Eye surgery

On Friday I had eye surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital. It's a long time. Since I had any eye operations, the last one I had was when I was 4 to correct a squint. This operation was to remove scar tissue which has been in my eye since the operations I had as a baby. Over the last few years that scar tissue has moved about in my eye and block my vision slightly. My symptoms are like getting a cataract, which was a little ironic as I was born with cataracts which were removed when I was a baby, lens and all, meaning there's no way I could ever have a cataract again!

The surgery - anterior vitrectomy, is a fairly straight forward op but it isn't performed very often just on it's own like I had. I only had my left eye operated on as it's my best eye I chose to just go for it with my good eye first. A bit of a gamble but I hoped it would be worth it. The main thing I worried about was having a general anaesthetic!

I arrived at the hospital at 12 and was admitted to the ward very quickly. Being a patient at Moorfields since I was a baby, the nurses who have worked there a long time always want to gossip about the Drs and nurses I've met before. Once I was admitted I had a long wait for the op. I wasn't sent down to theatre until after 5. As I'd not eaten since 6:45 am nor had water since 11 I was really beginning to flag.

I was very nervous about the anaesthetic but it was fine. One minute I could feel the anaesthetic move up my arm, then taste it in my mouth, the next second I was in the recovery room after the op, having a drip removed. I'd got quite weak from my fasting so they'd given me some IV fluids. I then had oxygen, but I spent most of the time babbling away to the nurse about Doll House, the TV programme and ninjas, I don't think the nurse knew what I was going on about!

Back on the ward, Jase arrived really quickly and I had a sandwich, muffin and tea. Eventually after 8pm they let me go home! thanks to Jase's friend Andy we got a lift home to Bedfordshire. We were home by 10 pm and I was exhausted. I had a pirate patch on my eye over a dressing which had to remain until the next morning. On Saturday morning I was able to take off the patch and see through my left eye for the first time after the op.

Although my eye was quite light sensitive I could see out of the eye which was a relief! When I put my glasses on and looked around things in the middle distance looked blurred and that was worrying but I turned to look at Jason and he looked so clear and sharp and bright I couldn't believe it! I looked at my face in the mirror and for the first time in years I could see my freckles! I don't know if I've ever seen things as clearly close to. My plants in the darden when I get close are so much clearer and the colours so much brighter and fuller.

I'm not sure if the blurriness of my distance vision is due to swelling still in my eye or that my glasses aren't right now and I'll need a new prescription. I'm back at the hospital in 2 weeks so will know for sure then hopefully.

In the mean time I have to take it easy for a few weeks and take 3 lots of eye drops 4 and 5 times a day! I have to sleep like a pirate in an eye patch for 2 weeks. Full recovery for the surgery is 6-8 week but with in 3 I should be back to work and stuff!

As long as the distant vision is sorted out by a new prescription of glasses & contact lenses then I'm going to want my other eye operated on as soon as I can!

Garden

Garden 11th May 2011, a set on Flickr.

I've been planting more container plants in the garden today. The pictures are on Flickr just click on the link to see them all.

I can't get no sleep

I really can't sleep at the moment. Ever since I stopped taking the anti depressants just over a month ago I have had real problems sleeping. Sometimes I just can't get comfortable but I drop off eventually only to then wake up in the night, sometimes it takes me hours to get to sleep, sometimes I'm waking up early. Tonight takes the biscuit though. It's 2:40 AM at the moment. I went to bed at 11:30 I got up again at 1:30 having not got to sleep. I know I shouldn't leave it that long, I know all the advice, don't lie in bed tossing and turning, get up and do something constructive, don't get anxious about not sleeping.

It's not easy though. My mind was just so busy tonight - thinking about different plots for books I'll never write, thinking about work, thinking about too much really, but I wasn't worrying. It was only when it got to 1AM that I began to think this isn't right? I'm supposed to be sleeping.

I wouldn't mind but it then leaves me exhausted the next morning. I even read a book all evening in an attempt to make myself more tired before bed time.

One positive thing is that my mood seems better. I think tomorrow night I'm going to have to try a lavender scented bath or something before bed, and a cup of Horlicks!