Recovery

Looking at the world through new eyes!

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I started wearing reading glasses at nineteen. The kind old folks need to be able see menus, etc. I remember being a bit appalled at the time that I had eyes that were decades older than the rest of me.

No sooner did I catch up with my tired old eyes, than I needed cataract surgery — last week on my left eye and my right eye yesterday. What cataract surgery means, in case you’re not familiar with the process, is that my eyes received lens replacements. Now I can see better than I did when I was 18. Which means, ironically, that my eyes are now decades younger than the rest of me. Life is just weird sometimes.

Must be magic

What’s amazing to me is that medical science has come so far along in the last few decades that something like cataracts, which used to gradually make people blind, can now be removed along with the lens God gave us and an artificial lens, that is much like the contacts I’ve worn, can be implanted in its place and, voila, I can see 20/20 — like a kid again.

Now, if they could just magically whisk away my tired old muscles and saggy butt, I’d be all set. Only way I know of to fix that, however, is to walk, walk, and walk some more. So, back to the diet and exercise routine I gave up a decade ago.

Time to get this old girl in shape again.

No more excuses.

The rest of me needs to catch up with my eyeballs.

Credit where credit is due …

I have to admit that I was pretty nervous about having cataract surgery. My sweet sister Rosie, though, stuck with me through all of it and helped me keep it all in perspective (no pun intended). She has been my rock the last few weeks and I thank her more than she’ll ever know. (Even though she did make fun of me when I was high on oxygen and couldn’t stop giggling.)

The medical professionals who have guided me through this process have been wonderful. Their kindness and patience (even though I was late for two appointments) helped me cope with what was, for me, two very scary medical procedures. They are the best and I thank them for all they’ve done for me.

In fact, my hat is off to all the wonderful folks at Stones River Eye Center in Murfreesboro Tennessee.

For sale … cheap!

  • 1 Pair of multi-focal eyeglasses, in good condition
  • 1 Pair of clip-on sunglasses, tinted green
  • 3 Pairs of multi-focal contacts, one pair slightly used
  • 2 Pairs of single focus contacts (been in drawer for about three years so may be a little gummy by now)
  • Miscellaneous eyeglass cases, contact lens cases, eye drops, lens cleaners, contacts cleaners, etc.

It gives all new meaning to eye apeel!

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It’s my eyes. Yep, them eyes up there in the pic, they’ve got ’em — cataracts!

Turns out my peepers have had them for a long time but now they’re to the point that surgery is needed. Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about that.

On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to see better and, let’s face it, if my vision gets much worse I won’t be able to get contacts to correct it anymore. I mean that thin little disc of plastic can only do so much. And, the only other option is glasses that are thicker than Coke bottles.

On the other hand — cutting into my eyeballs — scary.

What to do?

To add to my dilemma, there are even more decisions to make. For example, which kind of lens implant do I get? I have trouble deciding which book to read. How am I ever going to decide which lens implant I need?

Help!

I know. Let’s take a poll! What do you think I should do?

Okay, here’s the options:

Option 1: Single focus lenses that will allow me to see distance but I’ll still need glasses for reading.

Option 2: Single focus lenses that correct a different problem for each eye. (I’m far-sighted in one and near-sighted in the other.) I tried this route with my first contacts. It worked but was a bit weird to get used to.

Option 3: Multi-focal lenses, what I have now, that correct both vision problems and I may or may not need glasses to read really, really fine print. (Does anybody read that stuff anyway?) I’ve had multi-focal contacts for about three years and love ’em. No problem getting used to them either.

Can’t guarantee I’ll actually do what the poll says I should do. I mean we do still have free will on this planet and, besides,  I hardly ever do what anyone else says.

Anyway, thanks for participating — if you did.

If you didn’t, please do.

I mean, haven’t you ever wanted a chance to shape the future of another human being’s eyeballs?

Gives you the willies doesn’t it?

Me too.

“… we’re goin’ crazy and we’re goin’ today …”

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It’s time to confess.

I have a problem.

October 2010, 18 long months ago, I started listening to Leon Russell’s CD Retrospective — and I can’t seem to stop. My ears just can’t seem to get enough of the master of space and time.

Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Crazy weird?

Yep!

Can’t help it.

I’ve tried weaning myself from Leon’s music – multiple times — and I’ve even managed to for a day or so then it’s back to Leon. I have a whole slew of CD’s from which to choose but I keep coming back to Leon.

I’ve tried everything. Nora Jones lasted for almost a whole CD and I made it all the way through a Bare Naked Ladies CD. That was in December of 2010. Since then, I’ve tried Dan Fogelberg, The Eagles, Bob Seger, Cake, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, America, The Beatles, and even Janis Joplin. Then, finally, about 6 months ago, I brought out the big gun — John Fogerty. It lasted for about 3 days then it was back to Leon.

Is this a misguided effort to recapture my youth?

Don’t know. Don’t care.

Have you ever heard Leon’s Jumping Jack Flash? No? What’s stopping you? Try it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZIi188Cakk, you’ll like it. (341,555 views, and counting.)

I  managed to listen to Leon’s 2006 CD, Angel in Disguise, for about a month in the summer of 2011. (I especially liked Honky Tonk Eyes.) But then it was back to vintage Leon.

I can’t stop. I have a problem. I need help. Sad, but true.

It got so bad my daughter tried to stage an intervention. Well, sort of. Actually, she just refuses to let me play Leon in the car when she’s with me. Not much help at all.

Jump forward to this week. I am determined to break this habit! (I would say cold turkey but finding the link above made me forced me to watch the video. Sorry. Couldn’t be helped.) I started out my commute this week with John Fogerty’s A Long Road Home. I love this CD. I’m a huge fan of Jon Fogerty and CCR. The title of this post is a line from his song, Rockin’ All Over the World. I love it!

But, the big question is — how long can my ears stay away from Leon and his drawl?

In case you’re wondering, Masquerade is my favorite Leon Russell song. I know everybody else likes A Song for You, but I’m hooked on Masquerade. Can’t get enough of it.

Maybe it’s a sickness. Maybe not.

Maybe I’m just in a musical rut.

Can John Fogerty get me out of the Leon Russell ditch?

We’ll see.

I just watched Leon on youtube playing Jambalaya on the Bayou, with Glen Campbell on guitar.

I am so in over my head!