A different adventure.

this one has nothing to do with cookies or crocheting.

I have mentioned eye problems and I have an appointment thru CAJA at the hospital in Cartago but it is not for two years. So, I decided to go private. An optometrist in Cartago had been suggested to me by Jose and Dr. Mora. I called Monday and got an appointment for Tuesday afternoon. They were able to put a person who spoke some English on the phone and she suggested I bring someone with me. José picked me up and planned to spend whatever time I needed with me. We were early and had a bit of a wait, but not bad. It turned out the doctor spoke some English so sometimes he talked to me and sometimes Jose. He dilated my eyes and my vision wasn’t much worse than it is normally. In Costa Rica legally blind is 20/200. My good eye is 20/400 and the other one is much worse. I have cataracts in both eyes. The one in the right eye is very large. The doctor couldn’t see into my eye at all. So..... I need a certificate from a regular doctor about the rest of my health. And I need to go to a clinic in San Jose for a bunch of eye tests including measuring the lens in my eyes for replacement. Once that is done, the doctor I saw will schedule the surgery (he does the surgery) which will be in Curridabat, a town near San José. He doesn’t think there will be a very long wait to get a surgery date. He talked about doing my left eye 2 weeks later. I am not sure yet about that. Hopefully my right eye will be in November and maybe my left eye after I return in January.

I want to make sure one is good before doing the other one. I know people with diabetes can have bad reactions to the eye drops you have to use after the surgery. They seem to affect the blood sugar and raise the numbers so I want to be cautious in case there are problems. I am using drops right now to lower the pressure in my right eye.

I was able to get an appointment at the clinic in San Jose for 3:30pm on the 16th which is also the day we take Heather to the airport hotel. She flies out very early the next morning. Emilio will come too and the clinic is right in the center so he can take her sightseeing while I have my tests. José will stay with me to translate if necessary.

Several people have already offered to help during my recuperation. I will have 3 visits to the doctor in Cartago during the month after surgery. Ligia has offered to come with me.

José and his helper were here Wednesday and my light covers were taken down and cleaned and put back up. The other job in the house was to check all the netting and repair it where necessary so the cats couldn’t get out anymore. Dally has torn it and climbed out and spent two nights outside. They also planted my 4 pineapple and weeded the front garden. I wasn’t sure what to feed them as I didn’t have anything fixed and I had been busy during the morning with my massage. So, they ended up with Johnsonville Sausages and cheese wrapped in flour tortillas, canned pork and beans, pickles and chips. I made a fruit drink and chocolate crinkle cookies for dessert - my last 2. I had taken almost all that were left from Sunday to the clinic on Tuesday. They loved the sausages. I do too and try to keep them on hand. I get them at Walmart.

So, my life will be interesting for the next while. We pick up Heather on the 10th for a week visit. She is coming to see me but her real reason is to play with my cats. She has 4 of her own so a real fan.