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The fog/low clouds this morning made it necessary for
this vulture to take time out to dry its wings. |
I am so lucky to be able to wake up and see clearly.... when I was little, I would wake up to a hazy world and I thought that was what everyone saw. Then when I went to first grade I got my first set of glasses and realized there was a whole lot I'd been missing... no wonder everyone thought I was a 'cotton-head,' a 'lay-about,' a dithering ditzy little girl. I could not imagine how the world moved so quickly in such a fog.
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| Closer view of the vulture drying out its wings. |
As I grew, so did my eyes and the focal point stretched farther and farther away from the back of the eye, making me more and more near-sighted so that by the time I was 16 I was, without correction, legally blind. Fortunately for me, I was able to wear the 'new' contact lenses and that was the first time I saw my feet as they really were - rather large!
During my teens, the contact lens product changed and evolved so that I went from wearing something impermeable to those that were the beginnings of tiny plastic lenses that you could wear all day. But in my 60's, after wearing contacts lenses of all types and varieties for more than 40 years, my eyes were beginning to rebel, and I was not as confident of my driving as I had been. I felt as if something was off. I went to a wonderful opthamologist, a fellow who was teaching eye surgery at a university in Florida, and he determined that along with the dry eyes of contact wearers, I was also losing vision because of cataracts. Surgery..... scary.... eyesight.... gasp.
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| Colombian sparrow checking out the gutter for water. |
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| Colombian sparrow shaking off the water from a gutter bath. |
I was warned of the risks, but the risks of not doing anything were greater. I am sure Dr. B. likes a challenge, but he also is careful. He let me sit in to watch one of his surgeries, and feeling confident of his skills, I was ready to proceed. So we both forged ahead and at the age of 62 with a couple of months between surgeries, I was given new eyesight that, for the first time, allowed me to see at 20/20 in one eye and 20/30 in the other - without contacts!!! I continue to be amazed as I wake up and SEE the world and now when it is foggy, I know it is because I am up in the Andes clouds, not because I am 6 years old and near-sighted.
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| How wonderful to have a toy that really moves! |
So today I am once again giving thanks for my eyesight, and especially was reminded of this gift when I sat with a blind friend last night. The photo of the motorcycle's license plate may or may not be a sign to anyone else, but I interpreted it this way.
WHAT I READ THIS MORNING... This is an important posting from Deludia about medical thefts which we have to make sure we work to divert - at all costs! Please take time to click on this link and be aware...
Deludia's posting about medical theft
dear sandy,
ReplyDeletei so related with the history of the eye problems you had as a little girl, and thinking of how hard it was to see off and on through my growing-up years, as well as the attempts to correct the problems, often makes me anxious and fearful that i will become blind someday. having the chance to observe your eye surgeon performing the surgery he recommended was such a great opportunity; and i am thrilled for your excellent results! we have a dear friend who has suddenly become blind - an artist, plantswoman, and interior designer so talented and devoted to so many visual arts. it is so devastatingly sad, and we are always trying to think of ways to help her during this most difficult transition in her life.
i love seeing what you saw today, and imagine the delight and thankgiving you experienced in being able to SEE them. i am so happy for you!
thanks, too, for the heads up for the post by deludia. i read it, and next time i meet with a registrar at our medical center, i will ask what precautions are being taken to secure our status as patients and keep others from assuming them.
ah, nice post on miss p's site...let's keep BELIEVING together.\
love, xo,
karen, TC
As an artist, I have a suggestion... your friend knows her 'colors'... she can learn to set up her paints in a grid and do a different kind of painting than she did before... the blind friend I have here in Barichara cannot see and is nearly deaf, but he does the most exquisite drawings in charcoal. Up until recently he was also a radio personality, but other health issues have made that difficult for now. She has not lost her talents - and I am sure this is a devastating blow as it would certainly be for me, but encourage her to find other ways to express her Self and I will be intending she is finding joy in new ways, for the highest and best good of all concerned. By the way, audio books offer some delightful listening pleasure.. I don't know what part of the world you are living in, but there are some excellent resources through the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine - you might contact them on her behalf.
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ReplyDeletedear sandy,
ReplyDeleteexcellent suggestions for our friend; and thank you so much for your generous and kind intending for her. i feel so much better knowing there are things we can do for her; feelings of helplessness when one so wants to offer something of practical value totally sucks.
gratefully,
karen, TC
Great post and great photos!
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