I drove home from work yesterday all by myself. And safely I might add.
I’ve done the same thing for the past thirty-something years.
No BIG deal you think.
Well it was, because I did it and didn’t run over anyone or anything. I think.
For the past month or so I haven’t been able to read those teeny tiny words at the bottom of the television each time I change the channel. That’s important to me. With so much crap on tv these days I need to screen out things like the evening news, political pundits, the morning news, and other crap.
So yesterday I called my favorite eye dr. She said come right in, so I did.
With limited eyesight I filled out all 43 of the required forms. I’m sure I signed the one that said I DECLINE to have my eyes dilated.
They dilated my eyes. This was after I removed my contacts which happen to be the very things that allow me to see things other than walls.
They told me my vision had decreased from 20/20 to 20/50 which was barely above legally blind. (That’s Blind people – not blonde.)
They did a bunch of other tests and then said I needed to be seen by a retina specialist. Do it now because your eyes are dilated.
I put my contacts back in and drove across 4 lanes of traffic (safely) to the retina specialist.
They took the copies of the reports from doctor #1and instructed me to complete 27 new forms.
I did inform them my eyes were dilated, just in case.
They dilated them again, just in case.
I did have the opportunity to remove my contacts first. I put them in a case with contact solution to keep them safe. After all how could I drive home without them?
I proceeded through the exact same tests Dr. #1 performed and then was instructed to wait in a dark room.
When Dr. #2, the retina specialist was ready I was escorted to a small room, perhaps a closet.
He looked at the notes from Dr. #1, then he asked me what was going on. (Question #1.)
I explained that my vision had been distorted for about a month and I have had a headache for more than 1 week now, without relief. I stated I assumed the headache was from straining my eyes to see.
“Hmmmm. You’re vision has been distorted for a month and you’ve had a headache for a week and your first thought was to see your eye doctor? “
“Should I have consulted with my gynecologist?”
“You never thought of seeing your family doctor?”
“I was there last week for my quarterly visit and everything was fine.”
“In my experience headaches like this are normally sinus headaches. I’ll send a report to your family doctor. I suggest you see him tomorrow but I’ll be glad to check them again if necessary.”
“Thanks but next time I’ll my podiatrist.”
I left his office without the benefit of contacts in my eyes. When I did have the chance to remove them from their case and insert into my eyes I noticed that in my clear way of seeing things I had put one on the rim of the case and cut it in half. The other one was salvageable.
So I put it in and drove home with double dilated eyes and one contact lens.
From the life and mind of:
Wanda M Argersinger
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www.wandaargersinger.com
