Surpr"eyes"!!

Surprise!!! I was inspired to go to the retinologist for Christmas break, and didn't even know it!  Turns out that the doc saw a lot of bleeding going on in my eye!  They call it "radiation retinophay," from the radiation that was done on my right (blind) eye a year and a half ago. I had no idea I would need to worry about that-- oops!  It's a good thing this doc knew what to look for.  He's also the one who discovered I had a brain tumor 4 years ago.  He knows his stuff!  Anyway, he said that he hasn't seen this in 5 years, and if I didn't get it treated, the pressure from new vessels forming and so much blood would get so irritating, that I'd need it removed and would have to get a glass eye!!  Ewww!  No thank you!!  I'm glad there's a treatment he could do for me!  Here's what my good left eye looks like:

Gratefully, this eye is not showing much diabetic retinopathy-- what a blessing for having had diabetes for 24 years!  The doctor told me, "Someone is smiling down on you!"

And now.... here's what the right eye looked like!  Crazy!!

He brought in all his nurses and assistants for the educational experience (and he knew I'd be fine sharing).  He told me to give them a run-down of my last four years with this eye in one minute, and then told them why they would treat a blind eye.  He started laser surgery right away, but didn't do it all that night, since I was on my way to a family holiday party. :)

The next morning at 8, my mom drove with me for the yucky many shots in the eye (I won't include any pictures or videos of this!) and the rest of the laser treatment.  It wasn't too bad, and I was so grateful to be on Christmas break from school!  So glad Mom could be with me all day, too, and help me grade all the papers I did before the numbness wore off and I felt immense pain and exhaustion!

I was pretty swollen for several hours!!

Later that evening, just as Tyler was about to come home, I was crying in terrible pain, and I asked for a blessing as soon as he got home.  I was immediately feeling better, took a Lortab to sleep it off, and was in music less pain for the next couple weeks.  It's pretty well worn off, now!  So many tender mercies are seen in this experience!  I'm so grateful Heavenly Father continues to have a hand in my life and watch over me.