my eyeballs' journey

Throughout most of my life, I've used glasses or contacts. I don't remember ever not having glasses. Over the last two years, they have been strained until I had headaches and weird eye pain. This year that just got even worse, as literally everything I did required focusing my eyes on little details (writing lesson plans/worksheets on my computer, writing music on my computer, reading books, watching movies). I mentioned that to a fellow mission team member at the beginning of November, and just the cost of glasses and eyes in general. She told me of another friend who'd had laser eye surgery done here in Bolivia, with very good results! The cost is not super cheap, like some other medical things here, but slightly cheaper than the average in Canada. My glasses and contacts are expensive enough that over a few years, the surgery would be paid for already in eyewear. The biggest pro was the waiting time. I emailed in one week, had my tests and appointments the next week, and Nov 18 I had laser eye surgery! The appointments and checkups have been funny and frustrating, as only one technician and my own surgeon speak English, out of 20 or more staff. My name has been changed to Haffer Ah-nay, and other combinations. But the end result was successful surgery!

It has been a rough haul, the first day right after surgery was excruciatingly painful, some of the worst physical pain I've ever had. Thanks only to Eva, another mission member here, did I survive that day with getting around. Also, workwise -- the last week of school was the week following the surgery, and reports cards were due! I did not think ahead at all, plus the doctors told I'd be able to due almost everything normally (not taking into consideration that I needed to write report cards, clearly), so this was a bit stressful and quite difficult. But I went back for a checkup 7 hours after surgery, and the surgeon said they were healing so fast that it looked like it had been two days after surgery. He'd never seen that before! And when I went back three days later they were healing perfectly.

One difference from the experiences I've heard of in Canada is the vision healing time. People have told me 4 days, or 7 days, till they have perfect vision. Here I was told 4 weeks. I'm at about 2.5 weeks right now, and my vision is slowly improving. It's already good enough that I could play probably any sport other than baseball or maybe badminton, and not need contacts or glasses. That in itself is AMAZING; I've never been able to before! Playing piano for school, working with sheet music in choir and Christmas performances.. that has been hard, and mostly relying on memory.

I'm scared, honestly, that it will not improve all the way, especially the details and closer stuff. Abstaining from reading and being outside in the bright sun and from sewing has been quite difficult, and by now I definitely do read and spend time outside. But reading too long isn't comfortable (mind you, I like reading for 5 hours straight, maybe that's just too long in general), watching a movie definitely is useless (which isn't the worst thing on earth, eh? I won't complain about that), and sewing is definitely straining. So I hope and dream and pray that I will get 20/20 vision. It would be wonderful.

 I woke up at 5 to catch the sunrise, on Nov 18. Just in case it was the last one.

 Not so beautiful in the morning, but me with glasses, one last time.

They operate on your eyes for about one minute. And yet you must put on this entire outfit, including the vodaemchalla pants and the long thick socks. The waistband on these pants could have fit two of me. On a distantly related note, there were three of going in for this surgery this morning. One spoke a bit of English, the other not at all. But it's amazing how you can relate to and bond with someone when you're all alone in a very sterile environment with this institutional clothing, and then they give you relazapan. We were blood sisters.

 My pills and drops right after surgery. I ended up making a very nice chart that the nurses would have approved of, with dates and times and places to sign. All very orderly.

Thankful
~ English speaking eye surgeon
~ much improved eyesight already
~ a pretty good end of the school year
~ a solid closing program
~ Good friends. And campfires, camping, going to resorts and bad futbol games with these friends

Praying for
~ wise decisions for my future! One option I was really looking forward to has mostly fallen through, but HE's got a plan!
~ eyes healing to 100%
~ that I would be able to adjust to culture and climate and people at home (I have a feeling it will be difficult!), coming up very quickly!!