I want to capture my thoughts around this experience…
First, I know living on an island is a different experience than, say, the mainland but having to drive to Hilo for the surgeries and also drive home to Kona right after the second one is pretty annoying since Viv isn’t capable of doing the driving. Anyway…
We drove to Hilo on July 4 because I needed to be at the surgery center at 7 am on the 6th. Our hotel SCP Hilo was nice but just that. The restaurant, Coconut Grill, was good.
I of course got about zero sleep, thanks anxiety. But showered and arrived on time. Being the first patient of the day is nice.
I was honestly terrified and the anesthesiologist was a pal and loaded me with Benzodiazepine.
The actual operation only lasted ten minutes but I barely noticed the time (thanks drugs). Stare at the bright light the whole time. Visual effects were kind of kaleidoscopic and psychedelic. Trippy purples and oranges.
Around 9:30 I was done and we got breakfast. I left with an eye shield over my left eye, which I had to wear until returning at noon for a follow up exam.
We basically had a lazy weekend so I binged Star Trek: Prodigy. Recommended!! Did get to have breakfast at the famous Ken’s Pancake House.
Sunday night I slept better, with a good understanding of what was coming Monday.
Checked out and at the center at 10. My surgeon said not to be surprised if things seemed different from the first operation as the drugs do funny things to your memory, and he was right. I took a lot less happy juice, though possibly I should’ve taken a little more than I did as during the surgery I got a bit tense.
Still, all went well again and I was out just after noon. We grabbed a light lunch and headed home. Switched the eye shield for old folks sunglasses (free from the doctor).
Driving from Hilo to Kona will surprise those unfamiliar with the Big Island. It’s about 95 miles of beautiful mountain road and almost nothing else. As you leave Hilo on the Upper Saddle Road you climb. And climb.
The entrance to Mauna Kea and an Army training base are somewhere in the middle, as is the only place to stop. A rec area with (clean) bathrooms and picnic tables. No stores, no gas stations, no houses for 50 miles.
Home around 4:00. Happy to collapse in my own bed!
While I don’t have to wear them during the day—just sunglasses when outside—I do need to wear both eye shields while sleeping for the rest of this week. Definitely weird as it means sleeping sitting up.
Let me say, though, that 24 hours after I’m totally happy. Feels like being high! After 55 years I can watch TV, drive, walk around WITHOUT GLASSES!!
At today’s follow up the surgeon said my corneas are a little swollen still and as that goes down I’ll need reading glasses. If so that’s fine.
My surgeon was Dr. Ryan Steck, happy to recommend him.
BillSaysThis 