[If you weren't aware, I'm scheduled for trabeculectomy surgery for glaucoma in August. This is one of a series of posts about it. Not that it's that interesting, but it's good blog fodder.]
I started this journey at my local ophthalmologist's office. Bonus: I've now learned to spell ophthalmologist - there's a hidden H and L in there that can trip you up.
Jason (if a doctor is young enough to be my kid, I get to call him by his first name) is a great guy - funny, accessible, smart, and caring. (Plus, it turns out we both went to Middlebury College, a small liberal-arts school in Vermont. Odd coincidence. Of course, he says I was there the same time as his uncle, smart-ass whipper-snapper that he is.)
But anyway. Jason recommended I go up to Portland for surgery by one of the country's leading docs for this procedure. He (Jason) does this surgery, but says that for a patient as *YOUNG* as myself, he'd rather I get the best. He'll manage the extensive follow-up on the surgery here in Bend. I'm going with his recommendation, so had to first go to Portland for the pre-assessment.
The Devers Eye Institute is part of the Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital system - confusing but impressive. I went up a few weeks ago, and four hours later, after they poked and prodded and measured and photographed and nearly blinded me it was agreed I should have the surgery.
But not so fast. First I'll have to get a complete medical here, including EKG, then go back up to Portland for the pre-surgery exam. I thought that's what I was doing there the first time, but I guess not. Following that, I'll fly up Sunday Aug. 2 for the procedure scheduled for Monday morning. I have to stay overnight for a follow-up exam on Tuesday, then back home. They want me to return again that Friday, but I'm going to push to have Jason do that exam here.
I've been told that I won't be able to bend down (head below chest) for four weeks afterward. This restriction has really struck me for some reason. I'm now practicing feeding the cats while deep-squatting, which I'm hoping will at least tighten up the thighs a bit.
Stay tuned for more fascinating detail to come.
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