Eye Exam
I've had an incalculable amount of testing these past months. From contorting my frame into tiny spaces, to mishaps with IV insertion, my adventures have taken me around the local area hospitals under the cover of night and in the glare of the day. Waiting rooms packed full, where once wary individuals cowered at the thought of being within 10 feet of another human. Today's installment was brought to me by my Ophthalmologist. He's a pleasant fellow and knows his “stuff”. I don't know what it is about eye exams though that practically makes me break out in a nervous sweat. All those questions. Is 1 better than 2. 3 better than 4. Etc, etc. it's not like there's a pass or fail grade but I'm leaning in and concentrating so hard that I can feel the vertebrae snapping in my neck under the pressure to get the answers “right”!! For pity's sake! There is no wrong answer! Just a doctor wanting to improve my vision! In my obvious nervousness, I begin babbling on like an out of control 4 year old and asking questions of my own! Can you ask me again? I'm not certain if 1 really is better than 2. What are you checking now? Will this take long? Do you really have to dilate my eyes? The answer to the last question was a resounding, “yes”, as the reason for my visit in the first place, was to rule out something more sinister. Thankfully, I did pass that particular test, but not before my doctor donned a head contraption that could rival any helmet in a star wars movie. He assured me it was necessary and my inner child started humming the tune to Star Wars while trying to pay attention to the instructions he was giving me. I can be so immature at times. Moving onwards to the selecting of the inevitable new glasses, with my eyes fully dilated it was not an easy task. For all I know, I could have purchased snorkeling goggles. I was warned that the “outside” would be very bright and I might want to wear something to shield my eyes ….. they handed me a curled up piece of plastic and said that it would help. They obviously did not know to whom they were speaking. Reaching my car, I tried to unfurl the said plastic shield and it flicked out of my hand and flew across the car park, a bit like the contents of the crackers around the Christmas table. Embarrassed by my apparent lack of dexterity, I quickly got in my car to drive home. Within moments I noticed that the sun was shrouded in gray clouds and I wondered if I, since my eyes were dilated, would be able to soak up more of their lovely presence? It's not that I don't like the sunshine, but I simply love a cloudy day and this morning they were abundant in the firmament. I consider cloudy days a personal treasure and so today, in spite of my wide eyed wonder, I am blessed.