I was kinda worried when we got there because I realized that I would be VERY conscious and awake throughout the ENTIRE procedure. Every other surgery I've had (all of 2) have been done under a general anesthetic. So this was going to be a new thing for me. That was really just my biggest worry going into it. They gave me some motrin and some vallium, but that was it. (And also, the vallium didn't noticably start kicking in until on the drive home... Which I suppose is understandable because the procedure only took about fifteen minutes).
But anyways. To answer common questions I've been getting asked...
No, it didn't hurt. I barely felt a thing. They tell you you'll feel some "pressure". But this time, that really was all I felt. And it wasn't even to an uncomfortable extent. Just like if you close your eye and kinda press with your fingers. That was all.
Yes, I could see almost immediately after they were done. I went in with pretty bad vision (In my pre-op exam, I couldn't even see the big E thats at the top of the eye chart without my glasses). But I could see fine that day. The next morning (approximately 24 hours after the surgery), I had my first of several post op appointments and I checked out at 20/20 vision. Which they said is actualy likely to clear up even a little more by the time I'm done healing.
Some other random stuff about it...
You can't wear eye makeup for a week after the surgery. And also, I need to go buy a new tube of mascara because they don't want you going back to an old one and getting an infection. Oh well, I've needed some new mascara for a while.
They projected the surgery onto a screen in another room so that family/friends can watch if they want. Mom watched the whole thing. Jake managed to come in and see the last 3-4 minutes. Sounds like they were pretty much in agreement that the weirdest part was watching them remove/replace the corneal flap and then to watch them smooth it out once they put it back on.
The worst part of the surgery was just a smell. There are two lasers. One to cut a flap in the cornea, which they then peel away. And one to reshape the tissue underneath. I don't really remember much about what the first laser was like. But the second one just kinda flashed all over in different spots and was a violet type color. But there was this smell with it as it vaporized the tissue that was kind of like burning hair. It was a bit unnerving. But that was the worst that it got. And really, if the worst part of a surgery is just that there was an unpleasant smell for a minute or so... not so big of a deal.
I was mislead about my sleep. They told me that I was encouraged to sleep as much as possible the day of the procedure (which was at around 9 AM). However... It turns out that you have to stay awake for the first four hours you get home, and THEN you get to sleep. Which I thought was quite lame. Because I was kinda sleepy going into it, figuring I'd get to nap all day. And then when the vallium kicked in, I REALLY wanted to sleep. Jake sat on the couch bed with me most of the day trying to keep me awake. He kept all my facebook apps updated for me so I didn't fall too far behind in Mafia Wars, Farm Town, whatever (also to distract me from sleep). We kind of watched The Office. As in he watched and I listened. And supposedly I was very grumpy about not getting to go to sleep. And also I kept asking Jake and Brigette about some hallucinations/dreams/whatever that were not real and I'm assuming induced by the vallium.
I get to put in LOTS of eyedrops. Including this special one for when I go to sleep. It's actually a gel. Rather than a liquid drop. Its pretty goopy and odd to have in your eye.
I have these crazy goggles that I got to wear for the whole first day of the operation, and still get to wear when I sleep for a bit longer. They kind of look like the really old fashioned aviator goggles. Or so my family thinks.
I had a few spots of hemorrhaging in the whites of my eyes. Just from the pressure of the laser and the thing to hold my eyelids open, etc. They said it could take up to three weeks for them to fade. I'm hoping not since the wedding is about a week and a half from now. (we enter the single digit countdown tomorrow!!!) But they're already starting to fade quite nicely. So I think it may work out alright.
But... yeah. I can see now. No contacts. It's quite nice. Yesterday and today my eyes are feeling particularly better. They mainly just get a little dryer than normal but thats all. I was pleased with it all. Its good.
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