Foggy Times

The last post featured both hips. But in between those surgeries, there was another... experience. When I went back to school in August, my vision started becoming blurry. No, not blurry, foggy. Initially, I assumed it was something to do with my dry eyes. However, after a trip to my ophthalmologist, he was like "daaayum Gena, you got cataracts". Well that's what I heard at least. I'm guessing he probably broke it to me in a much kinder, easier way, but that's what I like to think happened since I don't actually recall it. Cataracts is a foggy film that covers part of your eye making it difficult to see. Usually, people don't get this until they are pretty old. But guess what caused mine? Steroids- shocker! Because steroids are the devil.

So we set up a time to do one eye and then the other- one in August, one in October. I did the first one at this amazing hospital in Austin. I have no idea which one it was, so don't ask Austinites. They even had these hospital gowns that had pockets in them that they blew warm so that you didn't freeze. Also, we did the surgery ON MY BIRTHDAY. So they fixed up a room with lights for me and sang! I think they felt really bad for me. So this was probably the nicest hospital I have ever been to. The surgery went really well and I woke up from my surgery and offered to drive, like you do when you've been sedated. Keep in mind I was on crutches with a fresh hip replacement for my right hip and could literally not drive. Physically impossible. My mom gracefully declined. I don't remember this happening.

I wore an eye patch for a week and went around talking like a pirate because why the hell not. Finally, the patch came off. OH. MY. GOD. The first thing I said was "There is no way in hell I should have been driving". I'm pretty sure I could have been certifiably blind. Like I couldn't read signs or really see the lines on the road- especially in daylight. I spent the next few days shutting one eye and then the other. My new, cataract-free eye had the most vibrant colors I had ever seen! I couldn't get over it! When I went back, I asked the doctor if the colors were always this vibrant and I had just gotten used to the cataracts. He told me that, as people age, they slowly lose the vibrancy because they very slowly get cataracts. Basically, I had eyes of a newborn and it was brilliant (haha pun). So all you people reading this- you are missing out on the vibrancy! But don't worry- one day you too can get your cataracts removed.

Naturally, after the first eye, I got the second eye because is was still hella foggy. This time I had the surgery done at a different hospital. It was not my birthday, they did not have awesome warm hospital gowns, and it was rather lackluster compared to the other hospital. Then, while they were doing the surgery, something must have happened because I suddenly became aware of what was happening. My eye opened and was very blurry. I said something out loud- I have no idea what- and then my doctor said to me "Genevieve, I need you not to move your eye please". I said okay and then promptly went back to sleep. So that was horrifying. I'm going to preface this next part with a) I do not remember this and b) sedation can seriously alter your personality. APPARENTLY, I woke up and then started telling the nurse about how horrible their hospital was and all the great things about the other hospital. So yeahhhhh. I felt pretty bad about that in retrospect.

And yes- I again offered to drive. My mom said no.