Kawana is about 40km from Tewantin and at the last minute my neighbour, who had offered to drive me there, had to take his wife for a medical appointment so I went by taxi. An hour later and $125 lighter in my pocket I arrived at the hospital just before 9.00am.
I have private medical insurance and as I live on my own it was thought better that I stay the night after surgery. After admission and paying a $250 "co-payment" I was taken to a rather nice single bed room and given a hospital gown to wear. The nurse applied a sticker above the right eye and began to administer a series of eye drops and carry out the normal blood glucose test (I am a type 2 diabetic), blood pressure and heart rate tests and took my temperature.
All was OK and about 10.00am I walked to the area outside of the operating theatre where I climbed onto an operating table. My anesthetist (call me Steve) inserted a cannula in my left arm. He administered a light sedative then sat me up while my surgeon marked the center of my eye. The next thing I remember I was in a recovery ward and a few minutes later rolled back to my room. It was about 11.30am.
I had a clear patch taped over my eye and although it was a little blurry I could see quite well. After some lunch I began a series of eye drops which needed to be administered six times a day for two weeks followed by fewer drops four times a day for the next two weeks. I spent the day looking out of the window and testing how good the fixed eye was. By evening it was much better than the left eye without glasses. I had intended to pop the lens out of the right side of my glasses but it wouldn't budge so I had the choice of good vision with the left eye with glasses and distorted vision on the right side or reasonable vision on the right side without glasses and poor vision on the left side. I chose the former but soon tired of trying to read and watch TV so went to sleep at 7.30pm.
Next morning I showered very carefully to keep the right eye clear of soap and after drops and breakfast caught a taxi to my surgeons office for a check on the eye at 9.00am. He told me that the operation went well, there were no problems with the anesthetic and my right eye would be OK to drive with after another 24 hours. I had to avoid dirt and dust for a couple of weeks which meant cycling was also banned for a while. He popped out the right lens of my glasses and told me to look after the eye. I had an appointment for four weeks later to check how good the eye was.
I decided to take the bus home. Actually it was three buses. One from Kawana to Maroochydore, one from Maroochydore to Noosa Heads and one from Noosa Heads to Tewantin about 400m from home. I was home at 12.00noon. Later in the afternoon my friend Bettie returned Louis to me as he had spent the night with her. Her little dog, Bella, sleeps outside in a kennel but Louis slept indoors!
The next four weeks I religiously applied my eye drops and got back to delivering MOW and giving computer talks. I also got back to riding with my cycling club. The right eye gradually became dominant and gave a much brighter and cleared image than the left even with glasses.
On November 26 I drove to my surgeon's office where my right eye was thoroughly tested. The distance vision easily exceeded that required for driving and the keratoconus was stable. I should have no reason to use corrective lens for the right eye except for reading. I was booked in for December 9 for the left eye.
This time I did get a lift to hospital and was admitted at 7.40am. This time I actually remember being wheeled into the operating theatre and seeing the surgeon setting up his microscope then good bye.
Back in the room my vision in the left eye slowly improved and I was able to watch TV before going to sleep. Next day I took a taxi to the surgeon's rooms and had a test on the left eye. Again there were no problems and I was sent home without wearing corrective lenses for the first time in over 60 years.
Four days later I am typing this wearing cheap reading glasses. I will see my surgeon on Dec 24 after which I should be able to get properly prescribed reading glasses and also get my driving licensing and medical certificate changed to indicate that I do not require glasses for driving.
Even now my distance vision in great, things are much brighter and colours different.
To celebrate I have bought myself a a camping trailer to tow behind my Honda Jazz. It will arrive in the New Year and is a special lightweight design for towing behind large motor bikes and small cars. It will be much easier than taking my tent and I intent to go away for a few days each month. I have a friend, Jenny who will house sit and look after Louis for me. She relies on the pension and appreciates the $20 a day she will get and it is also cheaper than the kennels.
Unfortunately there is one thing which is causing me much sorrow and worry. My good friend, Bettie, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. I have been driving her to and from her doctors for consultation, biopsies, scans etc. Four weeks ago she was unaware of any problem. On Friday she was told that the cancer was also in the neck area of her spine and had invaded her lymph nodes. Surgery is out of the question. She is probably going to have radiation treatment on her neck to prevent the cancer spreading and causing pain. I am taking her to see a specialist tomorrow. At present she doesn't know about chemo. Her Lung doctor thinks that it is probably not worth it. She will see an oncologist later next week to see if it will be appropriate. She has between 6 months to a year.
The terrible thing is that she only had a chest X-ray because 4 weeks ago her younger sister, Jan, was also diagnosed with lung cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes and lower spine. Jan is much younger, 63 years old against Bettie's 80, and I think Bettie is more upset by this than her own condition. Jan has 3 to 6 months.
Bettie has been a good friend to me an was the only person apart from Helen and me to visit Margaret in her final months in the nursing home.
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| My hospital room |
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| Bettie and Bella |
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| An Elite Camper Trailer behind a big motor bike |
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