Day 2 - Clueless Diva has just undergone lasik surgery yesterday and recuperating at home. Let's ask her about the whole process.
Q: Hello, how are you feeling today?
A:Good, thanks. my eyes are fuzzy to look out to, but there are no pain or discomfort anymore.
Q: Tell us about yesterday.
A: Well, the surgery was scheduled at 9.15am. I went into the hospital at about 9am. I had to sign a bunch of forms to indemnify the doctor of course, paid up and went through the last series of eye tests, most probably to confirm my degrees.
The nurse then briefed me on on the post-op cocktail of drops for my eyes and had my take a pill for relaxing. She garbed me up and led me to a room to wait for the medicine to take effect and for the doctor to be ready.
I was in the room for I think 1/2 hour? Of course I had a little time for cam-whoring.
I look really ugly.:P
The doctor arrives and got the machines started up. I was led to a little room where the nurse applied on the alcohol rub and iodine on my eyes and told me not to touch my eyes anymore.
I had to take off my shoes prior to entering the operating theatre. The lasik machine looks like a 2 armed monster with a bed right in the middle below the machine. When I laid down on the bed, it seems like the monster lasik machine was riding astride my face.
Q: That must be really scary for you! How were you feeling then? Ready to faint?
A: Well, at that point I was already strapped to the bed and hearing the machine do funny noises. I couldn't run! I am not going under general anesthesia and the nurses put some local anesthesia on my eyes and at that very moment, my heart was in my mouth. I was thinking to myself 'what have I gotten myself into?'
Then the doctor walked in and I could feel him smiling underneath his surgical scrubs. 'Morning, Jeng Mei. Ready for your new pair of eyes today?' I could only manage a cross between a gurgle in my throat and a hmmm and away Dr Lee went!
Q: Goodness. I feel your fear! You ok to do this interview further? Do you need to rest?
A: I am fine thanks.
Firstly the doctor suctioned my eyes and swivel me over to the first arm of the machine. The machine hovered over me and then sat down on my eyes. I can feel some slicing so I am guessing this first arm slices my cornea (does cornea has a pural form? 2 corneas?)
Then I am swivelled back to the middle and Dr Lee proceeded to lift up the flap of my cornea (s?) This is the strangest feeling yet. I can see him lifting up the flap and then my eyesight become blurry and flurry. Dr Lee keep asking my to focus my eyes on the blinking red light, which I tried very hard to. I wanted to blink to take away the discomfort but my eyes were mechanically propped open and I could not move my eye at all. It was scary.
Then I went on to the other arm of the machine and Dr Lee started the laser and went to do some construction work on my eye left, then my right. Why do I say it is a construction work? Cos I can hear the laser crackling and sizzling on my eyes as Dr Lee manipulate the laser lines over my eyes. It seems like he was drilling holes in my eyes. Then the awful mechanical burning smell came wafting over my nose and I panicked. That was the smell of my eyes burning!
Q: Ouch! Now that is really scary! How do you stay put? I would run away for sure
A: Now, you must remember I was strapped down. I can't run anywhere. Anyway, all this drilling and bad smells lasted I think about 15 mins and it is over! Dr Lee replaced the flap over my eyes and patted them down. He removed the suction cups over my eyeballs and the nurses helped me up. My knees were shaking but the doctor was all smiles and he tried to make me feel better by announcing 'Jeng Mei, congratulations to your new eyes!'
I could only murmured a thanks when I am led back to the resting room. I fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion only to be woken up 15mins later by the pain. I felt like someone or something is running over my corneas and playing football on them. It was so itchy and painful and I struggled not to touch my eyes.
Luckily the nurse came in just then and rescued me with drops of anesthesia.
Dr Lee inspected my eyes again and send me off for home. I am to come back to the clinic today for a post-op check.
Q: So what have you done since yesterday when you arrived home from the clinic?
A: Well, I did nothing but sleep the whole day and woke up to pain and then put in the eye drops every hour. Today, the eyes are no longer painful, but my visuals are still fuzzy. Hope I can see better soon.
Q: Well I certainly hope you can see better too! OK, you better go and rest then. Talk to yuo again maybe tomorrow.
A: OK, I need to rest my eyes anyway. I shall blog again tomorrow. Ciao!
3 comments:
Described in such detail, Eliss - your experience brought back memories. I hope your eyes are recovering well.
ok it reminds me of the movie 'Awake' where the patient is conscious during his heart op and is describing like u do!
urs had the same effect scary but sucks me in...
who accompanied u home after?
i went home myself in a cab.
all the way in the cab, i thought i was still in the scary movie....legs were still shaking then. i collasped when i reached home
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