I have had a series of annual check-ups recently; dentist, mammogram, eye doctor, lab work and a wellness visit with my physician. All have gone well…I may need cataract surgery…but that’s to be expected at my age I guess.
As I’m driving to my appointments, I think about those folks in countries where they walk a long distance to get health care, and/or wait in long lines to see a health care professional, and/or do not even attempt to go because they cannot afford the services. I think about such things and am very grateful for affordable, accessible healthcare, right here within minutes of my home. I don’t want to take it for granted. What a blessing it is. I am grateful.
I am thankful for eyes to see. I think of the alternative, being blind, and wonder what it must be like, to not see all the beautiful colors God has created, like morning sunrises. In the last couple of years I have had some special care for my own eyes and I am grateful for eye doctors who know how to care for our eyes.
Sunrise on January 3, 2019.
In January 2016 I had surgery in my left eye for a macular hole. “A macular hole is a small break in the macula, located in the center of the eye’s light-sensitive tissue called the retina. The macula provides the sharp, central vision we need for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail.”* This problem was found by my eye doctor during a annual, routine eye exam. My wonderful eye doctor, Dr. O’Neil whom I have seen yearly since 1994, is going to retire in 2020. It will be hard to say good-bye to him. I trust him completely. (BTW- he thinks it’s great that he’s retiring, from being an eye doctor, in 2020!)
When Dr. O’Neil noticed this macular hole he referred me to a retina specialist. What I found interesting is that before I had this problem, I had no idea there were retina specialists, and so many, right here in the twin cities. My surgery was done in Edina, and I had anesthesia. Thankfully, it was successful, according to the ophthalmologist who performed the surgery.
2Big, brown (young) eyes…
The recovery process from this macular hole surgery was interesting…one has to keep their head down for 2-5 days. Fortunately I needed only two days. We rented a special chair – imagine a massage chair – where my head rested on a bar as I looked down to the floor and sat on the seat with knees resting on a lower bar. It was very helpful, and fairly comfortable. I could read, listen to books on tape, and use a mirror to watch TV. (On a side note, a friend came over and read children’s books to me.)
October 2018 was my last follow-up appointment for the macular hole and my left eye is back to its normal self…but cataracts are coming.
My eye (old) after the removal of a cyst.
This week I had another eye procedure, this time on my right eye. I had a cyst on my eyelid that was interfering with my tear duct, so it had to be removed. Again, I was grateful to have access to healthcare and eye specialists that can correct these problems. The cyst removal was performed right here in Northfield, in the specialist’s office. From the anesthesia injection it looks like I have a black eye, but the procedure went well and all is good.
I’m so grateful for doctors and specialists that can preform surgeries and procedures that help us retain our eyesight.
