My Lasik Surgery Experience ... Barf

Well, I have been reserving judgement on Lasik Surgery.  For those of you who do not know:

“LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.” (Definition by USFDA)

I underwent the procedure 13 days ago, not without much anxiety. I was very nervous before hand and consulted many friends and family who had also undergone the surgery.  The reviews and experiences were mixed but all in all, very positive.  They ranged from waking up with 20/20 vision to having blurry vision for a few days.  All of the information that was provided to me by the optometrist and the surgeon led me to believe that I would most likely be able to return to normal activity within a couple of days of surgery with few noticeable side-effects.

This was true … for my left eye.  I woke up the next morning after surgery with 20/20 vision in my left eye and no trouble since.  The recovery of my right eye, however, has caused my endless amounts of grief, anxiety, anger and frustration.

My surgery was on Friday, April 6^th … which gave me a full weekend to recover before returning to work on Monday.  The vision in my right eye was good after surgery but declined steadily in the first 7 days post-surgery.  I don’t recall that it was ever 20/20 in that eye.  However, I did and still do have 20/20 vision with both eyes together.  But, as I discovered my first day back at work, 20/20 in one eye and 20/70 in the other means headaches and nausea.   And, it sucks.  But, I am still allowed to drive!  Even with my messed up depth perception!  Look out!

I have been unable to work at the computer for more than a couple of hours at a time since the surgery.  And, as a programmer, that basically means I can’t work.  I am very lucky that I have a great employer and very understanding and supportive coworkers as I was completely unprepared for what has now been a 2-week recovery and counting.

My first week follow-up appointment was when I found out I had 20/70 vision in the right eye.  As of today, I am unsure what it is. But, sometimes … for brief periods, it is much MUCH better.  My optometrist thinks the blurriness I am experiencing is a result of swelling of the cornea and should subside … eventually.  The timeframe for when that will happen is unclear.  And, if it does not subside, it can be corrected under warranty.  But, not for 6 months!  Until then, my vision may continue to fluctuate.  I am not happy about that.  My only options, if things don’t improve, are an interim pair of glasses (assuming the fluctuation stops) OR an EYE PATCH. 

Arrrrrrrr! (That’s me, being a pirate.  Yes, I like pirate jokes.  But, this is no joke.  Although, if you know any good ones, you should let me know.  There is nothing better than wearing an eye patch to really sell a pirate joke.)

So, in the meantime, I sit here waiting … still reserving judgement until my vision settles out.  But, my advice, if you are considering Lasik, put some thought into what you will do if things do not go according to plan.

Trivial Saskatoon

Some stuff I learned from the City of Saskatoon Archives and the Saskatchewan Archival Information Network:

• Mayor Don Atchison was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1972
• Saskatoon’s first and only recorded earthquake occurred at 9:15 am on May 15, 1909. It lasted 30 seconds and was felt as far away as Winnipeg and Lethbridge.
• Saskatoon’s Municipal Swimming Pool on Avenue H in Victoria Park opened on July 15, 1925. Filtration and chlorination systems were primitive, and the pool was quickly dubbed the “Avenue Itch” pool. Despite having “its own peculiar smell, which was obvious for blocks” the pool was hugely popular with the people of Saskatoon. During the Depression, admission was “five cents if you had, free if you didn’t”.
• On July 17, 1951, Saskatoon’s new sewage station, in present-day Archibald Park, exploded.
• Mount Blackstrap officially opened  on December 15, 1970. Built for the 1971 Canada Winter Games, it required 900,000 cubic yards of  fill to create. The people of Saskatoon donated their used Christmas trees to be iced into its slopes to give an “alpine” feel to the ski runs.
• Saskatoon is derived from “mis-sask-quah-toomina,” the Cree Indian name for a local berry.
• Some of the first experiments done aboard the NASA space shuttle were a result of research conducted at the University of Saskatchewan.
• Saskatchewan separated from the Northwest Territories in 1905.
• Famous horror film star Boris Karloff performed in Saskatoon theatres before World War I.
• Seven bridges cross the south Saskatchewan river within the city limits.
• The city is one of the brightest in Canada, enjoying an average of 2,381 hours of sunshine every year.
• The 1930 U of S Men's Lit Chorus made very homely women

Bunny Suit

I want a bunny suit.  And, not just because a bunny suit would be awesome.  I think it would be very functional for Easter in Saskatoon.  It's pretty chilly today, but I wore sandals, just because it is spring and I thought it would be nice to wear sandals.  I was wrong.  It was cold.

That's when it struck me ... a bunny suit!  A nice warm bunny suit.  It would be a total hit with the kids AND I would be warm.  I wouldn't mind posing for pictures either.  I think an Easter bunny should oblige his/her fans.  So, anyway, yeah ... if you want to get me something for Easter next year ... this is your hint.

Just a little update

Here's what's on my mind:

Ruby ruby ruby ruby! - The Kaiser Chiefs' second album is exactly what The Killers' second album should have been.  Fun and catchy tunes throughout.

City and Colour - great lyrics, and who can fault anyone who mentions Saskatoon in a song?

No More Kings - great funk, seek them out! Oh, and if you love the Karate Kid, click the link.

Hmm, lessee, what else?  Oh, Alanis is the funniest Canadian singer ever.  You gotta love her lovely lady lumps.

The iPod shuffle is the perfect music player.  The new one is even better than the old one. iTunes even recognized that it was ORANGE. Hey, what's the proper way to start a sentence with an inter-capped word that starts with a lower-case i?  Yes, I'm totally owned by Apple.  Oh, so's Chris.  He got a Macbook Pro yesterday.. SOOOO NICE.

Got my Draenei shammy to 70, my paladin will be 70 this weekend.  Then I work on the priest.

Getting my ass back into the gym on Monday for a Summer Showdown with Cory.  Need to see who can be the fittest before heading to PAX in August.  Oh, I may be in NYC/New Jersey on May 2-4th, so if you want to go for a beer, let me know.  I may not even have time, as I'm spending most of my time giving presentations and attending meetings, if I even get to go.

This year's travel plans: NYC, Washington DC, Seattle, Atlanta, London, Miami.

So, what's new with you lot?