the lasers are green
... and life is still okay. A short post here, with the text view enlarged to about a million, in case anyone is wondering how my rude consultant was yesterday. I'll tell you: he's lovely, now that baby's born! I think it's the first: he beamed when I asked, said he's got "a big boy" and he's called Tom, and told me: "It's wonderful." Tom Jeckyll - nice name.
I've had 20 laser burns (sorry to the squeamish) in each iris, and it was not as bad as expected. Every laser was less painful than the one laser I had in my right eye in, I think, 1993 - though some were, admittedly, awful. Apparently if they're too hot they make a bubble of gas that then pops in your eye, or something like that; it feels as if it's popping in your brain. But that was only about five of them. The consultant was very informative and pleasant, told me exactly what was going on, let me stop and rest when it popped, and kept saying things like, "okay, only six more to go".
I was the youngest person, as always, by at least 20 years. The others were all having the same laser treatment I had in my twenties - & I'm off the map. (One old guy, when I got led off for the lasers, said onimously to the group at large: "they're taking her in a different direction..." and indeed, I was in the basement.)
Crazy day, crazy experience.
Right now the usual contingent of four 13-year-old girls are babbling happily in every corner of Baroque Mansions. There's a big corn-fed chicken in the oven, ice cream in the freezer & a pound of carrots in a roasting pan.
I have some final edits (I might enlist one of the girls, sadly undereducated as they are, see previous posts, to help me) on an interview with the Scottish poet Rob Mackenzie; due, of course, sort of now, but everyone knows my eyes are like sieves.
First, however, I will continue listening to Sam Waterston reading the wonderful and unsung (really: it is amazing) Bridge of San Luis Rey, by Thornton Wilder. News that stays news! More on that when I can type for more than five minutes without sending my eyes into a tizz.
8 comments:
Cripes, well done on having the courage to go for the lasers. I would love to get this done but have an irrational fear of waking up with no pupils or irises. I had a nightmare about such a situation about ten years ago and I can't forget about it. Damn subconscious [shakes fist].
Hi there Miss H, and welcome. Well thanks - yes, I was brave wasn't I! - but I didn't really have a choice, as it's not even going to fix my eyesight but just try to stave off the glaucoma which is currently causing my left eye to sort of fuse together. All the other patients were (as usual) at least 20 years older than me, and they were all having the procedure I had when I was about 25.
By the way, when I had that earlier procedure the laser-beam was blue; yesterday, the oldies said their laser was red; mine, down in the basement of Moorfields in a special room, was green. I'm taking that as a good sign; I'm great in green! (But will still, alas, have to wear glasses. I say go for it.)
Glad is wasn't as painful as you feared. Well done!
Even though no choice, still brave. How is Ulysses?
Bridge of San Luis Rey is wonderful. Oddly enough Tony Blair quoted from it after 9/11 when he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with George W. Bush. I always wondered whether he'd ever read it himself, or been provided with just an appropriate quote.
Andie: Ulysses badly recorded, lots of mumbling at high speed followed by sudden loud outbursts - meaning that if you turned it up to hear the quiet bits you'd jump! I will try it on the laptop, or with earphones, or something. I liked what I heard.
Adrian: well that is just horrible. I bet he quotes the rather suspect final paragraphs. Ah dear me.
Have now fallen prey to the easy charms of audible.co.uk, btw, and have decided to Brush Up My Shakespeare. I downloaded both Othello and The Tempest this afternoon. Full of Redgraves etc & am currently stuck into Othello.
Also went - gasp! - out for a walk to Church St where I had not only today's coffee but yesterday's too. Always the way.
Glad to hear you are on the mend.
Am so glad it went well & the consultant was pleasant. I can confirm green zaps too, but that was 1994 & a different procedure...I have just discovered Rob McKenzie via a diff website, I love his poems.
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