Wednesday, November 06, 2013

So far, so good

This is just a quick post to thank you all so much for your good wishes and prayers and to tell you that the operation seems to have gone very well. I couldn't post yesterday as my eye was so thoroughly shielded and strapped up that I couldn't get my glasses on at all, so had to spend the rest of the day resting very quietly and listening to the radio. I saw the consultant first thing this morning and he took off the shield, inspected his handiwork and pronounced himself satisfied so far, so I can now view the world through my glasses again and can even see to use the computer. 

Well. the world is definitely clearer and brighter with my right eye now, though a bit blurry to begin with. I'd forgotten what proper blue and white look like! The operation went well once it happened (2 specialist opthalmic scrub nurses had phoned in sick that morning and they had to wait a couple of hours for another to be available) though it was as tricky as my wonderful consultant had expected and took almost twice as long as a normal cataract operation.

I now have to wait for my poor brain to learn to merge the spanking new colours in my right eye with the yellowy-brownish tinge in my left which has the very beginnings of a cataract too. Given the difficulty with this one, he doesn't want to have to do the other until it's really necessary. Once everything has settled down and healed I'll be able to get the new glasses I now need – and deserve. J

Result!

Image via Google

67 comments:

  1. Excellent, excellent news, Perpetua! Let's hope the brain makes that adjustment rapidly and that the operation makes a big difference to your quality of vision. Good to hear from you so quickly - thanks for letting us know.
    Axxx

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    1. My thoughts exactly. Excellent.

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    2. Thanks, both. I gather it can take a while, though my psychologist DH tells me the brain can adjust to anything, given time. At present looking at something with first one eye, then the other, reminds me strongly of the before and after images in the old Persil advert. :-)

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  2. You have been on my mind Perpetua, especially since I am down with my mom right now to help her during her cataract surgery. I'm so glad it went well, and I hope you have a very quick recovery. I know with my mom's first surgery it took a few weeks for her brain to properly co-ordinate with her eye. I just blogged a bit about the experience if you are interested.

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    1. So glad your mom's second surgery has gone well, Kristie and i'll certainly head over to read your post. I'm having to limit computer use to short sessions, but I'll get there. Everyone tells me that it takes time to adjust and for the blurriness to clear. In my case I'll need new glasses too, so perfect vision is a little way down the line. Still, the difference is already amazing. :-)

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  3. Oh I'm so glad it's now all over for you and you can get back to quality vision again. Mine took a couple of days before I could see properly again and everything was so bright and clear. Although it was a couple of weeks before I could drive again. Take care.
    Patricia x

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    1. So am I, Patricia. I was told to expect the need for adjustment, but that eye's been so bad for so long, I can already see an improvement despite some blurriness. The colours are just amazing! I won't be driving until i get my new glasses, so it's DH's turn to be the chauffeur. :-)

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  4. I'm so glad it all went well....the wait for a nurse would have had me up the wall, though!

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    1. They'd already started me on the preparatory drops before the staffing problem became apparent, so they had to start them all over again when the go-ahead was given. I went to theatre about two and a half hours later than expected, but it wasn't their fault and I had my trusty Sudoku book with me to pass the waiting time. :-)

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  5. Wonderful news. I'm so pleased.

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    1. It's a big relief after all my collywobbles and so good to see the difference already.

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  6. That's wonderful news, I am so pleased it has all gone well for you. A little 'thank you' prayer going up right now!

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    1. Thanks, Catriona. It's still early days, but the consultant was very pleased this morning which I take as a very good sign. :-)

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  7. Great news Perpetua & thank you for posting about it so quickly. I've checked here a few times, hoping for an update. Glad you're over the collywobbles & best wishes for a full & speedy recovery.

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    1. Thanks, Ricky. I posted as soon as I could wear my glasses and focus on the screen for long enough. I'm trying to be good and only do short periods at the computer at the moment, but I'm sure I'll soon fall back into my bad old ways. :-)

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  8. Absolutely brilliant news Perpetua. I did light that candle and. Will now light a second, thank you one
    Well done. now

    Now get some rest.x

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    1. Thanks, Ray. I love the thought of candles. :-) I promise I'm being good and not overdoing things, including trying to alternate use of my eyes between different distances. I'm ready for a really good night's sleep tonight.

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  9. This is such good news. I thought about you yesterday, and it is so good of you to let us all know, so quickly, how things have gone. I hope things continue to progress well, and this long planned procedure will have been well worth the wait. Jx

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    1. Thanks, Janice. Everyone has been so kind that I had to let you all know as soon as I could. You'll note that I'm taking my time about replying to comments as I'm trying to to be a good girl and give my eye plenty of rest. :-)

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  10. Very good news, Perpetua. I hope the recovery and adjustment period progresses well.

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    1. Thanks, Linda. I can see an improvement alrady over yesterday, so hopefully things will settle down soon.

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  11. Excellent news! I was thinking of you. And hoping you would have the good results so many other folk I know have had. Give the brain a while to get used to it and I'm sure with your new glasses there will be no looking back - well metaphorically that is!

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    1. DH and I are both very relieved and pleased. I'm taking it slowly and being very good about following doctor's orders and my consultant is the kind who obviously takes every precaution. No bending or lifting for a whole month! The new glasses will come when everything has healed. Goody-goody. :-)

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  12. Great news.
    It does take a while to learn to co-ordinate the eyes again. Colour differences can trick the brain into seeing things that aren't there, or missing things that are, and affect your judgement of distance, so take it steady for a while.

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    1. Thanks, Jean. Very helpful to get advice from one who knows. Today the pupil dilation has completely disappeared and so there's no more glare and my brain is starting to meld the colour differences. No driving until I'm told i can, so the roads are safe for a while. :-)

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  13. Oh, I'm so glad to hear that you have come through with flying colors (in every sense of the word)!

    Now you don't have that hanging over you, you can get on with things. How nice!

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    1. Thanks, Vic. The colours are fantastic. One just doesn't realise how much cataracts distort colour vision until they're gone. At the moment I'm limp with released tension but soon there'll be no holding me. :-)

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  14. Hari OM
    and 'mubharak ho!' - such wonderful result so immediately. I confess I had lost track and thought it was next week. Do please forgive my late wishes but will include you in healing prayers during the recuperation period. I do hope DH is continuing in better health also. Looking forward to more of your news. YAM xx

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    1. Thanks, Yam. DH is doing well too, thank goodness. The immediate difference is amazing, despite the initial blurriness. Today is sunny, with a pale blue sky, and it's so lovely to see its true colour again. Real contrast instead of mutedness. :-)

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  15. This is really great news, Perpetua. Glad to learn of it.
    Isn't it amazing how brilliant colors are now? Someone mentioned it to me before I had my surgery and I thought, yeah, sure - then, I saw what they meant. Amazing. Rest up and take it easy. Your brain will get the message soon enough and the blurriness will abate. Best to you, dear blogging friend.

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    1. You warned me about the colours, Penny, but like you, I just didn't believe it would make such a difference. All those years of seeing the world through a shade! What's interesting is that my right eye is the dominant one and it's starting to exert its dominance where colour is concerned, which means I'm seeing the new colours rather than the old. The blurriness is improving too. :-)

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  16. So happy for you, Perpetua! Keep us informed, but don't overdo... ; )

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    1. Thanks, rRan. I'm being good , promise, and if I look like breaking that promise I have DH watching me. :-)

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  17. Sounds just great - especially the colors! You'll be back to your old self in about a week.

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    1. Thanks for the voice of experience, Linda. The colours are simply wonderful!

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  18. This is such good news, Perpetua. I am so pleased to hear that the surgery went well and that you're already noticing a brighter world. :-) I hope you can just rest for now, let your brain make the necessary adjustments, and maybe even relax a bit! ox (breathe lighter)

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    1. On this sunny morning the world is almost unbelievably bright, thanks, Debra. :-) It's so lovely to see a pale blue sky that is truly blue. I'm taking things very easy, following all my consultants's instructions to the letter and my brain is already getting right down to the job of adjusting. :-)

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  19. Great news that your eye is good after surgery. It's better to take rest for few more days and not to strain too much.

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    1. Hi Weekend-Windup (wonderful name!) and welcome to my blog. Thanks for the good wishes and I really am trying to be kind to my eyes and rest.

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  20. So pleased to hear you are doing well.

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    1. Thanks, Kerry. I'm so glad it's over with such good results.

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  21. Wonderful news Perpetua, and I am so happy for you that it all went well. Your choice of picture is quite perfect, illustrating the brightness you can now enjoy. Take care and enjoy the time of rest.

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    1. We're really pleased that it's gone so well, Patricia, and my consultant looked rather chuffed too. I had a good rummage round on Google to get the right picture. I love blue and now I can see it properly again. :-)

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  22. Glad to hear you're doing well and not too Admiral Nelson. Sending you a virtual hug.

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    1. Thanks, Anny. I was a real Admiral Nelson for less than a day, but now the sight in that eye is improving all the time.

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  23. Glad it went well if a little long. Take care. :)

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    1. From what he said afterwards, I think it seemed much longer to my poor consultant, Sarah. I'm being very careful now with his handiwork. :-)

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  24. So pleased it all went well, in spite of the delay. I hope your sight continues to improve but don't forget to rest your eye as much as possible xx

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    1. The delay was unwanted, Ayak, but even worse for the staff who hate even the possibility of having to cancel ops at the last-minute. I'm glad tyo say that might sight is improving and I'm being good about not overtiring it. Perhaps I'm learning patience at last. :-)

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  25. Yoohoo! Party! Time to sing that old mondegreen classic we were talking about the other day: "I can see Deirdre now Lorraine has gone", by Jimmy Cliff :-D Glad to know that the sky is clear blue for you, hope British weather keeps it that way.

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    1. Sadly the weather is refusing to co-operate, MM, but even grey looks good when it's truly grey and not a muddy fawn. :-) The weather isn't dampening my high spirits, however, and I'm having to restrain myself from doing silly things until the consultant says I can.

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  26. Wonderful news, I am happy for you! Wishing you bluest skies and sunshine. :)

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    1. Thanks, DB. No blue skies this morning, but my mood is still very sunny. :-) I still can't get over the difference in colour!

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  27. Great to hear about the success of your op Big Sis - please take your lovely blog friends' advice and take things easy a bit. Then in a week or two enjoy choosing some new specs!

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    1. Thanks, PolkaDot. I promise I'm being good and this morning didn't wake up until almost 9am! I didn't realise how much tension I'd been under until it wasn't there any more. No chance of my overdoing things with DH watching me like a hawk. :-) As for the new specs, these have to wait until my consultant says my eye is completely healed and with a bigger than usual incision (because of the difficulty of the op) and several stitches,this may take up to 6 to 8 weeks.

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  28. This is certainly a very happy news. I am so pleased for you – now you can enjoy looking at pictures even more than before – wonderful.

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    1. Thanks, Vagabonde. DH and I are relieved it's gone so well. The vision in my right eye is starting to settle down and things are looking crisper and clearer than they have for a very long time. So yes, looking at pictures will be wonderful. :-)

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  29. Wonderful news, Perpetua! I'm so glad your surgery was a success and that you're able to see so much better!

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    1. Thanks, Kathy. It feels so good to have it over with after such a long wait and I'm really enjoying the results already, even though i'm still adjusting. :-)

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  30. So very happy for you that that's sorted and went well. Enjoy your return to a vibrant world :)

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    1. Thanks, Annie, it's a great relief. Now I can really appreciate the rainbow colours of all the socks I've been knitting. :-)

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  31. Wonderful news Perpetua:) The world will look bright and new again.

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    1. On this bright and sunny morning it looks truly glorious, Shirley. I'm still revelling in the colours. :-)

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  32. YAY, Yay and triple yay! :-) So glad all has gone well. Don't forget to get some trendy shades as well to deal with those lovely bright colours ;-)

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    1. My sentiments exactly. :-) Things are still settling down as the process takes weeks not days, but I can now take photos with the proper eye to the viewfinder! The shades are on the shopping list, but as clip-ons only. My specs are always horrendously expensive.(complex lenses).

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