A Different Kind of 2020

It's official. My lifelong dream (more specifically, my 11 1/2 year dream) of LASIK has come true!! And while I didn't necessarily plan it this way, it sure doesn't hurt to be able to say that I'm going into 2020 with 20/20 vision! Aww yeah!

I finally committed to this back in the summer - after a long time of eyeing places (pun intended) going to info sessions and consultations and then negotiating a deal! Because of my travel schedule, and wanting to be in a position to be home for awhile and be around for post-op and all that jazz - the only time I could really do it was December. And as it worked out, I was only free to do it on Friday, December 13. Yes, Friday the 13th. But I figured, it's Taylor Swift's birthday so there's nothing very bad that can happen to you on Taylor Swift's birthday.

So, my mother took me to the appointment which meant I got a lot documented LOL.

Walking in

Checking in

Waiting! Last picture I took to send to AJ before being called back

I was already getting a little nervous (definitely downed some wine at home before heading out) but I got really nervous when they were finally doing all the final tests. Plus, the technology these days! The assistants were explaining to me how all these eye tests machine were taking data to send to the laser - it was all getting really real!

After all the tests, they administered numbing eye drops and gave me the Xanax. Then, I was led into a small dark room with plush chaise longues, snacks and a video of a waterfall playing lololol. It was quite calming! I was nervous so the rest was a bit of a blur. The doctor was very kind and nice and came to get me. He led me into the surgery room and it was intense! It was cold and they had music on and there was the bigass machines and I made them go get my mom so she could watch in the observation room lololol. She wasn't able to take pictures but there was a close-up camera that allowed her to get a good view. Wish I could've seen it.

The first thing he did, in my memory, was press almost like a glass cylinder over my eye. I realized later this was the clamp, and even though I was trying my hardest to keep my eye open, my vision went completely dark. They tape down the other eye so you're really just confused wtf is happening, which is helpful. I asked them if my eye was open and they said not to talk but that it would be hard to do the surgery if it wasn't LOL but I was confused! At some point, all I could see was black, with a mix of red and green starbursts everywhere and the doctor just repeating over and over to concentrate on the green laser, keep looking at the green laser. I was so nervous I was going to glance away! It took maybe all of 5 minutes (felt shorter honestly) and then they rotated me over to do the other eye. The techs told me the doctor was taking care with my false eyelashes with the taping down of my eyes lololol what a good guy! I remember him painting over my eye - it felt like he was brushing clear nail polish over it - I didn't like it but there was nothing I could do about it.

I was in a daze after this and he led me to a side table to double check and look into my eyes and then they led me to another room to take off my surgical things, put my glasses over me, give me my Xanax, and send me on my way. It was all very fast and confusing. They told me it would feel like I was looking underwater - it didn't feel that blurry but I see what they mean now.

Here was the grand exit...

This is me breaking my glasses

It was on the ride home when the stinging started.

I was under the impression that it wouldn't start for a few hours, but one eye was starting to get uncomfortable. Shortly after we got home - I was in pretty bad pain. The stinging and pain was unbearable. My eyes were realizing what was happening and were revolting - but they were traitor eyes and they deserved it! Their 0.5 mg of Xanax did nothing for that paint so we loaded me up on more drugs.

All the doctors kept telling me to just go home and sleep it off because once the stinging starts you can't do anything but wait it out - but I couldn't get to sleep because it was so bad! The drugs finally kicked in and knocked me TF out. I had a guardian puppy the whole time though!

I remember waking up - I remember immediately realizing my eyes didn't burn anymore and omg - the relief!! It felt amazing and it was so soothing. I also saw it was 1:11am! I remember being able to see really far and having to remind myself that I wasn't wearing contacts!

AJ woke me up for my one-day post-op at the optometrists. My right eye felt perfectly fine but my left eye still felt a little irritated. She took special care to look at it but said everything looked fine. I still couldn't look at my phone or computer for 24 hours, so I made AJ set up Seth Meyers' Lobby Baby on Netflix for me to listen to and just slept. The last half hour of my 24 hour tech fast I just sat there, eating sunflower seeds, staring into nothing and contemplating life before technology LOL.

Since then it just continues to get better! I have 3 different eyedrops that I have to take 4x a day for 2 weeks, so that's been fun, but my eyes (especially the left one) seems to get better each time. I still have to take special care not to touch or rub them, can't wear eye makeup, and need to sleep in the goggles still, but it's a small price to pay! I love my new vision! Finally if there's a Zombie Apocalypse I won't get knocked off when my glasses break! (Yes that's been a real concern of mine #survivalofthefittest).

I even got to live a fairly normal life on Sunday. Inbetween NFL games, AJ and I went to run some errands, which included using a year-old PetSmart (wait is it PetSmart or PetsMart?) gift card to finally get Khaleesi a new collar and tag (she's been without one about a year now! But, if she loses this one, that's it I'm over it). And lucky us - it happened to be a day "Santa" was there for free! LOL.

Khaleesi really does love her collar I think. I'll NEVER forget when she was a kitten and had her first (pink!) collar, I came home one day and it wasn't on. I said "Khaleesi, where's your collar?" and I SWEAR TO GOD - she went upstairs, got her collar in her mouth, and came down the stairs with the little bell tinkling, then jumped in my lap, dropped the collar and laid down for me to put it on her. Shannon was there as my witness! So, I do think she loses them on accident.

She's had a pink and a purple collar, so this time I went with a blue that sort of matches some of the accents in our kitchen. There was a pretty silver one, but since Khaleesi is black and white, I like the color pop of her collar. There wasn't a huge selection of tags, but I went with the gold fish - it looks like a goldfish swimming in a bowl. And it actually looks quite nice on her! I know you can't see it on these photos but she sure looks pretty doesn't she??

And I'll leave you with this great Catmas meme today.

I'm hoping AJ and I can go to the Christmas tree farm this evening, I want to get more clippings for the pine smell! Hope you're enjoying the holidays friends!