TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

There were parts of the eye exam that were really funny.  I got an IV shot in my hand for contrast in the eye.  I was told initially that it would make my urine a bright color (yellow or orange).  What they didn't tell me was that it was going to make my vision psychedelic.  I kid you not.  The primary color I experienced was purple for everything that was white, yellow or blue.  Greens became VERY vivid.  I laughed as I looked around to see how strange everything looked.  Thankfully, it didn't last long...maybe 15 minutes or so in total.  The urine thing has lasted two days and I think that will be the end of it.

I mentioned I was a bit nervous over this laser surgery.  Today the Beast brought home the prescriptions for it.  I could choke the Beast since he asked for childproof caps (thinking of Chewlee).  What he doesn't know is how much Chewlee hates medicine of any type.  I keep my regular meds on my desk and, other than asking me what they were one time, she has never touched them.  Her view?  *I don't like medicine, Grandma.  Do you REALLY have to take them?  For how long?  Momma gets me medicines that I can drink.  Can't you get ones you can drink?  Why do you have to have PILLS?  Pills are icky!*

I told her that I take pills when I HAVE TO so that I won't be sick.  I only take them as long as the doctor tells me and no more.  She just makes a face and shudders.  I am glad she feels that way.  At least for now.  She is still too young to have to swallow any pills.  She gets shots instead (but I didn't tell her that because she really, really HATES shots).

So here I am, worried because the doctor told me that my eye is going to be painful and there won't be much respite between the three treatments.  The drops are for both pain and to prevent infection.  The pills are to relax me before the surgeries and for pain (Lortabs 7.5mg).   The relaxer is Ativan 1mg.  I've used Lortabs for pain before (when I had my arterial bypass in my leg) but never Ativan.  I don't think the dose is much so I hope it keeps me from being too anxious before I face this surgery.  It's not like they can knock me out for it.  **Sigh**

Love you all.  Talk to you later or tomorrow, depending on what happens around here.  Be good and have a great Humpday (Wednesday). 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Since Chewlee was here and her mom was still going to be working for another couple hours, she went with us to my eye doctor appointment.  She was so concerned about it.  She asked if she could go into the exam room with me and I told her no, she couldn't.  That got her upset and she said, *But what if he gives you a shot??  I really think I need to go in with you, Grandma.*

She was told that she couldn't because he was going to do a special test on my eyes and she would get bored.  She told me that waiting always made her bored. (Aren't we all?)  When we got there, she picked out a couple kids books and I read them to her.  She decided she wanted to go to a gas station so she could get some gum.  When told she would have to wait, she got upset and said she couldn't wait.  I told her, *Gee, that's too bad.  Sounds to me like YOU have a problem then.*  She didn't think it was funny but a lot of people in the waiting room laughed. 

Then, one gentleman went outside for a bit.  When he came back in, he had a piece of gum for her (after asking us if it was okay).  She was so excited that she said she wasn't going to spit it out until she went to bed.    I knew that wasn't going to happen because a woman gave her a piece of butterscotch hard candy and she won't try chewing gum with hard candy in her mouth.

In the doctor's office, I was totally unaware of the passage of time but I was in there for almost an hour and a half.  When I cam out and was waiting for my appointment cards, Chewlee spotted me and ran over.  Her first words were, *Grandma, what took you so long?  Are you all right?*  She then grabbed my leg and hugged it.  The Beast discovered us and his first words?  *What took you so long?*  ROFLMAO!

I am going to have the first laser treatment (there will be three in all) on the 15th.  The second will be on the 17th.  The third and final one will probably take place on the 20th but that one hasn't been set as of yet.  He told me the laser surgery had to be done before the carotid could be.  I think the doctor who is going to do that surgery for me knew that and it's why he wanted a copy of the report.  I'll know for sure when I talk to him tomorrow.

I'm a bit nervous about this laser surgery.  The doctor told me that it was easy and safe but....my eye wouldn't like it.  He gave me a prescription for a *calmer* her called it...it's apparently a trank of some kind to keep me from being anxious over the surgery.  I also have a pain pill he wants me to take 30 minutes before the surgery.  He said there will still be a bit of pain but it won't be PAIN!  Then I have some eye drops I have to use afterward each day until four days AFTER the last laser surgery.  If the eye is going to be painful, will I be able to be online?  Enquiring minds want to know.

So it looks like I am going to be busy for a while as well as recovering from the eye surgery then the carotid.  My right eye will also have to be done but there's no real rush on that for now.  There's some loss of circulation, he tells me, but not like the left eye's.  I also need to get to the prosthetic doctor's to have my toe and shoes made.  I'd like to get all that done before my granddaughter's wedding on September 15th.  Hopefully, I'll be able to fit everything in.  I also want to see about getting a new outfit to wear for that event.

The Beast is in pain tonight after fixing the wiring problem with the trailer.  He just can't accept the fact that he's NOT young any more.  When he started telling me how much he hurt, I told him to go relax in the tub for a while.  That's what I intend to do a little later.  It's been ages since I had a good, long soak.  I'm really a shower person since the idea of sitting in your own *dirty* water always bugged me until I started rinsing under the shower afterward. 

Love you all.  Have a great week.  Take care and drive carefully. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Since we have a new car, it meant we needed to put a new trailer hitch on it.  The car is really great but it has a small engine.  We have a rather large flatbed trailer we use for hauling mulch, dirt, fertilizers and other big, bulky objects, including wood for some projects.  I don't think this trailer will be useable if we fill it up like we used to do.  The problem is really the weight that the hitch will stand.

The Beast rewired it and it was easy even with the instructions that were obviously translated in China or some other foreign country.  He said it went too easy and it sure did.  We found out they have the wiring for the turn signals screwed up.  The Beast thought about rewiring the trailer but....he wants to swap it with Johnnycakes, who has one that is smaller.  His truck can easily haul our trailer even filled up with furniture or whatever he wants to haul.  Ours is the better trailer but his will do just fine for our needs.  He said he can't rewire the trailer, which would be easier.  He said when Johnnycakes went to put it on his trailer and with his harness, it would be screwed up for him then. 

So he's going to take the wires that attach to the car and redo THEM the way they should be.  It's a pain because he taped them up really good thinking it would keep any moisture out of it.  Now he's got to take all that apart in order to get at the wires he needs.  He looked at it and said, *I'll do it tomorrow.  I'm already whipped.*

Since he needs at least one job that needs doing every day or he feels like he's useless, I figure it will keep him out of my hair for at least a couple hours tomorrow.  I've seen the trailer Johnnycakes has and it will sure do what we need.  Since he's going to be busy doing some remodeling at his house he inherited from his mother, he'll be able to easily haul the wood he will need for the deck he plans to build.

As much as I wish we would enlarge our deck, we couldn't haul a lot of wood at one time.  You would laugh at how tiny this engine is on our car.  I've never seen one like it.  The nice thing is you can get at everything without a problem.  AND...get this...you don't need to get under the car to get at the oil filter.  It's almost funny.  The Beast had to google it and found out that over 3000 people had done the same thing for the same reason...they couldn't find it!  It's actually on the right side of the engine.  Isn't a screw in filter either.  They've gone back to the technology used when cars were first made.  A cap comes off, the paper filter is replaced and the cap goes back on.  Simple.  Weird!

Ut oh....forgot I was doing this so it's late being posted.  Tomorrow is my appointment for the special eye test.  It's not until 2pm so Chewlee will be going with us.  She loves that.  It will keep the Beast from being bored.  Love you all.  Be good.  Laugh a little, it's healthy.  Stay hydrated and stay tuned for the date of my surgery. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I found out today that my niece, Tara, had apparently. talked to the Beast about my carotid surgery.  As expected, because he only partially listens when he's told something, he passed along some MISinformation to her.  He told her that I was the one that had put off the surgery.  Not true.  First of all, my doctor wants me to take this eye test my ophthalmologist is going to do on Monday.  For some reason, he wants the report on that before we discuss when I will schedule the surgery.

Second of all, HE suggested that I check on the Internet and get some information on the surgery (which I had intended to do anyway).  I'm glad I did because I found out that most doctors don't worry about a clogged carotid artery until it reaches around 75% closed.  Doing it at 50% is highly unusual but, as he told me, since it seems like it may have been the source of the eye problem, it should probably be done to prevent future eye problem that could be more serious and lead to my losing the sight in that eye.

Tara, as is her usual mode of behavior, didn't ask ME about it or come to ME and say she was worried and wanted to know WHY I had put it off (because that's what the Beast told her).  Instead, she sends off an email to at least ONE of my sisters to cause MORE panic, I guess.  Bratfink, who knows me better than that, knew *I* hadn't put it off but wasn't going to talk to the doctor to schedule it until AFTER the eye test was done (on Tuesday).

THEN, to top it all off, she stops by the house here, runs in to drop off some cupcakes and donuts, and runs out without even so much as a *hi* or *goodbye*.  She was gone before I even could react to her being here.  If it hadn't been for Chewlee, who was watching TV in the Living Room, I wouldn't have known she was here.  I thought Chewlee had opened the door to let the dog out.  Sheesh!

Then, I called her and got her voice mail.  I left a message for her to call me so I could tell her what REALLY went on but she never returned my call.  That's highly unusual for her. 

I know she worries about us but.....  I would have thought she realized that the Beast doesn't always get it right because he is half-deaf AND he doesn't listen well anyway.  He is a wealth of misinformation and that happens to be a real male trait.  I think it's genetic.  After four husbands, you would think Tara would know that. 

I think Bratfink allayed her worries but, if not, when she DOES call me back, I will tell her what is really going on.  I imagine that my surgery will take place toward the end of next week or the beginning of the week after.  I DO, however, want to ask my doctor why he prefers the surgery he described to me over a newer method.  I don't know the statistics for that but I do know HIS statistics from my neighbor, who happens to be a nurse that works at the same hospital.  She checked it out for me.  I thanked her profusely for doing that for me.  She said she was curious, too, and asked other questions of the nurses that work with him.  She was impressed by what they had to say.  He's a good, caring doctor so I feel I am in good hands.

I say goodnight to you all now that I've let everyone know that I am not irresponsible and I will take care of the problem.  Love you all.  Be good and take care in this hot weather. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I've been googling for information on my upcoming surgery on my left carotid artery and I discovered a couple funny things.   First of all, Google tries to guess what you are going to type in the subject field and, as you add letters, it changes damn near as fast as you type.  It really is funny.  Try it some time and pay attention to how quickly it changes on you....

The other thing is that there seems to be a drop-off point where it loses track of just what you want.  Or, perhaps, I was TOO specific.  It's hard to say.   But, suddenly, the places on the page got really strange and unrelated to what I was interested in finding.  I went back to the subject line and got a bit LESS specific and got a much better bunch of links.

Bratfink is the Google champion as far as I am concerned.  She has Googled some weird things and come up with the answers time and time again.  Some of the questions, I wouldn't have known how to even start to address.  But I am learning.  She shares.  **Grin**

I'm also going to ask my doctor about his preferences as far as the way to treat the artery.  There is another option he never mentioned and I'm going to ask him why when I talk to him on Tuesday.

Today was an all-day Chewlee day but the day seemed to fly by.  She is still fascinated with the Clue game, especially the *differences* part.  We spent a couple hours doing those.  There are 82 different scenarios (and I have them all!) with six different parts to each one.  We usually do three or four before she takes a break for an hour or more and then she wants to play either Clue or one of the other hidden object games on Pogo.  She will eventually get tired of them when she starts to repeat episodes more than once and it gets easier.  She really likes to be challenged.  Her teachers will have their hands full with her. 

She starts school next week (Hurrah!)  She needs the socialization and is so darn eager to learn more.  She wants to learn so much that she has started spelling words and trying hard to remember them.  I will ask her to spell them from time-to-time and she is so thrilled when she remembers.  She does recognize different words already when she sees them, even if she doesn't remember how to spell them all the time.  I'll have to get used to a whole different schedule for her now.  Some days she will be deposited here by the school bus and other days she will go home.  LOL...we're only a mile and a half away.  Not really a big deal.

Love you all.  It's raining out and thundering so I want to get this posted while I can.  Be good.  Drive carefully.  Smile a lot.  Makes people nervous.      

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I said I would post early if I had to have surgery and, as I surmised, I have to have it.  The carotid is 50% clogged which, normally, a doctor would ignore and just monitor.  Yeah, it surprised me, too.  However, because the eye doctor found traces of bleeding in my eye, what they discovered was I have ulcerations along the carotid that need to be addressed.  So I will add another scar to my list with the scar along my neck that will be a result of this.  I haven't a set date yet for the surgery, which will involve an overnight stay in the ICU just in case.....

However, there is a test the eye doctor is going to perform this Monday and my doctor wants the results of that before the surgery.  After I take the test, we will set a date but it will be within a week.  **Sigh**  Chewlee is going to freak out, I know.

More bad news.  As a result of the ultrasound and doppler tests, the doctor will need to do an arteriogram to check out the bypass.  He's not sure if it's scar tissue or what but it is showing signs of a restriction.  He added an aspirin a day to my medication regimen.  Gee, I wonder why?  Do you think it might have something to do with it thinning the blood and dissolving clots?

Oh well.  As I've often said, c'est la vie!  Will keep you posted.

OH, BEFORE I FORGET: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRINCESS!!  Love you!

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

My week so far has been:  Monday, eye doctor; Tuesday, hospital lab and ct scan for carotid arteries; Wednesday, doctor's office for ultra sound and doppler on leg surgery.  Tomorrow is the big day.  The day when I finally get the answers to everything that was done to me.  I have this premonition.....that I will end up with surgery on my carotids.  Don't ask me why.  I just do.

What I hate is when you ask the doctor/technician what they found and they all give you the same answer:  We'll send the results to your doctor.  They act like you might have a heart attack or something if they tell you what they found.  At least the eye doctor told me and even showed me the scan.

Of course, he WAS the doctor and knew exactly what the problem would probably entail.  But, all I wanted to know was if my carotids were clogged.  I didn't ask for a percentage or anything...just a simple...*Are they clogged at all?*  As for my legs, I've wondered how the surgery went and if the bypass is doing what it's supposed to be doing.  I've noticed that the leg isn't swollen like it was but I am also doing a lot more walking and moving around than I was.  I'm going to have to make my appointment soon for my prosthetic toe and the shoes.  But, if I have to have more surgery, no matter how minor or major, I will have to put that off for a bit.  After the answer on the carotids is answered, then I will have to address the eye problem first.

THAT is probably going to involve laser surgery and will be an outpatient thing, thankfully.   I've been spending a lot of time doing some research on it.  Interesting.  Also interesting is how far we have come with the use of such things as lasers.  From delicate eye surgery to sending a message through space and even blowing up things thousands of miles away.  Amazing, don't you think?

Chewlee was here around 3:30pm.  The Princess has taken to dropping her off and just watching her come in the door.  If Baron is there, she rings the bell so one of us can come to the door and keep him from running out, all excited.  He sometimes makes her fall down, he's such a horse!

She decided she wanted to play sleepover and she set up a bed for us on the floor.  She had folded small blankets as pillows and her little doll and Katie the Kangaroo were set to sleep with us both.  I had a feeling she must have been tired.  I laid down for a bit and then she hit me with it....she wants a sleepover HERE.  I told her I would check with her mother and maybe on Friday night....  That satisfied her.

She's all excited because she knows how to spell cat, dog and cot.  She recognizes the words and knows what they are.  She told me that you sleep on a cot when you go camping.    I think she's seen one or two on some of the camping trips she's been on.

She is constantly asking me how to spell different words.  I spell them while she writes them.  I can do that all day long because I know that my mother was patient with me and it helped me learn to read before I even got into kindergarten.   Chewlee has started a little late but I know it will all help her.

Love you all.  Doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon at 2pm.  If I will be having surgery, I will blog early about it.  If it's a *maybe*, I'll blog at my regular time.  Just so you know. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

First of all, I send loads of sympathy to the Boy and Bratfink on the loss of their cat, Hootie.  He was the orange tiger and the escape artist.  I only met him a couple times but heard about some of his antics.  I remember when he went exploring and came home wounded (broken jaw).    Dragging himself home after being so badly wounded had to have been hard but he knew his humans would take care of him and make it all better.

He had a unique personality but then all animals do, don't they?  I know he made Bratfink laugh at times with his antics and how he would sit at the window and stare at the birds.  I think he was the first of the cats to try out the cat tree.  He had a cute way of begging for treats.  No, I take that back...he demanded his treats A LOT!  There was no ignoring him.  Poor Hootie wasn't acting normally and Bratfink called the Boy's attention to that.  When the Boy picked him up and discovered he seemed to be just fur and bones, he took him to the cat doctor's office.  It was discovered that Hootie had a tumor in his belly.  He wasn't in pain but his time was limited.  Could he start having pain?  Yes, definitely...at any time.  The Boy can't stand the idea of any animal suffering but especially his.  So he kissed and cuddled Hootie and then the vet gave Hootie a shot that sent him to the Rainbow Bridge.  I'm sure his mother was there, waiting for him as well as Bullit, his buddy.  My sincere condolences to both the Boy and Bratfink.  I hope their hearts heal quickly.

Today was a busy day for me.  Chewlee was dropped off and we played Clue online.  She still amazes me at how she can find hidden objects in the various scenarios.  Her favorite, though, is when we have to find 15 differences in two views of the same scene.  The screen is split and it shows an arrow in both scenes so you can go along and see the same section of both sides at the same time.  She can spot color differences, shapes that are different or missing.  She will tell me, *Click, Grandma, click!*  When I told her I needed to see what I was clicking so I would know for the next time, she said to me...*If I tell you to click, it's because you are right on it.  Just trust me!*  That cracked me up.

When she heard I had to go to the hospital *just for tests* I told her, she gave me this suspicious look and said, *So you will be home later after your tests?*  I told her yes, I would.  Then she said, *..and you will be here tomorrow when I come?*  Again, I assured her that I would be at home.  That made her happy.  She talked to me all the way from our house to the hospital and it made me wonder if she was trying to keep my mind off my *tests* or what.  She had gone for her school physical and needed two booster shots that she got in her thighs.  She had shown me the bandages (one on each hip) and said that they really hurt.  One of them, she told me, made her YELL because it hurt so much.  She told me she wouldn't be able to sit right for a day or two.  When I asked her who told her that, she looked at me in disgust and said, *Grandma, *I* am the only one that knows how much those shots hurt....and it still hurts me so don't touch them!*  I tried to look thoroughly chastised and it must have convinced her because she turned around and went back to our game. 

The Beast and I talked about Chewlee on my way home after the lab work and the CT scan (with contrast and without)  I told him that I really think what astounds people about her is her vocabulary.  For a five year old, she has an incredible vocabulary....and she knows the meaning of all the words she uses.  If she is arguing with you about something she feels strongly about, she comes up with some very good arguments even if she is going to lose.  She wants to be the boss of herself and doesn't like the idea that other people are the *boss of her*.  She accepts the fact that she must listen to the teacher in school although she tried to say (at first) that she didn't know HOW to listen.  No one ever made her a list!  (Her words). 

Tomorrow morning is the ultrasound and the Beast goes in to our regular doctor after he drops me off.  It's really only about two or three blocks away.  I'll take my Nook with me so I can read when I am done until he is finished and picks me up.  No way am I going to shuffle two or three blocks in this heat, just me and my cane.  I don't have that kind of endurance yet anyway.  I'm lucky to go a block and then I need to rest before I can walk back to my starting point.  The Beast said to me, *The doctor didn't need to go through all this....all he had to do was ask me and I could have told him you haven't had any blood going to your brain in YEARS!*  He's a real treat, isn't he?

Then, one of his *so-called* friends said to me, *You know, I heard that that particular surgery often dislodges clumps of cells and causes strokes.  They give you blood thinners but it's usually too late to help out.*  And THAT is a friend???  I had looked up a lot of information about what might have to be done to me so that I would know the right questions to ask so I already knew some of the risks I might face...but....there ARE things that can be done before any procedure to see if it helps or if it even NEEDS to be done (mostly medications that can be tried).  It all depends on how much restriction I might have.  We shall see.

Time to get this posted.  I really hate it when I am late but tonight...it's early.  **Grin**  The Beast has gone to bed and I will be calling it a night early, too.  I want to make sure I have a good internet connection since it's been raining on and off and I am not sure how much that affects my *hotspot* connection.

Love you all.  Be good and give your pets an extra *skritch* or two.    Let them know you care....while you can.

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I went to see a retinal specialist yesterday and, of course, he just HAD to dilate my eyes.  I hate when that's done because it seems to last for 8 hours or so before the full effects are gone.  Bratfink will be having it done to her today at her regular eye doctor.  She hates it, too.  Especially those interesting *shades* they give you to protect your eyes on your way home.  Cheap, cheap, cheap.  I'll bet the ones that are curled into a tube don't cost much more than a quarter.  But they sure do grip your head, I'll say that for them.  Chewlee loved them, too and they even fit HER head without falling off.

As a result of what he found (and what he suspects), I will be having the following done to me:

          Tuesday:  Go to hospital at 2pm for lab work and a special eye test to be done with a special dye ( that isn't used with an x-ray so it isn't hard on your kidneys).

          Wednesday:  Go to doctor's office that will be doing a carotid ultrasound at 9:30am.  Beast has to be at his doctor's office at 10am.  Luckily, the two offices are just two blocks away from each other.

          Thursday:  See the vascular surgeon (with whom I am very familiar) at 2pm for results of tests and possible date with Rotorooter. 

          Monday: (following at 3pm) Back to retinal specialist's office either for test OR when I will have a date with a laser to secure the part of my retina that is detaching from back of left eye.

When I said that August was looking to be a busy month for both the Beast and I, I had no idea just how busy it could become.  If I do, indeed, have clogged carotid arteries, that means surgery will follow and there will be a special balloon inserted that will be used to clear them (as I understand it).  I knew the retinal specialist was concerned about what was going on with my left eye.  He said he's seen it before in diabetics but...usually in BOTH eyes.  Since he didn't hear what he wanted to when he *listened* to my left carotid's blood flow, I guess he must really have had a panic attack or something because he immediately got in touch with both my regular doctor AND the doctor that did the vascular surgery on my legs. 

I'm sure not going to fight anything they may feel should be done because my VISION is one of the most important things to me.  I will not take chances with losing that.  I will report on what happens as it happens.  The *balloon* surgery I believe involves only a day's stay at the hospital but it WILL involve my being on some blood thinners for a while.  That's a real *Oh shit!* situation.  I remember when the Beast was put on coumadin and had to be watched so carefully while he was on it.  It also means that Chewlee will have to get used to NOT sitting on my lap but on the step stool next to me instead.  She would injure me and cause bruise-type bleeding without intending it.  She's caused bruises to my legs just because she can't sit still when in my lap and her feet are always kicking.

The Princess works the early shift tomorrow and couldn't make last minute arrangements for another sitter for Chewlee.  After talking to her boss, she asked me to just drop off Chewlee on the way to the hospital.  It's a family restaurant and they've had the children of the servers there before.  They have a special table for the kids to sit at.  Older ones often do their homework while they wait for their parent to finish working and the younger ones will sit and draw or play games on leap pads and game boys.  However, because my lab is at 2pm and the other test that will be done is at 3pm, the Beast is going to just drop me off at the hospital and keep Chewlee with him.  We will drop her off a bit later (and closer to when the Princess is scheduled to finish work) on our way home. 

He will just watch her on the other two days until I am free.  After that, we shall see.  I think Chewlee is going to be very upset.  She thinks I am broken as it is. 

Love you all.  Please, please...do not neglect your health.  I feel fine but look at what's going on.  See your doctor for a good physical at least once a year.  Twice a year is preferable as you grow older.  Drive carefully and stay hydrated in all this heat. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I was thinking about this month and realized that it is going to be a busy one for us.  I almost added...as usual...since we seem to be busy regardless of the addition we will enjoy (tongue-in-cheek here) this month.  I have to see a retina specialist tomorrow morning.  Really weird that there are actually doctors that specialize that specifically and can still make a living.  I am going to find out if he thinks my retina in my left eye (which has scar tissue and interferes with my vision) needs to be surgically removed.  Shit, I didn't know they could do that. 

If he does, then he will probably schedule me quickly to have it done.  After all, he's got college loans and probably college tuition (for a kid or two) to pay this month.    The Beast has the first cataract surgery on August 23rd.  I had to remind him that he needs to get a prescription filled from the doctor to use in his eyes.  He was flippant about when he had to start it but I told him to re-read the instructions because one of the drops has to be started more than a couple days before the surgery.  I think the prescription one is only used for three or four days before it.  Then he will go in either a week or two after the first eye is done for the second surgery.  The implanted lenses will give the Beast a whole new lease on life.  He won't have to wear his glasses to drive.  Heck, he won't have to wear glasses except to read then. 

He says he won't know how to act because he's worn glasses for distance his whole life.  But the doctor told him that the lens implants are a positive aspect of cataract surgery so he should be prepared.  Of course, his eyesight won't be fully corrected until the second surgery so *I* might have drive all the time unless he knocks out the one lens on his glasses. 

He also will be going in to see our *new* doctor on the 10th.  He hasn't met him yet but I told him I liked him.  In fact, I was very impressed by him.  He had gathered up all the information from my tests at the hospital and all the surgery I had so he was totally up-to-date and fully informed.  All the records were on computer and he kept his laptop right there and made notes while we talked.  And we TALKED.  He listened and asked questions.  He wasn't QUITE the Doogie Howser the doctors at the hospital had kidded about but he had a great way with me as a patient.  Much better than our former doctor (he left to do research at a hospital in Florida.  Probably Gainesville.)

Chewlee was pretty hyper today.  She talked...and talked....and talked.  She tried to make up jokes (and failed most of the time).  When I told her a joke wasn't funny, she got a second opinion by going and telling it to the Beast.  She was cute when she told me, *I can't run in the house, only outside.  It's not polite to run in the house and you can have an accident.*  She was pretending to talk on her play cell phone and, when I asked her where she had put her purse, she shhh'd me and said, *I'm talking on the phone.  Just wait!*  She then finished up her imaginary conversation and said goodbye.  Then she came over to me and said, *Now what was it you wanted?*  Since she has been a really bad example of interrupting people, especially when they are on a phone, it was kind of a shock.  I guess some of what she's been told really HAS sunk in.

Love you all.  I'm waiting to watch the Mars landing and then have to try for some decent sleep before going to the doctor in the morning.   I hope the doctor can't tell I'm lacking in sleep when he looks in my eyes.    Hell, he'll only be interested in my retina.  Nothing more.  Be good.  Drive carefully.  Drink lots of water during all this heat.  Didn't have any rain today so ha! ha! on the weatherbug.