Eye surgery...

Well, I have now had surgery a grand total of 4 times. Three times for my right leg (ankle surgery to remove bone fragments and insert and remove pins....then the amputation) and today, my right eye.

It would appear that diabetes...the disease that keeps on giving...has caused the blood vessels in my eyes to leak, and that is the precursor to blindness. Blindness is common in diabetics and hopefully the surgery today...and the ones to follow, a total of 6 more altogether...will allow me to keep my sight for the rest of my life.

Silly me, I thought I was just going to get glasses.

Anyway, today's surgery was an interesting experience to say the least. The surgery was done with a laser and it was a painless procedure. All I had to do was stare at a REAL bright light while the dcotor clicked away on the trigger, presumably sealing off the vessels that had ruptured. He got all but one which isn't bad because if he would have tried for the 1.000 batting average I'd likely be blind in my right eye now. So kudos for putting the laser beam in the old pickle barrel there, doc.

But the medical roller coaster ride doesn't stop there. Oh no. On Monday I am scheduled for what is called a "heart doppler" which will check my circulation in my legs primarily. A good thing, considering the poor circulation, (among other factors) is the reason I lost my leg. I have no reservations whatsoever in having these things done to me, because as I stated in a previous blog I am hopefully forestalling any health related problems that may be on the horizon in the future...something my late father never did.

I've thought a lot about my Dad since my newest jaunt through the medical world began. The one thing that I found remarkable about him is that he never seemed to get sick. NEVER. if he ever was ill, he worked through it and I think that is what wound up getting him in the end. Indeed, he was in firm denial of having heart problems when he was in ICU with his first heart attack back in 1994, and I dare say in 2001 when he had his second. You can interpret that two ways: (1) that his warrior spirit had him fighting the problems that had taken him over or (2) that he was an arrogant dumbass who didn't want to admit what was happening to him.

I knew my Dad pretty well, and I have to say it was the latter, no question about it.

Thus, I swore when my leg was taken that I would be a model patient for whatever medical entity that was serving me. Moreover, I hope what I am going through now will keep me from having a heart attack 13 years from now, as my Dad suffered, (he had his first shortly after he turned 54, and lived 6 more years before checking out). The thing is, Mother Nature has a sense of humor and as such this may not do any good, but at least i will have peace of mind that if there are any problems it's better to catch them now as opposed to it being a life or death, or blind or sight in this case, issue.

I am now a recipient of laser surgery. For what it's worth, I plan on milking it big time. I am apt to wear a "guy who had laser eye surgery" sign around my neck and beg free beers from my buddies at the game tomorrow night. It's not something you just have, like a haircut or a burger at McDonalds or something like that. Hell, my generation grew up with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo picking off the Imperial Stormtroopers with laser beams and here one is used to prevent my going blind later in life.

All of a sudden, I am one with technology. At least this part, anyway.