Two "Simultaneous" (four eyes) Cataract Surgeries

 

You know why I say "THIS IS FOR THE RECORD" all the time?????  Because if I don't write it down, you can be darn-tootin' sure that both Astrid and I will actually forget that 1) it happened, 2) when/where it happened, or 3) the details of how it happened.

So, THIS IS FOR THE RECORD.  And, this is how they're doing it now in the Netherlands.  Cataract surgeries, that is.  

For Astrid, it's been at least a year, maybe two, that her eyesight has become close to intolerable.  She was seeing almost everything in gray tones, especially outside, and had horrific vision on sunny days.  Bike riding was becoming hazardous for her, so she stopped.  Many more details, like hating the laptop...but she finally went to the very modern eye clinic in nearby Papendrecht to get an appraisal (YES, she had cataracts which needed to be removed) and then a date for surgery:  January 25. 

And, as if she needed someone to sympathize with her, at the same time I was getting my eyes checked for new glasses when, guess what, the orthoptist (my prism specialist for double vision) said I had cataracts!  That's why since falling at the Georgia cabin on November 18 my vision suddenly changed for the worse:  the fall had shaken loose my low-lying cataracts sitting in the wings for years.

So, it was MY turn to visit the same eye clinic for an appraisal and a date for surgery:  February 2 (8 days after Astrid's, but with a different surgeon).  And they do both eyes at the same time here!  It's brilliant and we both can't imagine doing it any other way.

So, that's the story and here are the images, lest we forget.  HA!

Not what I'd call flattering, but, for the first week, we had to wear "goggles" at night.

Can you tell that, for each of us, this was within hours of our surgeries?

At least we were both smiling.

And speaking of "within hours," this was me at supper, 2 hours after my surgery.

It was the thickest fog I've ever experienced in my life because of the salve on my eyes

(which Astrid's surgeon did not put on hers)!  I really couldn't stop laughing! 

Astrid's surgery was on a Wednesday.

Two days later, Friday, she finished knitting this fisherman sweater

and wore it to our afternoon Happy Hour here at our senior center.

She saw brilliant RED for the first time in a long time!

For me, my far-sighted vision is now almost perfect

except for the fact that I still have double vision.

So Astrid made me an eye-patch out of one of her goggles

for watching TV, so I can see it in uni-vision.

I still use my old glasses for close-up work.

On March 2 Astrid has her checkup and new prescription (at the same clinic as our surgeries), after which she can order her new glasses from an optician here in town.  For me, it's March 9, after which on the 14th I have an appointment with my nearby orthoptist who will order the prism glasses.  

Did I mention that while all this was going on, we had our 13th wedding anniversary on February 5 and celebrated it in style this week on Valentine's Day (VD), February 14th...something we think we'll start doing from this year forward.  Because VD is NOT a Dutch thing like it is in America, there's nothing hectic/rushed when a restaurant here celebrates it (we were there for 3 hours!): 

1.  Love is...'setting the table together'

Arancini--red beet risotto stuffed with a beet ragout and aceto balsamic syrup.

2.  Love is...'sharing together'

Platter with various appetizers:

Spring roll with goat cheese and cranberry chutney.

Rose of marinated salmon with a fennel salad.

Wrap with smoked beef and egg.

Mini soup with purple carrot and roasted onion.

Steak tartar with silver onions.

3.  Love is...'a game that two play and both win'

Cupid skewer with grilled rump steak with creamy pepper sauce,

parsnip puree and carrot batons.

4.  Love is...'something beautiful'

Stewed pear pudding with a stewed pear sauce,

strawberry sorbet ice cream, meringue and tuile.

How's that for topping off these first days and weeks of 2023!