I survived my first cataract surgery. It was pretty easy
compared to other surgeries I have been through. I think the
best part was relaxing the week of Thanksgiving. For each of my
nine other surgeries I found different ways to cope with my
recovery, and with this one I also found a way to cope.
The Sunday before my surgery my husband and I spent the
night at my parents’ house so they could drive me to the surgery
center. We enjoyed spending time with my parents.
At the surgery center the nurse put the needle in for an IV
and then hooked up the IV line. The IV line had a leak in it and
blood started dripping down my hand. The nurse called another
nurse in. One nurse held the needle in my hand while the other
tried to unhook the line. It pulled on the needle, and it hurt.
After several tries and lots of blood, they were able to unhook
the line and put a new one in. Afterwards they had to clean me
up and get me a new blanket.
I heard the doctors talk throughout my surgery, but I
couldn’t understand what they were saying. Before I knew it,
they were taking me to the recovery room and my left eye and
face were numb. I had a patch over my eye, and everything looked
blurry with my other eye. When I got home, I took a long nap.
That night I just listened to the TV. I couldn’t see out
of my patched eye, and I couldn’t see well with my other one.
The patch was so big I couldn’t fit the mask of my CPAP machine
over it, but luckily I was drowsy enough to fall asleep easily
that night.
I got the patch off the next day, thank God. I had to go to
the eye doctor to get the left lens popped out of my glasses. I
no longer needed a lens for my left eye. With one eye recovering
from surgery and one eye still having a cataract I was very
unbalanced. With the surgery eye everything looked brighter and
clearer than the right eye. It didn’t take much for me to get
dizzy.
With my other surgeries I coped by doing woodburnings,
adult coloring books, and writing. With my uneven vision I can’t
color or woodburn. I haven’t done any writing until now. I have
been coping by watching Netflix, talking to my support team,
spending time with my husband, and enjoying the week off.
We spent Thanksgiving at my parents’ house. When I tried to
pour a drink into my glass, it ended up on the table. I tried
again and my poor dad got a lap full of apple cider. My husband
told me that I am no longer allowed to pour drinks.
My spirits have been good. It’s been a long time since I
have been able to enjoy having Thanksgiving week off. I can’t
wait until December 8 to have my right eye done. I’m ready for
balanced vision and to be able to see well without glasses.
I’m standing in the light of recovery being able to see the
light better.
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