Blurry, Near Philadelphia

I reported earlier that although the doctor and I are both pleased with the result, so far, of the cataract extraction and lens implantation, wearing my glasses is stressful. Not wearing my glasses is more stressful. The operative eye is corrected for distance, for "walking around." The nonoperative eye needs the graduated trifocal glasses for everything. So with the glasses on, I'm blurry. With the glasses off, I'm blurry. At work, where I need to use the computer most of the time, by 11 in the morning I've got a low-grade headache that hangs around much of the day.

Now, in the past five weeks or so, I've learned a lot about perspective. I'm well aware that in the total scheme of things, this is an inconvenience, nothing more. By golly, though, it is a lengthy inconvenience! It's been one week now, and two more to go before the second procedure. After that, while that eye heals, I imagine I'll get drugstore glasses -- a pair for close reading and another pair for computer distance work. Ultimately I'll have a new prescription for those functions.

What amazes me, though, is sewing. When I'm sitting with Bernina, when I'm rotary cutting, even when I'm ripping out (and as you know, I've become an expert at that of late), the blur doesn't bother me! I scarcely notice it when I'm sewing. Joe isn't surprised by this; he is quick to point out that when I am sick with bronchitis, I hardly ever cough when I am sewing. Amazing.

Equally as amazing as the whole procedure of making a slit in an eye, using some kind of device to break up the cataract and a second device to suck out the broken up material, and then inserting a lens that is 1/8 inch (and yes, we quilters know what 1/8 inch is!) into the eye. Amazing.

Comments

Perry said…
So you had your surgery and everything went well! I am so pleased for you! I am also glad that someone else can understand how you can't see because it is all blurry in one eye etc. It is the pits. But it is amazing what you can see without the cataract, isn't it? Mine are getting much better, will be so glad when I get the other eye done. I will be watching for the next eye installment.
Maggie A said…
Hi Nancy, I have had one eye done and have the same blurry experience.....but I'm lucky to be having the other eye done in a few days and hoping the world will be much clearer then....I haven't even attempted to sew and having shocking withdrawal!!
*karendianne. said…
When I'm in Karen's Quilt Shop, I have less pain ALMOST all the time.

I think you've trained your mind/body, too. After all these years of quilting.

Automagic Love, *karendianne.
Tanya said…
Actually some of the things that are just an inconveniences can cause the most stress. How nice that the sewing doesn't bother you. At least you have a place to retreat to when everything else is a blur. Think of how terrible it would be if you couldn't do your favorite thing for three weeks! Now that's a blessing!
Susan said…
Mind over matter? =) I'm glad it went well, and hope that the annoyance is bearable. I can't imagine doing the computer with that kind of distraction! Thank goodness for modern medicine. It sounds like miracle when you describe it!
Mrs. Goodneedle said…
Hang in there and keep the Tylenol handy. I've heard this same story from others while awaiting the second round, indeed; this is an amazing procedure! So glad you can sew without any compromise.