2016: Day 147 or Coping with my (temporary?) New Normal

2016 Day 147

So I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I’d had PRK surgery* in late April. Recovery had already been slower than I’d been led to believe and, well, it still is.

Unfortunately, it’s probably about as good as it’s going to get.

For now.

Normal set up (though font much bigger than usual)

Normal set up (though font much bigger than usual)

See, prior to surgery, my vision was somewhere in the 20/3000 range. As in super stinky. The laser had to do fairly extensive reconstruction (at least based on the size and thickness of a cornea ;)). Which means more recovery time.

But…even after a month of steroid drops (including two weeks of every two hours while awake), I’ve pretty much stopped getting better. The doc wanted to put me on name brand drops, but because it had only been just over a week since my last refill, insurance wouldn’t cover it. And it’s super duper expensive. So I had to go with the generic refill again until next week. Hopefully, he can write the script in such a way that I can get more than one of the tiny bottles, because that will still only last about 10-12 days tops.

We hope that it will help, but honestly, I’m not holding out a whole lot of hope. Most likely, I’ll need a touch up surgery. They won’t do that until at least 90 days afterward. There’s a date in late July that would work – but it’s EXACTLY three months so there’s a chance the doc will want to wait. The first date in August would work, EXCEPT I’m driving – by myself – to Nashville for the ACFW conference less than two weeks later, and I’d rather not cut it so close. After that, there’s a slim possibility we could get it to work in September, otherwise, it’ll be December. Sigh.

Have I mentioned how fantastic my husband and kids have been?! I don’t know what I’d do without them.

In the meantime…

New set up (though replaced the chair with the office chair)

New set up (though replaced the chair with the office chair)

I can see well enough to read a book or drive. But details any further out than a couple feet? Notsomuch. I don’t recognize people more than 5-6 feet away, unless I know them well and/or expect them to be somewhere. If I need to figure out which similar something I need to get at the store, I have to be embarrassingly close – and squint.

And I can’t see my computer screen with my normal set up. Even super huge font doesn’t work terribly well. So, i’m having to adjust to my new normal.

To that end, there is now a card table set up in my living room – right in front of the fireplace (thank goodness it’s summer!) with the 42″ television sitting on it and the laptop underneath and plugged in.

I CAN SEE!

But even then, the letters are somewhat blurry. :/

Close(r) up of the new set up

Close(r) up of the new set up

But the cover I just finished for the Montevaro Monarchy compilation looks super cool on a huge monitor. I’m now officially excited for the day when I can have a dedicated office and multiple huge monitors! 😀

So…I can work on my super special, super secret novella project that should be out by the end of next month – AND I can work on Jonathan’s story, which should be out near the end of July.

Which means it time to get back to work :).

*Different procedure than LASIK, similar end result

2 comments

  • So proud of you for persevering when so many would quit. I’m sorry that you are suffering! I know our Father will hold onto you and give strength. I’m praying for healing. Hugs!

    • Carol

      Thank you! I appreciate it! My eye doc used the word “improving” yesterday ;). So we’ll see how it goes from here… 😀

      I’m trying to remind myself to count it as research!