I Married a Pirate
SO it's a good thing Top Chef isn't taping this month, 'cause my poor husband has some gnarly eye surgery awaiting him. He had a floater a few weeks ago. When he went to the doctor they said he had a retinal tear. They shot 600 laser blasts to contain it, but a blood vessel popped. The blood drips down into the jelly of the inside of the eyeball, and thus his left eye's vision looks like a Jackson Pollack painting.
He has gone back to the doctor several times, had second opinions, and the upshot is the eye doctors at UCLA and USC agree he needs surgery. They are going to extract the jelly… suck it out as it were, then refill the eye ball… the vitreous with a substitute… some saline solution. You can see I didn't go to medical school.
He has to be TOTALLY chill for 48 hours and for several weeks is not even suppose to be in a car unless it's to go to the doctor. He can't pick Vivien up at all and must be careful about lifting Rex. So obviously I am concerned about what he has to go through. He is being very brave. I'd be flipping out. And I'm bracing for being in charge of the whole shooting match. I'll be the Kate Gosselin as it were… except instead of my husband being AWOL with a 22 year old, he'll be sitting quietly with an eye patch. One that he has to wear for weeks. I'm clearing the decks next week so I can be a good nurse… I fear I'll be like Kathy Bates in Misery.
Has anyone dealt with this kind of eye surgery before? It seems very scary to me, but Dr. Dean Edell (my mentor) said it's pretty routine, though serious. Wondering what to expect in helping him and what I won't get help with.
He has such nice shoulders. Maybe I should get him a parrot?
Oh, boy…my husband's brother went through this. What I can tell you is that you have to do (and Mark!!) exactly what the Dr tells you to. Don't think you're above any eye surgery law.
Mike had to keep his gaze down for 4 wks. Could not even look up or side to side. THis was last year, he followed orders, and he is great one year later. But there can be no bending over and pressure or strain on the eye. This is serious. If you follow the rules, you should have zero complications: and that's what you want.
You'll do great, just obey the dr's., and keep busy to pass the time. It'll seem like a long time, though. Keep a calendar and mark off each day, that really helps a lot.
Also, take deep breaths and remind yourself of how lucky you are that this situation is temporary, and healable. So many others find themselves in permanent situations, with no fortunate thoughts of "this too shall pass."
You'll make it through, but man, I bet you can't wait to throw 2009 out the window.
I dunno about the surgery, but as for keeping him busy? Bridge. Online. After my dad's heart surgery, he played 6 hours a day. Only thing that kept him from driving us crazy.
Alexandra, re:2009 it has gone through my mind… but then there is Rex's birth which outweighs all the other crap. But, if I'm tired, yes, that thought does linger… thanks for advice I've been telling MP we have to take this seriously, he would probably try to do too much too soon.
maybe MP can become a mad facebooker! or a blog…
I am nursing my second corneal tear in a month. I didn't need to read this today.