Looking through amber

Tuesday I had my first cataract surgery. Wednesday I went back to the ophthalmologist's office for him to check his work. Sara drove me both days. I had Lexi go into the exam room with me, because she is being my helper for a few days, and I wanted her to hear what they had to say. First the nurse took off the shield and patch and went over a few instructions. Then she left and said the doctor would be in shortly. She left the door open so I could see into the hall and the room across the hall. I couldn't believe how clear and bright everything was. I started doing a comparison between the two eyes. With the left one, things were clear and the walls were white; with the right one, things were blurry and the walls were yellowish. The cataracts formed so slowly that I didn't realize that I was looking through amber. Lexi laughed at me and said I was like a little kid who had just discovered something. I thought of the day 62.5 years ago when my first pair of glasses was waiting for me when I got home from school. They were on the kitchen table, along with a note telling my sister and me to go to the Witthuhn's until our parents and younger siblings got home. As we walked across the field of corn stubble, I was amazed at how bright and clear things were. I imagine if I exclaimed about it, Pauline, who is 2.5 years older than I am, just told me to shut up.

Lexi is being quite helpful - reminding me when to use the drops and timing the five minute interval between them, taping the shield over my eye at bedtime, doing a bit of cooking, etc. She also took some pictures of me.

I had to agree with her Tuesday afternoon that I looked silly trying to wear my glasses over the shield.

And I guess this is what I look like now - not myself without the glasses.

I go back to Dr Williams on Monday. Maybe we'll discuss then when the right eye can be done.