After all the awful eye news I’ve shared with readers since April, I’m happy to share some good eye news.
According to my surgeon during a recent check-up, my retina is still attached. I’m still looking through an “oil slick” in that eye, which is kinda annoying, but I knew ahead of time that would continue for 3-6 months.
I jokingly told the surgeon it can stay for 3-6 years if it means the retina will stay attached. He assured me it would not be there that long, but it will require another operation to have the oil removed. Something else he’d explained before the second operation — if he needed to go this route rather than a gas bubble that eventually disappears on its own.
I’m not out of the woods yet, but if I squint my left eye, I think I can faintly see some blurry blue sky ahead. Following my cataract surgery, I had amazingly clear vision, so I know it’s in my future. I just need to remain patient.
And although my surgeon has released me to return to my normal life, I’m still not taking any unnecessary chances, and continue to restrict my time in front of a computer screen. If my eyes get tired, I walk away and rest them. And, I’m still not lifting anything heavy, running or doing anything to jostle my eye. So, I guess disco dancing is out, too.
Plus, for the first summer since 1999, I’m not riding dear, dear Old Faithful around to mow this joint. (Old Faithful is my little old lawn tractor with a way too small mowing deck for this place. Throughout the years, we’ve developed a special relationship, putt-putting around in second gear.)
I’m thankful for the help of Don Hayduk, who has been faithfully arriving every Thursday to take my “other mower” out to complete the many hours it takes to finish this weekly task.
I do go out to the garage to explain to Old Faithful that she and I are just taking this summer off. Don has driven her around a bit so she keeps running like a well-oiled machine. And, so she knows she hasn’t been retired. And, I’ve also hidden some scent containers on and under her for Aidan to find.
After all the years under our collective belts, I don’t want Old Faithful to feel ignored or as if she’s been put out to pasture. We’ve spent way too many hours bouncing around together mowing this joint.
I return for another check-up appointment in early August and began slowly building back my stamina last week taking walk-abouts with Aidan.
After all, I’ll need all the energy I can muster for Chelsea Update’s extensive Chelsea Community Fair coverage that takes place throughout August.
