September 11th

I didn't work out today, but I did get to my eye doc appointment on time. I've been feeling intermittently queasy for the past few days. Other people have succumbed to weather-related sinus infections. Sinuses are connected to the inner ear, and hence balance and nausea. Or it could just be that I've OD on watermelon. I had a huge piece for dessert last night because 1) I really like watermelon and 2) I needed to make room in the fridge for other perishables. Apparently you CAN eat too much of it, and because it's got more lycopene than tomatoes, and a substantial amount of fiber, water, B6, magnesium and other goodies, it is possible to get a little sick.

While I'm at the doctor's office, the TV is on and names of the dead are being read aloud. It's September 11th and every year we remember the horror of that day, and the people that we miss. The waiting room is full of old people who take up two seats because they can't organize all the shopping bags they came in with. There are several obese women also, one who falls asleep and nearly out of the chair as she drapes over the skinny chrome arm.

The technician takes my IOP before the procedure. 18 and 13 for the right and left eye, respectively. The right eye is my dominant eye, the one that sees better, and the one with more deterioration apparent on the Visual Field test. They give me drops to dilate my pupils and that gives me a headache over my right eye because I'm trying to finish reading a magazine article about how a crisis texting hotline (741741) is helping to save lives.

After 30 minutes, the doctor takes me into a darkened room where the SLT is to be performed. She puts a gel in my eye, and something to numb the eye. I suspect the gel is to hold the special guide lens in place so that she can aim the argon laser and make pin point holes in the trabecular meshwork. I'm directed to stare at a red light at 7 o'clock in my field of vision while she pulses the laser. I can see the flashes of bright light and for the most part I don't feel any pain. Just maybe a bit of sporadic warmth. Mostly it's the ring of lights surrounding the target eye that's psychologically imposing. I'm pretty sure I held my breath through most of it.

The doc says that for a narrow-angle patient, she had a remarkably good view and feels very confident that everything will work out fine. I have to wait for an hour so they can take my IOP again to make sure that the treatment itself doesn't spike my pressure. It happens in rare cases. The waiting room is so crowded that after standing around for 10 minutes, I tell the tech that I'm going to sit in the hallway. There are benches in the hallway. And I can put my sunglasses on and rest my eyes, and not feel weird about it. I'm starting to get hungry so I grab a Quest bar out of my purse and eat it. But that makes me queasy. My eye is watering, which means my nose is running. At least this procedure didn't hurt like the laser iridotomy I had a few years ago. There, a laser is used to punch a hole in the iris to allow better fluid drainage. And those are still fine. Every time I use eye drops I have to blow my nose or taste it in the back of my tongue.

Tank was too sheer!

After another 30 minutes, the tech calls me back into the office, puts numbing drops into my eyes and takes my IOPs. They're 11 and 15. 11? For the right eye? And the left eye went up to 15? Well, people's pressures change all day long.11 is the lowest I've ever seen recorded for my own eyes. I've got my fingers crossed that this procedure will last, and be as effective in my left eye.

This one works!

I feel so relieved that I go to Kmart, ostensibly to get a new binder for my son's Chinese school class (which starts tomorrow), look at Halloween decorations, and try on some new workout clothes. I'm not a clothes horse, but lately I find myself searching for clothes that fit right. Old sports bras tend to lose their shape and the edges get rough and frayed. Some of my tanks are just too billowy and I get my headphone cords tangled in them. Some of my pants and shorts are just plain uncomfortable. I find a nice Jillian Michaels tank that's discounted 25% off. It's a size S and fits nicely. I pair that with a large Everlast sports bra, and small JM leggings. Okay, this'll work. Test it out on Monday!