Good News

 It's about time, isn't it?

Since moving here, I have not driven in morning rush hour traffic. I had no reason to get up anymore. So having to be at Duke at 8 a.m. and it's 55 minutes away in afternoon traffic i was a bit concerned. I assumed over an hour. I forgot I don't live in the DC Metro Area anymore.

This retirement has ruined me. I used to get up and go, but not anymore. So I had to pee at 5am and decided I might as well stay up because falling back asleep for 1 hr is even more painful.  

I showered and got dressed for the day.

I walked into the living room and hit the TV button. The first thing that came on was that it was 16 degrees in Garner. Durham was 13.  Oh goodie.  I turned around and made a change in my wardrobe.

I  kissed Rick goodbye as he slept in a warm bed that looked so inviting. I did not want to do this drive. But to my surprise, it was traffic, but it moved along. I think I was projecting my DC Beltway traffic or Route 66 from DC to VA life to here.  

I lived 12 miles from the Dulles airport. It could take me an hour or more, depending on the time of day. You can imagine how great I felt being overly concerned for nothing. This was easy peasy. I listened to my favorite podcast, Dateline, and Keith Morrison has become a soundtrack of late. 

I got to Duke with 15 minutes to spare. I stood in line at registration for the next 15 minutes. Everyone was so friggin' cheery at that hour.  In this waiting area is a round coffee table of sorts with comfy chairs around it like a circle. I saw a few women sitting there, so I walked over and said Good Morning. They were a hoot.

I have never enjoyed a waiting room as much as with these women. We were all between 60 and 85. The 85-year-old told us she was 85, and I almost gasped out loud. I asked what she was taking because I wanted some. She looked 65 at best.

Then a very pretty young 20-something came and asked if she could sit in the last chair. The 85-year-old said, "What do you think, gals?  She's awfully young and pretty, might not fit the demographic in this corner."  We all laughed, and the 85-year-old told her to sit down and waved her over.  She was asked where she was from, Minnesota.  I had to wait an hour, but I am thankful there is a Starbucks in the waiting room area and that I had delightful companions to pass the time. 

After they call me back, I do not see the doctor. I see a plethora of people who work in this dept. First, they dilate my eyes. Then, a typical eye exam involving having to read the eye chart. Then they look all over my eyes. 

I am then taken to a room where they take pictures of Betty.

I hate the bright light. I find that more uncomfortable than the eye injections.

Then I am escorted to another waiting area. 2 of the women in our first waiting room circle are there. When I arrive, they put up their arms and say, "Yeah."  We all laugh. The nurse who escorted me said, "My, you're popular."  

That made us all laugh even harder.

Finally, I was called to see Dr. S.  I just love this doctor.  He came in wearing his Chuck Taylor sneakers as always, but today he came in grinning from ear to ear and did this funny, happy dance.  He says to me, You have got to see the side-by-side pictures. He turns the computer to me to view everything.

He is now pointing out the differences which I can plainly see on this big screen. 

I am so thrilled.

Betty is so much smaller. My vision is so much better. I had mentioned to Rick before the eye scare that I felt like my vision was better, and sure enough, I wasn't wrong.

The last eye injection I received was different from the rest. Painful, unlike the others, but not bad. It was far stronger, and I know we had to get permission from Medicare for this. But it worked.  I wish I could show you all the difference; it was so wonderful to see. Literally.

Now, what that red horror movie eye was about. It was a blood vessel that broke in my eye. He said they could still see the remnants of this when in the machine, but looking at me, you no longer see the red. But it's like a bruise, and it's yellow now, they said. Okay.  He gave me a few reasons that could happen. Coughing, straining, blood thinners, sometimes people who bruise easily, this will happen to them, the steroid shots could weaken them, and finally, dry eyes as well.

Bingo! I have all but blood thinners.

When he mentioned brusining easily he grabbed my wrist and said like this? Do you bruise easily normaly?  yep, all my  life.  

Bottom line, this was not a big deal and that is wonderful news.

But the best news is that bitch Betty has gotten smaller.

Now for shallow news pertaining to my eye.

My right eye is at half mast. I am very self-conscious of this. When I do wear makeup, you can't tell as much, but you can tell. 

I asked Dr. S if there was anything he could tell me to do to get this back up.

(Do you see the theme here in my life. I need everything lifted, damn it.)

Apparently, it's from the steroid injections into my eye.

He said he could refer me to an oculoplastic surgeon who performs oculofacial surgery.  huh?  He only works on eyes for medical reasons, not just because you don't like aging. I laughed and said, okay but while he is in there...

He said this is normally covered by your insurance because it is a medical issue. 

Which, by the way, is the only way I can afford this. 

By the time I got home, I received a message in my portal that an appointment was made for me with this Doctor in Raleigh at the Duke Eye Oculofacial Plastic Surgery Center. I think they need a shorter name. The appointment is in June, but hey, he got me an appointment, and I didn't have to do anything. I did my homework on the guy. Then I checked his reviews. Thousands all 5's except 1 that was 4.5, so that was good. 

There ya have it, finally good news from me