I also began asking around to find people who had been through the surgery. For the most part, the people I found had great things to say about how improved their eyes became. My brother-in-law in North Dakota said he worked with two men who had the surgery and were very happy He told me that one of them said, “I haven’t seen this well in years.”
Unfortunately a day before I went to get surgery on my right eye, a friend stopped by and said his sister had a bad experience.
Not what I needed to hear the day before facing the knife.
I went to Joplin for the surgery on the right eye with plans to go back in about three weeks to do the left eye. I made it to the surgery center the next day a bit nervous. But, my goodness, what a great experience it was.
The nurses and technicians spent about a half hour preparing me for surgery and waiting for the doctor.
When the doctor arrived, I was quickly wheeled into the surgery. I was kept conscious, but a little foggy. As I lay waiting for action, I thought to myself “I wonder when the doctor was going to start working.”
Just as that thought that passed through my brain, I heard two voices say, “We’re done.”
In no time I was wheeled out of the surgery, rolled into a recovery area, told to sit up, helped to my feet and given a wheelchair. It was a cold day, and one of the nurses said, “We’ve already sent Russell to warm up the car.”
They zipped me straight to a big door and I saw our car about 10 feet away. The nurses got me into the car, said goodbye and went back inside.
I was amazed at how little time was needed. We had left for Joplin in time to make a 6:30 a.m. appointment and were at home in Neosho at 8:05 a.m.
But most amazing was that I felt so good and the next morning when Russell removed the bandage, I could not believe the improvement already.
About three weeks later, I returned to take care of the left eye. It went just as smoothly as the first and the experience was great. It takes a while for the effects of the surgery heal. There is some swelling of the eye, although I couldn’t tell it was even there. A day after the last surgery, one doctor said even though my eyesight was so much better, it would improve a little each day. And so it did.
I am so grateful this procedure is possible. I have a late friend who told me she always prayed for researchers. I’m sure people who have had this procedure may have prayed for those who did the research which made this operation possible. I hope so.
Just between you and me, I pray for researchers, too.
(Kay Hively is a historian, author and former editor, reporter and columnist for the Neosho Daily News and Neosho Post.)
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