still painful and I feel like I have something in my eye but at least I can function now. 

Prior to my cataract surgery I heard all these glowing reports "Oh, it's a breeze!" "You won't even feel a thing!" "It's over with before you even know it!"

Well folks, those comments don't necessarily apply to all who have had cataract surgery. My late brother John first cataract surgery was a complete disaster. The lens shattered in his eye. He had to undergo subsequent operations to remove the shattered pieces of replacement lens. He never did regain full recovery in his right eye. He lost 80% of his vision. He found out later that the woman who performed the surgery it was her first time. She put the lens in UNDERNEATH instead of ABOVE (whatever that means). He had that cataract surgery while he was undergoing years of chemotherapy treatment for lymphoma cancer. By the way, he didn't die of the cancer, he died of the chemotherapy which destroyed his vital organs. They failed. 

I am thankful that I have my vision in my right eye.  Before my surgery I asked several times if my regular eye doctor was going to perform the surgery. I was told he would but I did detect some hesitation in their answer. I suspect what happened was that he was training somebody new because the second surgery took longer and of course, I ended up with an "abrasion on my cornea" as my doctor diagnosed it when I called him in after hours because I couldn't stand the pain. 

I saw him the next day and he told me that I "had a scratch on my cornea and it would clear up in 24 to 36 hours."  It has but I still have the soreness. Another good thing is I now have excellent eyesight in both of my eyes. But what price I had to pay. 

"It's a breeze!" Don't believe everything you hear. Hopefully if any of the readers of this blog are planning on having cataract surgery I hope it is "a breeze" and you don't have to go through what I just went through. Or even worse, what my late brother had to go through. 

I'm on he mend now and hopefully I can get back to my regular routine of blogging, gardening, caregiving (oh yes, I had to continue to be Bill's caregiver, that doesn't take a break no matter how much pain I'm in) and living what's rest of my life pain free. I think I've experienced every type of pain there is except childbirth.

Guess which eye had the bad outcome cataract surgery. I survived so I guess that's what's important. I never want to go through anything like this again. Man, could I use a facelift. Talk about a hangdog look. Well, it's my look and it's staying that way. 

Cataract Surgery A Success!

 

Ready for my cataract surgery last Thursday

My cataract surgery was a success!

Last Thursday I entered the Delaware Eye Institute with loads of trepidation. My late younger brother had a botched cataract surgery a few years ago that ruined his eyesight in his right eye. He found out after the surgery he was the first ever patient of a young woman. I guess everyone has a 'first time". Unfortunately my brother was the innocent victim of her failure.

I knew my eye doctor of fourteen years was going to perform my cataract surgery and that was some relief. However, I was still nervous. Pat had arrived the previous Sunday (first time I've seen him in person in two and a half years) but I just couldn't get into his visit because I was concerned about my upcoming cataract surgery. Pat assured me I had nothing to worry about and he was right. My surgery was a breeze,

I was put under a "twilight" sedation (Vicodin) which I was told "You'll know what is going on but you won't care." Actually I remember being wheeled into the surgery room with a bright light overhead and seeing my doctor round the corner towards me but after that . . . . nothing. Now I can understand why people get hooked on a drug like Vicodin. I literally didn't care and in fact I don't even remember anything. Great! That's just the way I like it.

The first day out I had to wear an eye patch. Not a pirate eyepatch but a clear eyepatch with holes in it so my eye could breath. 

One thing I noticed right away was the colors. SO BRIGHT, especially the blues and whites! I didn't realize I was looking through the world in yellow parchment (like this old copies of the U. S. Declaration of Independence). I thought my left eye was all right but when I close my right eye I can see where my left  eye casts a dirty yellow haze over everything. That cataract surgery is scheduled for next month. I can't wait!

Now I have the annoying chore of applying a series of expensive (out of pocket) eye drops daily to my repaired eye. Well worth it for the vision I can see now. And another thing that is fabulous, I can see at a distance without glasses. I started off in life being near sighted. Now it's the opposite. I need glasses for reading but I don't need glasses for distance. Pat and my friend Larry had the same experience after their cataract surgery. I'll take it! I could have paid extra and had the bi-focal cataract surgery but I didn't want to take that chance. I don't mind wearing glasses to read.

Oh, by the way, I had a fabulous week with Pat down here. We hit some new restaurants and the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. The only downside was the oppressive heat. Just too hot but more about that later in future blog posts. I have to get ready for my one week post op surgery visit to my doctor. 

If you haven't had cataract surgery, get it! This is great. It's like I have a new pair of eyes which, actually, I do! 

Eye Doctor Appointment

 Just got back from my annual eye doctor appointment. As I suspected I need cataract surgery.

My right eye vision is like looking through a greasy window. My left eye is better but not much.

Me in the chair this morning awaiting for my exam

I really like my eye doctor. I've been going to him ever since we moved in Delaware in 2006. 

I've watched his hair grow gray. Of course I haven't changed much at all except for my vision. (HA!)

I was a bit nervous about getting cataract surgery since my late brother John's botched cataract surgery which left him almost blind in one eye. It was that surgeon's first cataract surgery and she shattered the new cataract lens in my brother's eye. What a mess that was getting all those pieces out. After it was all done he was legally blind in his one eye.

After finding out that my eye doctor will personally do my cataract surgery I am much relieved. He has EXPERIENCE.

I know many people who have had cataract surgery and they all have expressed extreme satisfaction with the results. That's what I'm looking forward to. Seeing clearly again and seeing the world in bright colors.

Can't wait!

P.S.

Short post because my eyes are still diluted (dilated).

Bill's Cataract Correction Surgery

Busy days here folks! Yesterday I had a mixup as to who was going to cut up my fallen river birch tree branch and dispose of same branch. That was quite a story which I am just too tired to relate tonight. Maybe my next blog post, with pictures and videos.

Today was the day Pat and I were in the audience for "The Price is Right."  I taped the program and caught a little bit of it but couldn't see myself in the audience. I was wearing a red "Never Give Up!" T-shirt.  Unfortunately for me about half the audience had red T-shirts. I spotted Pat in his black top right away but me?  Blended in the audience.  I'll have to study that tape a bit more before I post any of it here on this blog.

Yesterday, among all the activity around here about arranging cleanup for fallen trees and tree branches, I managed to get Bill down to the Delaware Eye Institute for cataract correction surgery. Bill had his cataracts removed last year.  Just his luck, scar tissue has formed around his replacement lenses seriously affecting his vision. He can't even see the big E on the eye chart. 

Waiting for Bill's cataract correction surgery yesterday - one of our many visits to doctors' offices this time of our life

 Even though Bill didn't want to go through the whole process again at the eye institute (he doesn't like his routine disturbed), I managed to persuade him to go and have the laser correction surgery.  Right eye first. Next week he gets his left eye done. The whole procedure went well even though Bill grumbled that it "took too long."  As I said, Bill doesn't like his routine disturbed. 

Later this month I have a consultation with my doctor about my colonoscopy.  I get one every three  years now because they found several big polyps three years ago and my family history is high risk for colon cancer. Last week I had several keratosis removed from my back, arm and legs. I'm falling apart folks. 

More activity on my EBay account for which I will also write about in a future blog post. 

I do not lead a dull life folks. No complaints though, I am thankful I'm here. And these beautiful spring days, even with the occasional tornado, are beautiful.  

Tulips in our driveway - all that hard work of planting last fall has paid off!

Bill Gets His New Glasses

Bill tries on his new glasses

It's been a long slog folks, but Bill finally got his new glasses.

Last June Bill failed his eye test for renewing his driver's license. Thus began the long journey to get Bill's license back.

First up was an eye examination. Bill hadn't had one for years (his choice).  His doctor discovered that Bill needed cataract surgery.

Now any of you who have had cataract surgery or know some who has had cataract surgery, you know how long that process is.

We scheduled Bill for cataract surgery in the following months. But then Bill had an emergency room visit. He had ulcers that hemorrhaged. Thus his cataract surgery was delayed, for months. 

Back to "GO."  

Long story short, Bill endured went through the long procedure that is cataract surgery and recovery. Something that is in my future by the way folks.

Last week we made the final visit to Bill's eye doctor and got a prescription for his new glasses. 

We immediately went down to BJ's and ordered new glasses for Bill.

The video below shows the result.

Bill can see!!




Now just to get him used to wearing glasses. Bill is so used to not wearing glasses, he keeps taking his glasses off.  

He wants to get used to the glasses before he takes his eye test to get his driver's license. 

It's looking good folks!

I Screwed Up Big Time Today

Bill waiting for his eye surgery appointment this morning

Today was one of THOSE days in which I screwed up, BIG TIME.

This morning Bill had an appointment for his second cataract surgery. 

We arrived half an hour early. 

The fine folks at the Delaware Eye Institute cataract surgery center took Bill in right away.  I left, asking them to call me when Bill was ready to leave.  

That was 8:00 am this morning. His appointment was at 8:40 am.

I took advantage of my time down the hectic Route One and did some chores. First was Walmart.

Then I stopped at Food Lion and Ace Hardware.  Then I went home, awaiting a call.  

9:30 am. No call. 

10:00 am. No call.

10:30 am. No call.

11:00 am. No call.

Now I was getting worried. I thought maybe there were complications with his eye surgery.  I left home at 11:20 am to take my place on the backed up traffic on Route One to the Delaware Eye surgery center.

After a couple of close calls (yes, two close calls, this is Route One in the summertime after all), I pulled in the parking lot of the Delaware Eye Institute.

I walk to the front desk.  I tell them I'm here to pick up Bill Kelly. 

The woman behind the front desk says to someone in the back "He's here."  She doesn't look happy.  In fact she wasn't happy at all.  

I soon found out the reason why.  They had been trying to reach me for TWO HOURS!

Bill was in the back, distraught.  He was crying.  I don't want to go too deep into Bill's psyche but he cannot handle any kind of stress.  That's why I advised him to quit his job thirty-three years ago and took over the sole position of bread winner for our household.  

One of the nurses had her arms around Bill, trying to comfort him. I was trying to figure out why I wasn't getting their calls.  I tried to call them but all I get is a voice mail.  

I figured out why I wasn't getting their calls. Apparently my iPhone has to be cleared out of "Recent Calls" or else my mailbox fills up and calls don't go through.  And no, I didn't have the Do Not Disturb Sign on.

Now I know why I wasn't getting calls from the surgery center prior to Bill's surgery.  In fact, when I checked Bill in this morning at the surgery center I asked them to check the phone number they had on record for calling me.  They had the right phone number. What I should have done is ask them to call my number and then I would have realized my mailbox was full.

Well, now I had a group of nurses who didn't like me.  A position I'm not used to being in.

I'm a firm believer in always showing up for appointments on time and doing the right thing.  I believe in always being cooperative and patient, especially when dealing with the medical establishment.

This morning I screwed that part of my reputation up big time.  One of the nurses told me "You caused us a big problem this morning."  I know why, because they operate on more than one person and by having Bill sitting there in a wheel chair, distraught and crying, my stupidity disrupted that assembly line process.  

Bill after his eye surgery this morning

I apologized but they weren't interested and I don't blame them.  Especially seeing how upset Bill was.  

This morning I felt as bad as I've felt in many a year.  How to fix this?  For one thing clear out all the "Recent Call" on my frigging iPhone.

And good thing because as soon as we got home I received a call from Bill's gastroenterologist scheduling an appointment next month for an endoscopy. 

I guess you could sum up this morning with that famous quote from "Cool Hand Luke"

"What we have here is a failure of communication."  

And folks, yours truly failed big time today.  

The only thing I can do is make sure it never happens again.  But I don't think I'll ever get those nurses to like me. 

Medical Update

Last week was busy with three medical appointments. All in one day too!

Bill went for his week after cataract surgery update and all went well. I still continue to apply the drops to his right eye. That will continue until the end of this month. 

At first Bill said he couldn't see any difference in his right eye.  He said there was "a cloud" over his eye. However, as his eye has healed his vision has improved. He can see things in a distance clearly.  In his left eye, which will be done in June, his vision is still cloudy.  Bill was considering only getting one eye done but of the annoyance of having the drops put in every day.  Bill doesn't like his routine disrupted. But I've convinced him that his vision will be much improved when he gets both eyes done and he can get his driver's license back. 

Also last Thursday I had to get an X-ray of my bladder.  I haven't gotten the results yet. I just left a message to get the results. Let's see how this goes because I haven't had a good experience with the staff of my urology doctor. Hopefully they have had an attitude adjustment since my last "conversation" with them.

Now for the good news. I had my six month checkup with my doctor at the VA.  My PSA continues to be low (.2)  No change with is GREAT news.  I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May of 2013.  I had a seed implant procedure to zap the cancer which was localized in my prostate gland. I can now add "cancer survivor" to my medical resume.

This week was a pleasure, no doctor's appointments.  My next appointment is with my urology doctor for a cystoscopy. A benign name for a very invasive medical procedure which I  AM NOT looking forward to.

Now to enjoy this wonderful spring weather.

Bill's Cataract Surgery - Post Op

This morning we had an early appointment at the Delaware Eye Institute. This was a post op with Bill's doctor.

We arrived too early. The building wasn't open yet. We weren't the only ones arriving early. 

Bill slept in a chair last night with that cover on his right eye. That so we wouldn't rub his eye while he was sleeping.

He woke up this morning and looked out of his new eye for the first time. He was somewhat disappointed.  He said "There's a cloud I'm looking through. It looks foggy."

I wasn't too concerned because Bill just had his surgery yesterday but Bill was upset.

We didn't have to wait too long outside the building until the doors opened. I will say that for all the people waiting, the Delaware Eye Institute is very efficient in processing all us folks.

Waiting for the doors to open this morning

We poured in with the waiting throng of folks that were waiting for their appointments.  We were directed towards the new wing where the post op patients were to go in the waiting room.

We didn't have to wait too long until someone came by and called Bill's name. She asked us to follow her to one of the exam rooms. I went along since I am Bill's care giver.

She did the exam and then asked us to go into another waiting room until Bill's doctor was ready to see him.




That waiting room was crowded but there were two seats still open. It was crowded because it looked like a grandma brought her adult daughter with her and the daughter brought her two pre-teen antsy daughters with her.  God I can't stand antsy kids but hey, they're kids. Actually, they weren't too bad.  At least they weren't screaming.  But man oh man, up and down, up and down. One of them was coughing so Bill went into another room so as not to catch her cold. That's one thing kids are good for, spreading germs. We got through this winter without any major colds and we don't need one now.

After not too long another woman called Bill's name.  We followed her to another room and waited for Bill's doctor.

He came in and examined Bill.  I mentioned that Bill said he was looking through a "fog." The doctor said that Bill's eye was swollen from the operation and that once the swelling goes down, he will have clear vision.

The doctor completed his examination and gave us a schedule to apply a series of drops to his eyes for the next week when Bill has another post op appointment.  Bill is getting a little frustrated but I think once he's through this procedure he will be very happy. Especially when he gets his driver's license back again.  But we do have to go through again when he gets his other eye done.  

Things are going well folks. Knock on wood!

Ron the Caregiver waiting outside the Delaware Eye Institute this morning

Bill's Cataract Surgery

After two delays, tomorrow Bill has cataract surgery on his right eye. 

Bill lost his driver's license last June when he didn't pass the eye test. Ever since then we've been navigating through numerous hurdles to get his driver's license back.

First we had to apply to the Veteran's Administration choice program for approval for his cataract surgery.  I won't torture you with all I had to go through to get that approval.  But I finally got approval.

Then we had to get approval by a cardiologist before his surgery.  Again, I had to go through the VA's Choice program. Again I had to go through the same frustrating maze of hurdles to get approval for Bill to visit the cardiologist for an electrocardiogram.

We had an original date for surgery in January.  Bill had a medical emergency at the end of November.  His ulcers hemorrhaged. 

Surgery was delayed. New date of surgery was scheduled for February.  Then it was found out the surgery coordinator didn't send the right information to the cardiologist.  

Back to square one again.  Bill had to visit his cardiologist again. Appointment was scheduled and Bill got the go ahead from the cardiologist. An interesting coincidence, Bill's cardiologist said he recently had cataract surgery from the same doctor who is performing Bill's surgery. 

The new date of surgery was scheduled for April 5th, tomorrow. 

During all this time we have had to make several visits to the doctor who is performing the surgery to make sure Bill can take the surgery. During our visit last week to the surgery doctor, Bill got the final go ahead.

Today I applied the pre operation eye drops for Bill's surgery tomorrow. That wasn't easy for Bill. Ever try holding your eyes open while someone else puts eye drops in? Not easy. Poor Bill.  He said the eye drops burned too. this is something I will have to endure sometime in the future because my eye doctor has already identified that I have cataracts.

Finally, we're getting this done. 

Hopefully all goes well and Bill will be able to eventually get is license back again after he gets his other eye done. 

You know folks, I would like to go through a year without any medical issues. 

Next week I have my own appointment with my urologist to decide what to do with those kidney stones I'm still carrying. 

Bill Approved For Cataract Surgery!

Bill getting his eyes checked this morning

Finally!  After two cancelled dates, Bill has been approved for cataract surgery on April 5th.  

Bill lost his driver's license last June because he failed his eye test.  He has cataracts.  He couldn't get his license renewed unless he had his cataracts removed.

We then began the torturous route into arranged an eye exam for cataract surgery.

First we had to get enrolled in the Veterans' Choice program.  That was major torturous.

Then we had to go through the routine of getting authorization from a cardiologist.  Yet again we had to get another authorization from the Veterans' Choice program.

Then there was a mixup about not having a thorough visit with the cardiologist.  We had to arrange yet another visit.

Then Bill had his medial emergency.  His gastric ulcers hemorrhaged. Yet another delay.  

Because there were so many delays in his cataract surgery appointments we had to go through the whole routine again with his eye doctor.

We just returned this morning from his eye doctor.  

Bill's downstairs now, uncomfortable with his eyes dilated. 

But we're on tract for his cataract surgery April 5th.  

Four month's late but better late than never folks.

Now to get his driver's license back so she can drive me to my next emergency room visit.