Middle age health thread for fatties

[Dr. Medulla]

Yeah, glad to hear you can get this quality of life thing done, doc. Your daily miseries should be more aesthetic and less physical.

If I lose my aesthetic miseries, someone's gonna pay …

[Dr. Medulla]

Hello,

I've not got much to add. You're awake for the process but obviously the eye will be numbed. Recovery is very quick. I was in at 6:00 am, surgery around 7:30 am, exited with an eye shield (no eye patch so no pirate jokes)

Interesting. I assumed I'd be doing a class or two as Long John Silver. I actually have a few eyepatches around the house because sometimes it's easier to read when blocking out the really bad eye.

I went back after one week for a check and the nurse asked "How's the other eye?". I said "Fine." She asked "Don't you have some fogginess, especially at night?". I replied "No." She asked again "Are you sure you don't have any fogginess in the other eye, like a cataract is beginning?". I caught on "Yeah, it does get foggy at night." Long story short, my insurance covered that eye as well (each eye was ~$135). Cataract gone, lasix surgery in both eyes for ~$270 total - fantastic!

Tho I don't have any serious blurring—just weakness—in my left eye, the doctor said there's a cataract developing in that one, too, so they're taking care of it in December, before things get bad.

I realized a few months ago that I've never had any kind of surgery before, never relied on medicare like that. So as the delays mounted, I started wondering if I'd have to investigate the private clinic route, which would mean paying out of pocket. Which, sure, I would if necessary, but I was kinda looking forward to finally taking advantage of the Canadian health care system like that. I do have to pay to get my eyes measured this Wednesday. One way is free, a more precise version with a laser is $250, so I'm opting for the pay version. But that's the extent of my costs.

[revbob]

Really pleased to hear that a miserable time will soon be ending.

Thanks, man! It's like counting down to Christmas for me now.

So explain the process if you would.

gkbill's in a better position to describe, having gone thru it, but the basics as I understand it are that they remove the lens, which is contaminated with crap that makes my vision in that eye one big blur—like looking thru those translucent glass bricks used in some construction—and then pop in a plastic one. All done in like 30 seconds. That new lens, however, can't resize like the natural one, so one eye will be set to middle distance and the other to long distance. Which means needing glasses for short distance, like reading. What I've heard is that the dope you're given before the surgery relieves you of the anxiety of having your fucking eye sliced up. Cos that freaks me the fuck out (I could never watch the Boss put in or take out contacts). But I've been dealing with this for over a year and half now, so any anxiety is more than balanced by how frustrating it all is.

Hmm, your situation sounds pretty serious. I really just need readers my regular vision is good. I can see caterpillars crossing the road while driving.

[JennyB]

Hope it goes well, Doc. It will be such a relief, I imagine. And you can have fun with reading glasses.

[Dr. Medulla]

Hmm, your situation sounds pretty serious. I really just need readers my regular vision is good. I can see caterpillars crossing the road while driving.

That used to be me.

Hope it goes well, Doc. It will be such a relief, I imagine. And you can have fun with reading glasses.

The Boss says I look good with glasses, so it's not completely bad. And getting a pair with decent frames will be preferable to the generics I've been using (it didn't make sense to invest in proper reading glasses from my optometrist until after the siurgeries).

[Mimi]

Good luck, Doc!

[Silent Majority]

I'm gonna need glasses before much longer. I'll probably look like fucking Andy Partridge.

[BostonBeaneater]

Tho I don't have any serious blurring—just weakness—in my left eye, the doctor said there's a cataract developing in that one, too, so they're taking care of it in December, before things get bad.

I realized a few months ago that I've never had any kind of surgery before, never relied on medicare like that. So as the delays mounted, I started wondering if I'd have to investigate the private clinic route, which would mean paying out of pocket. Which, sure, I would if necessary, but I was kinda looking forward to finally taking advantage of the Canadian health care system like that. I do have to pay to get my eyes measured this Wednesday. One way is free, a more precise version with a laser is $250, so I'm opting for the pay version. But that's the extent of my costs.

My auntie had her cataracts zapped a few years ago and claims the week after was a damn near religious experience. SHe can see great now and has taken up bird watching.

[Marky Dread]

I'm gonna need glasses before much longer. I'll probably look like fucking Andy Partridge.

A partridge in a pear tree more like.

[Marky Dread]

Hmm, your situation sounds pretty serious. I really just need readers my regular vision is good. I can see caterpillars crossing the road while driving.

That used to be me.

Hope it goes well, Doc. It will be such a relief, I imagine. And you can have fun with reading glasses.

The Boss says I look good with glasses, so it's not completely bad. And getting a pair with decent frames will be preferable to the generics I've been using (it didn't make sense to invest in proper reading glasses from my optometrist until after the siurgeries).

Good luck mate. I had my retina reattached a couple of years back it wasn't so bad. Got a cataract forming there now so getting regular eye checks.

[Dr. Medulla]

My auntie had her cataracts zapped a few years ago and claims the week after was a damn near religious experience. SHe can see great now and has taken up bird watching.

I hear that over and over and can now understand it. Getting progressively worse, week after week, and then suddenly clarity—that should feel miraculous.

[Dr. Medulla]

I had my retina reattached a couple of years back it wasn't so bad. Got a cataract forming there now so getting regular eye checks.

Jeebus, how do they do that kind surgery?

[Marky Dread]

I had my retina reattached a couple of years back it wasn't so bad. Got a cataract forming there now so getting regular eye checks.

Jeebus, how do they do that kind surgery?

Laser stuff. I was wheeled in then laid down. They offered me a mild sedative which I refused. They cover your face just exposing the eye. The surgeon I had spoke to me all the way through and asked me how it was feeling. At one point it did get a bit sore. Like a tugging pain is how I described it. I guess that was the point the laser was working on the reattatchnent.

Afterwards they ask you to keep your head down (forward) to help drain any fluid. You need to sleep upright for a few days after the op. And use a fluid to rinse the eye for about a week or so.

[Dr. Medulla]

I had my retina reattached a couple of years back it wasn't so bad. Got a cataract forming there now so getting regular eye checks.

Jeebus, how do they do that kind surgery?

Laser stuff. I was wheeled in then laid down. They offered me a mild sedative which I refused. They cover your face just exposing the eye. The surgeon I had spoke to me all the way through and asked me how it was feeling. At one point it did get a bit sore. Like a tugging pain is how I described it. I guess that was the point the laser was working on the reattatchnent.

Afterwards they ask you to keep your head down (forward) to help drain any fluid. You need to sleep upright for a few days after the op. And use a fluid to rinse the eye for about a week or so.

That sounds … horrible (remembering that I'm a big baby). The only reason I'd refuse a mild sedative would be to argue for something stronger.

[Kory]

I had my retina reattached a couple of years back it wasn't so bad. Got a cataract forming there now so getting regular eye checks.

Jeebus, how do they do that kind surgery?

Laser stuff. I was wheeled in then laid down. They offered me a mild sedative which I refused. They cover your face just exposing the eye. The surgeon I had spoke to me all the way through and asked me how it was feeling. At one point it did get a bit sore. Like a tugging pain is how I described it. I guess that was the point the laser was working on the reattatchnent.

Afterwards they ask you to keep your head down (forward) to help drain any fluid. You need to sleep upright for a few days after the op. And use a fluid to rinse the eye for about a week or so.

That sounds … horrible (remembering that I'm a big baby). The only reason I'd refuse a mild sedative would be to argue for something stronger.

Now you're speaking my language.