Laser Eye Surgery - Not For Me, Thanks All The Same

Reading a comment on a post by LeendaDLL about Laser Eye Surgery (don't read it, even though I have been a good girl and posted the link - it is gross, people).  And then I thought Why am I so freaked at the thought that they cut a flap in your eye? 

And I remembered this, which happened to me when I was 7.  So, in true blogging spirit, I thought I would gross other people out share.

I had my first operation to correct the astigmatism when I was 2.  That one I don’t remember.  I had my second op when I was 5.  I have vague memories of a darkened room and missing my mum.  This was 45 years ago, folks - visiting hours were 6-7 nightly, and that was it.  No mothers on the ward when I was a child - they would have just got in the way, rather than being the necessary part of childhood nursing they are today.

My third, and final, operation to correct my astigmatism (which, may I add, I still have) happened when I was 7 and I have vivid memories of this one.

Firstly I was on an adult ward.  Me and 29 old ladies.  Well, gee, I was 7 - anyone over 15 was old to me. 

I remember singing along, headphones in, to hospital radio.  They should not be allowed to broadcast The First Cut is the Deepest on a surgical ward.  Fortunately, the little old ladies thought this was sweet. 

I told a nurse I needed a wee (don’t know why I didn't get up and go to the toilet) and she bought me a bottle.  Which I looked at.  I know I had short hair, but…  She got me a bedpan fortunately, before I wet myself.

Then I had the op.  bandages for 24 hours.  Odd being in total darkness and listening to things.  I did not even think gosh, this is what its like being blind.  I was not an empathic youngster; quiet and retiring, yes, empathic no. 

Bandages off.  Then it was 5 days of having drops, 3 in each eye, 3 times a day.  And they stung.  A lot, but only (thankfully) for a short while.

Then the stitches had to come out.  Oh yes, this was in the days before dissolvable stitches and they had to be pulled from my eyes - while I was awake.  To this day, I can see the scissors - SCISSORS - coming towards my eye.  Now don't move and don’t blink, I was told, and you will be fine. 

Fine!

The scissors were bad.  The feeling of the stitches being pulled out was worse.  And then I got to see my eyes in a mirror for the first time in a week.  Bloodshot does not cover it.  Bloodshot is what you have when you have smoked too much weed, or are very tired.  Bloodshot does not cover totally red whites.  I was not allowed to go to school for another two weeks - in case I scared the other children.

So I got something out of my experience anyways!

And I guess this is why I can never watch surgery on eyes.  Ever.  Yuk, gross and scary.  I cannot watch surgery on breasts either, though, and those have never seen a surgeon's knife.  Although I did have a cyst drained once - they stick a needle in to drain it - really odd that it doesn't hurt at all.