Gift of sight

One year ago, on March 11, I was under the knife (and the laser and the cryo wand) to save the vision in my left eye. I was lucky - the tear and detachment in my left retina was small and I had caught it quickly. But that didn't make the experience any less scary. From having a black spot, a hole in my vision, to being having surgery and a gas bubble in my eye, it was a stressful few weeks. A week sitting on the couch, not being able to do anything. Hoping that when the gas bubble went away, my vision would be normal again. There was a chance the the I would not get vision back where the tear had been. Then gradually starting some activites again - walking and riding inside, no swimming. I was driving, but I couldn't even get my own bike on and off the car because of the lifting restrictions!

And now, a year later I can truly say it was a gift of sight, the surgery that repaired my retina. After all, it used to be that something like that happened and you went blind - there was nothing that could be done. Then doctors figured out how to repair a retinal tear, but I would have been immobilized for weeks as the eye healed. In bed, with sand bags next to my head to keep me from moving. And now? A week on the couch, three weeks really easy as the gas bubble disolved. Sure, there were position limitations for how I could sleep and I couldn't read or do anything that required focused vision. But the amazing thing is how "simple" it is to fix now today. A year later, and I'm riding, running and swimming like nothing happened. And hoping no one I know has to go through that! The prospect of losing your sight is scary - and getting it back is a blessing.