The Much Delayed Update (No. 8 and 9)

Hello blogging world! I can't tell you how (surprisingly) much I missed blogging while I was away! I know it's been FOREVER since I last mentioned I'd be getting my PRK done, I've been meaning to update about how it went and where I am now, but things got so busy around me, I'm glad to have a moment to breathe

AH!

Okay, done with my breath :)

So it's been almost two weeks since I got the procedure done and I have to say it wasn't quite what I was expecting. The surgery was fine, although I have to say everyone I know that's done it before me has lied-you do so want to blink once they prop your eyes open. Sure I was on Valium and they had numbed my eyes, but once they were stuck open I could feel my eyes just rolling back into my head very desperate for just one more blink. I don't think it helped that they had me keep my eyes closed for, like, a whole minute before they propped them open and they had just put in the numbing eye drops and the second I opened my eyes there were lasers like RIGHT there so it was a little weird. Luckily it only takes about 22 second per eye to do the surgery so it was really fast and my eyes weren't THAT bothered, just a little bit. I experienced two crazy parts though: 1-when you see something coming at your eye you have a natural reflex to want to push it away or close your eye. What's even weirder is when it actually (and obviously) touches your eye and yet you don't feel it. I almost wish I could always have those numbing drops ha ha. 2-The numbing drops didn't work for my left eye so they had to find some back up ones to make sure I would be okay and so once they used those they then put the thing to hold my eye open on and I thought "Okay, this will be quick, lets get it over with" and then I realized I could actually feel stuff in my lower eye. It didn't hurt, but the fact that I could feel it was really weird. It didn't feel natural, but I just wanted to get it done with so I just clenched my jaw and let it happen. It was worth it.

Now as far as the recovery goes: Let me be the first to say IT HURTS! I mean I guess it's obvious that there are lasers shooting into your eye AND you've also cut away a whole layer of your cornea so it should hurt, but no one has ever told me there was pain involved! I will also say that the main reason for this could have, possibly been due to the fact that I was supposed to receive eye drops that help with the pain, but they told me in the office that they delay healing so I shouldn't use them after the 3rd day (being Sunday) and when I went to the pharmacy they said they were out and wouldn't have it in until Sunday so I figured I might as well just not use them and just go with the Loritab they gave me. If you get this done (at least PRK, not sure about Lasik) don't think this! Get the drops! Saturday and Sunday I really was second guessing my decision to do this. Loritab only helped me sleep 2 to 3 hours at a time and when I woke up I felt like they were throbbing with pain! I can't even describe the pain I went through, but I would never do it again! Once I hit Tuesday I was all good, a little dry, but mostly good.

I couldn't really look at computers or my phone, I couldn't watch TV, workout, or really drive so let me tell you how boring life can get when those are your options! I napped...a lot. I played with the kitties. I did a new Wood Connections block project and also worked a little on my HOME blocks. The good news is this crosses off like 3 of our "Pre-Pregnancy Bucket List" items so yay! Like I said, by Tuesday I was okay to have the TV on and kind of just listen to shows I knew already (Friends and Family Guy were both loaded into our DVD player so I was lucky there), but I had to keep my eyes closed. I heard PRK has a longer recovery period and is a little more rough than Lasik, but I didn't really expect any of that stuff.

The greatest news though is it really was worth it. I'm still, technically, in my recovery period for another 4 weeks, but I'm VERY happy with where I'm at now and can't wait to see how much better my sight gets. By my follow up appointment on Wednesday (the 5th) they said my right eye was 20/20 and my left was 20/30 (just a smidge off perfect vision), which they said was definitely above average. That was, of course, before they took out my contact bandage. After that things got a tiny bit fuzzy and by my actual post op on Friday the eye Dr. said I was at 20/30 in both eyes. They tell me that's still above average to be so well so fast, but I think I could still get to being better. I can't quite read fine print yet and computer screens bother my eyes a little, but they said they were still swollen and dry and that could contribute to that blurriness and I just have to keep up with my steroid eye drops and my fake tears for a little while. Oh and another thing no one told me, the steroid eye drops (the ones you HAVE to take for 9 weeks) gives you the absolute, more horrid taste in your mouth! A friend told me hers was like sour milk, but mine tastes like some sort of dirty metal! It's terrible, so I always have to eat something right after. I love the fake tears though, they are very refreshing. I wasn't able to wear makeup the week of my surgery and I was really hating life then and thought I can't wait to have this done so I can wear it again, but I've gotten used to not having it on and I'm not quite ready to touch my eyes to put it on or take it off and since I'm still healing I don't think it's a good idea to start throwing chemicals into that so that's another thing to consider when making this choice.

So now I just get to wait until my next follow up appointment on the 31st to see where my vision is at then, though I can feel it getting slightly better each day. I can't wait to see what they tell me then. I'm so happy to not only have perfect vision by my wedding day, but to also start out the new year with it! Now only 12 days till Christmas, 19 until 2013, and 183 until the wedding :)