My very own underwater light show
Ok, a few people seem interested in what exactly happened at the eye hospital. It was suggested I write a post about it, so here goes.
Mo came with me again for moral support. We arrived early, sat amongst hoards of people and waited for my ‘Ultrasound’ scan. I was not in the least nervous about this. “They’ll just slap some gloop around my eye and slide the scanner around” I thought. “A bit like they do for pregnant women.”
After about ten minutes I was called in. The first thing I notice is a bed. No! not a bed to sleep in, one they use for procedures. “Oh a bed” I said. “Yes, please don’t go to sleep on it though” said the doctor. “Oh, do I have to lay down then?” says I. “Yes please” says he. I gingerly climb on to the bed and lay down flat. VERY flat! So flat that my neck hurt. “It’s very flat” I say. “Yes” he says, “I need your head low.” I’m beginning to wonder why he needs me laying so flat in order to spread a dollop of gloop on me.
“We’llgiveyousomedropsthatwillnumbyoureyesandthen……………” I didn’t hear what was actually going to take place but I was nervous now. It didn’t sound like gloop and a hand-held.
Nurse: “OK I’m just going to give you some drops. Close your eyes for this. Let me know when it stops stinging”
Me: “It hasn’t started stinging”
Nurse: “I’ll give you some more”
Me: “Still not stinging”
Nurse: “Open your eyes I’ll give you more” Drop, drop, drop, drop.
Me: “Can’t feel a thing”
Nurse: “Well you’ve had plenty so it’ll be OK”
Doctor: “Maybe you have a high pain threshold”
Me: “I don’t THINK so!”
Doctor hovers over me with a large clear cup in his hand. I wonder why – Not for long.
Nurse lifts my top eyelid, doctor shoves the bottom rim of the cup under my lid. Nurse lifts bottom eyelid. Doc shoves the remainder of the cup rim under. I now have a cup in my eye! It soon became apparent that the cup was, in fact, a kind of funnel because it had no base. For some strange reason having a cup in my eye was very disorientating, not made any better by the fact that ‘doc’ now fills it with water! “It’s only water” says he. Now the ceiling is swirling all over the place as I view it through moving water. “I’m just going to put the probe into the water” says doc. Here comes the hand-held. “OK” I say.
Doc: “Look down” I look down and I’m immediately bombarded with hundreds of flashing lights and swirls of turbulent water while doc is rolling the hand-held over the surface of my eye! Water runs down my face and into my ear.
Me: “It’s running in my ear”
Doc: “It’s only water”
Me: “But it’s filling my ear” Doc dabs face with tissue.
Nurse: “Long slow breaths now. Your doing so well”
Doc: “Look up ….. look left ….. look right” Each time I get the same light show, and pretty wet around the ears.
Doc: “Turn your head to the right.” I turn, doc pulls cup out, a torrent of water is released and he quickly dabs my face with tissues.
Next eye.
Doc: “Would you like a rest before I do this one?”
Me: “No, just do it”
Nurse: “You’re doing so well”
This eye, for some reason doesn’t take the numbing fluid very well and it hurts a bit. Still, I have a high pain threshold, so doc says.
Finally over, I go to sit up. Nurse rushes round and holds me down. “No, take your time. Nice and slow. You’re doing so well” Nurse on one side doc on the other, they help me to my feet. I ask for a tissue, nurse says “Try not to rub your eyes” I say “It’s for my ears” Nurse laughs. I wobble outside and, as instructed, sit until I feel steady.
And this is just the pre-laser treatment!
More drops and 45 minutes later I was led into the laser treatment room.
Top doc: “This will only take a few seconds. It won’t hurt, you may feel a little pop. Look straight ahead” Click……click……click. The noise was like the little gas ignitions on a cooker. “Next eye please” Click, click, click. “OK, please see the nurse for more drops and an appointment next week for another (yes ANOTHER) ultrasound”
Aside from a slightly unpleasant feeling and a few bright red fireworks in the back of my eye, the laser treatment was a piece of cake.
So you see the actual treatment WAS only a few seconds. I would say a hole a second. I had three holes in each eye.
The drops that they give me, I assume are to prevent the build up of fluids behind my eye, which was the cause of my problem. It does that job very well but eye fluid isn’t all it dries up! I am finding it difficult to hold a conversation. My mouth is so dry that my tongue won’t move about to form words. It sticks to my mouth! I’ve no doubt that me not talking may please some people.
Note: For anyone who may need this treatment in the future, I can assure you that there was no pain at all. As always, it’s the ‘not knowing what they are going to do’ that’s the worst part.
Stumble it!
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Daisy the Curly Cat
| 20 November 2009 at 19:49
You are so brave! Just reading your description made me feel scairt inside.
Daisy the Curly Cat´s last blog ..Fashion Friday: Working with Separates
Comedy Plus
| 20 November 2009 at 19:57
You are doing so well. I thought perhaps the nurse was going to say that every few seconds.
Okay, I don’t think I’d like this treatment one bit. Yikes.
Glad all is well now, well except for the dry mouth part.
Have a terrific day Babs. Hugs.
Comedy Plus´s last blog ..Animator vs Animation
Jackie
| 20 November 2009 at 21:36
Oh my Babs, I couldn’t even read all of the details the first go round. Then I went back and read everything. Oh my, I think you are very brave. They would have to put me to sleep. I’m not joking. I would never make it awake. I hope the dryness goes aways soon and you are 100% again!!
Big big hugs!:-)
Jackie´s last blog ..Finally Time for A Post – Personal Update & Thank You Amy & PJ
Jay
| 21 November 2009 at 1:52
Wow … I’m glad I read this before the one that ended ‘they made a few holes in the back of my eye’. LOL!
Sounds as if you did indeed ‘do very well’ Babsie. It can’t have been much fun, and just the thought of having holes put in the back of my eyes would have been enough to freak me out. Yikes.
Still, if it will save you the trauma of glaucoma then surely it’s well worth it. Well done you for being a brave girl. I hope they gave you a sticker!
granny grimble
| 21 November 2009 at 20:37
You are SO brave Babs. But it is just as they say, it’s the not knowing that scare the daylight out of us all. I was very interested to hear all the details, but I don’t suppose Arthur’s will be the same as I’m sure it doesn’t include holes anywhere! I was kind of hoping you’d have the cartaracts removed, because that’s what I’ve got to have, and I would have liked a tour round that one!
granny grimble´s last blog ..SINDIE AND THE CAVENDISH CENTRE
beetle
| 22 November 2009 at 3:05
Daisy: I was a little scairt inside, I don’t mind telling you!
Sandee: She did say it quite often. She is a lovely little nurse actually. Run off her feet, yet still had time for everyone
Jackie: I get more scared by what might be, then the actual is never as bad as I imagine. My mouth was fine by the next day, and I was singing and squawking as usual
Jay: Sadly there was no ‘Brave girl’ sticker, but you are right. The treatment was well worth it. I am very grateful to them all for saving my vision in that eye!
Granny Grimble: No that treatment was for high pressure. I doubt Arthur would need it. I am very glad I didn’t have my cataracts removed, thank you
Junk Drawer Kathy
| 22 November 2009 at 14:37
Holy cow! Finishing your post, I only now realize how tense I was reading that. I’m so happy that it wasn’t any measurable pain that bothered you, only the not knowing. And now the next one will be even easier because you know what to expect.
I hope you get that same nurse. She sounded SO encouraging!
Hugs,
Kathy
Junk Drawer Kathy´s last blog ..Careful Where You Stick That
LadyBanana
| 22 November 2009 at 17:30
Well I think you really do have a high pain threshold and a great tolerance for having your eyes poked around..
When I went to the eye hospital it was difficult to get past the eyedrops stage
LadyBanana´s last blog ..Fantastic Children In Need Medley
Maureen
| 23 November 2009 at 17:33
Deep breaths, Maureen… in, out, relax…
Oh gad. I dare say I wouldn’t do as well as you. I nearly fainted just reading that.
You are brave, Babs.
Maureen´s last blog ..Up On the Roof
beetle
| 23 November 2009 at 19:14
Kathy: She is the nurse I have seen each time I’ve been, so I imagine I will get her again. She is very sweet, but I am beginning to get nervous again now the next appointment is near. Can you believe that?
LadyBanana: I had so many drops the first time I went, that I take them in my stride now. I don’t like pain and I’m a real baby having an injection!
Maureen: It was a bit scary but no pain thank goodness
Lola
| 24 November 2009 at 15:45
Is that like the high tech version of waterboarding? Did you divulge any government secrets?
On a serious note, hope you’re doing better and the procedure was successful.
Lola´s last blog ..Random Tuesday Thoughts
Swubird
| 24 November 2009 at 16:47
Babs:
Holy cow! That was quite a story. It reminded me of the time I was in the hospital for an operation. The guy who shared my room undergone eye surgery. He was required to lay flat on his back for something like fourteen days! He could talk but be couldn’t move—for any reason! It was a nightmare.
Happy trails.
Swubird´s last blog ..BOUNCING BOOB HEAVEN
beetle
| 24 November 2009 at 17:11
Lola: It looked like someone was waterboarding in my eye! I go back tomorrow to have it done again. I will find out if it was a success, or if I need more holes, I imagine.
Swubird: I my word! Two weeks without moving! I hope his head was strapped to hold it still. Wouldn’t you need a bath after that?!!
meleah rebeccah
| 24 November 2009 at 18:58
Oh My Word! How scary for you! I would have FREAKED out! And all I can say is drink LOTS of fluid for that dry mouth and play lots of bejeweled blitz for entertainment!
meleah rebeccah´s last blog ..I Could…
beetle
| 24 November 2009 at 20:05
Meleah: It was all a bit scary but worth it, in order to save the sight in that eye
Bejeweled Blitz here I come 
JD at I Do Things
| 27 November 2009 at 17:19
You did so well!!!
Yikes. This sounds a little unnerving. I’m rather fond of my eyeballs and don’t like the sound of cups or drops or “just” water. But it sounds like you really did handle it quite well, and your description is just amazing — especially the doodle of the eye cup.
So glad you did this so I don’t have to!
JD at I Do Things´s last blog ..I Am Thankful so you don’t have to be
beetle
| 27 November 2009 at 18:06
JD: I must say I was rather disappointed that you didn’t do it for me, but I’m glad you were glad