My true weight is 170 3/4 pounds. That at the doctor's office yesterday on an empty stomach.
#6 (dated 9/5/06, days before my wedding):
No good. Still can't run, and worse, I added between 3 and 5 pounds. Not sure which. The scale said 166 yesterday, 164 today. Either way, it's the wrong direction. I will strive harder this week not to cheat except for this upcoming Sunday, of course) and get headed in the right direction.
#7 (dated 9/25/06):
It's been a while since an update. My leg may finally be better. No pain yesterday at all and there doesn't seem to be any today as of now. Still not doing well with the weight loss. Stuck at 164. Considering signing up with Weight Watchers and attending meetings as an extra motivation to get my diet on track.
#8 (dated today):
Haven't been true to my word about weekly updates. Truth is there's been little progress, which I'm embarrassed about. The weight. Not the running. My leg still isn't there yet. But I've made no progress on the weight front. In fact, I've slipped. According to a weigh in at Weight Watcher's yesterday - I signed up and attended my first meeting yesterday - I weigh 176.4 fully clothed. When I got home I used my scale and came in at 172. Thus my scale is 4 pounds off. When I last weighed myself on Thursday, I weighed 166 on the home scale. So I now weigh 170 pounds, and I can feel my clothes becoming too tight. Today is my first day on the weight watchers plan.All in all, I don't know how long it will take me to drop the weight to get down to 150. I don't believe I will meet the December deadline and seriously doubt that I will be in running shape for the 15k in time. I don't know when I can start training again.
So I don't envision collecting on the pledges everyone offered, but that doesn't mean I stop striving towards my goals. I plan on dropping the 20 pounds even if it takes 5 months (a pound a week) and intend on getting back into running.
I will continue to keep you posted for good and bad.
No change in anything this week. The sprained tendon is still bothering me, and my weight remained at 161. Good that I'm not gaining, but I need to be more vigilant to start losing again.
Didn't post last week. Here are the latest updates:
#3: Good mixed with bad. I put in a 5-mile run last Sunday and planned to extend to 5.5 miles yesterday. I was going along fine until I felt something in my right calf at the 2.5-mile mark. I had to stop and am still feeling the pain today. I'm assuming it's a muscle pull or strain. Hopefully, it won't take more than a week to heal. Weight is good, down to 161 from 164.
#4: Turns out I sprained a tendon in my right ankle last Saturday. The prognosis is 4-6 weeks for it to heal. Not sure what that means yet in terms of the 15k for December. Since it's not a stress-related injury, which was my fear, I should be able to start where I left off, at runs of 5 miles. The biggest concern is what the injury means in terms of dancing at the wedding. I felt better on Friday and took a dancing lesson. I reinjured myself and am having problems just walking right now. We'll see.
Weight was steady. Still at 161 lbs. Not great, but it's better than gaining.
Not a great week. The hot weather and tiredness on Friday limited me to one run. I did push it to 3.75 miles from 3 miles and will go deeper today. I slipped with the weight gain. I don't remember exactly what I weighed last week - need to keep track of that - but I added a pound or two this week to 164. Too much midnight snacking. Wait. It might be the Jack Daniels and beer I pounded down. No, that's not it. It was the cortisone shots. Sorry, not that either. It was my thyroid condition. Whoops, not that either. It was dehydration. I'm sorry. I'm confusing myself with Tour De France fraud Floyd Landis.
Quickie update. The heat this week put the kibosh on any running. Plan was to go last night, but I was drained. Hope to get out there for 4 miles or maybe even 5 today. Lost an additional pound, but that may have changed after I made the mistake of buying peanut butter Thursday. Don't normally keep the stuff in the house because I pound through it in a nanosecond, but what with the heat and power problems, I had fear of a blackout Thursday. Never materialized. Update again Sunday.
Addition: Peanut butter is my second favorite food. Sushi is #1, but that doesn't work well as a staple during a blackout. Later.
Yesterday, I posted about my program to drop some excess baggage and to get back to running regularly. Today, I post progress report #1. I have dropped two pounds since last week (down from 164 at the start) and ran 9 miles since Wednesday - three miles each on three days. Wednesday's run was brutally hard, leaving me to wonder whether I wouldn't be better off starting with a lesser goal of either a 5k or 10k, but I got back into the swing of things Friday and Saturday. Friday's run was especially good, yesterday's a little tougher. Still, I felt the return of my focus, dedication to, and joy of running. I don't know how much my schedule will allow me to run this week, but I will at a minimum try to push myself to 4 miles next weekend.
Over the last 10 months, I have added between 10 and 15 pounds to my frame, boosting my weight to a too-high 165 pounds. Since the end of March, I have not exercised regularly, while in the past I would do 15-20 miles of running or rowing a week. Not sure how I slipped out of the habit, but I did.
This week, I decided enough was enough. Time to fight the battle of the bulge and to rediscover my dedication to exercising. I have set two goals for myself, both to be met by mid December. One is to get in shape to run a 15k race (8.3 miles). The other is to drop the excess 15 pounds.
I've already e-mailed a bunch of people, gone public at work, and am posting it here to put the pressure on myself to follow through. I am also trying to raise money for charity - pledges to be collected only if I accomplish both tasks - to add more accountability. In honor of my parents, funds will go to the American Diabetes Association (for Mom) and to the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (for Dad). Anyone interested in pledging leave a comment.
I will post weekly updates here to keep you apprised of my progress. First post goes up tomorrow.
With my paunch getting out of control, I joined a gym this week and tried the treadmill for the first time ever. I felt slightly off on Thursday - this word weird kind of spacey feeling and flashes of dizziness - and then really horrible yesterday - out of sorts all day, suffering from a dizzy floating sensation. Just being on the treadmill alone made me dizzy, and I went for 30 minutes despite the feeling. Bottom line is that the treadmill kicked off vertigo. I feel better now, able to move my head without the world spinning, but not 100%. Never again will I set foot on a treadmill. Guess I'm just not cut out for one.
I just spent a miserable four days with what turned out to be a flare-up of my Crohn's Disease. It first struck Friday afternoon, occasional cramps that became a steady low-grade pain. The pain lasted through Monday night, worsening, until I took some Predisone that my doctor prescribed. The Predisone is used to reduce the inflammation that causes the pain (either directly or indirectly; I'm not sure which, as the pain could be a result of a narrowing of the intestinal wall that causes all sorts of stuff, gas included, to become trapped). Within an hour I was feeling better and now I feel fine, except for some residual effects that I will not describe of the contrast used for the CAT scan. Now part of the duration is my fault. I had been in the emergency room Saturday to ascertain whether I had an obstruction. They were in the process of performing a CAT scan when they told me I needed a second bottle of contrast, which was not going down as easily as the first. I refused and checked myself out against medical advice. Otherwise, this could have been diagnosed Saturday night and potentially treated then as well. Oh well, the lesson's been learned, and I feel better.
Sobering information about drinking carbonated beverages:
A team at Tata Memorial Hospital in India found a strong correlation between the rise in per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks in the past 50 years and a documented increase in rates of esophageal cancer in the United States.Team members studied U.S. Department of Agriculture data to find that per capita consumption of carbonated drinks rose by more than 450 percent, from 10.8 gallons (49 litres) on average in 1946 to 49.2 gallons (224 litres) in 2000.
And over the past 25 years, the incidence rates of esophageal cancer have risen by more than 570 percent in white American men. Esophageal cancer affected 13,900 U.S. men and women in 2003 -- more than 10,000 men -- and killed almost all of them, according to the American Cancer Society.
The number of esophageal cancer cases clearly followed the rise in intake of carbonated soft drinks, the researchers found.
That could be coincidence, but they also found research that showed a possible biological basis for the effect. Carbonated soft drinks cause the stomach to distend, which in turn causes the gastric reflux associated with esophageal cancer.
More information here.
Seems I need to cut down on my consumption of soft drinks, and I drink a lot of them, usually as a morning pick-me-up. Thanks to Dad for the heads up.
Astronomers have named the possible 10th planet in our solar system after a television warrior princess? I mean, Xena? Is this really what we've come to? I even watched the show, but still.
Although how cute is it that it may have a little moon they've now nicknamed Gabrielle?
Sweet! Coffee is good for you. Big source of antioxidants.
Based on the bagel I had for breakfast this morning, the Snapple ice tea, and the can of Pepsi just now, a) Mom is going to freak out over all the caffeine I've ingested, and b) I have to walk about 8 miles or so to burn off the calories.
"Can you be a good scientist and believe in God?" From an article in today's NYT. Discuss.
As referenced in this post, I suffer from Crohn's disease and have to be careful what I eat. Today, I get turkey and swiss on wheat for lunch. Little did I know at the time, but the first bite I take into the bread, and I realize the bread is multi-grain with seeds or nuts. Something that I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. That means I have to take the meat and cheese off the bread for a very unfulfilling meal.
Since I was sixteen, I have been living with Crohn's Disease. An inflammation of the lining of the long intestine, it manifests itself in several ways. It can cause searing stomach pains out of the blue, can cause bowel irregularities to put it nicely, can make you feel run down, and can even cause swelling in the joints. Crohn's is not curable, at least not yet, and is a disease you have to learn to live with and manage through a combination of medicine, diet, and rest.
All in all, my experience with Crohn's has been tolerable. I have had my share of problems, but they are few and far between. Where I wasn't in the past, I am religious about taking my medicine, and I monitor my diet like a hawk. I have to, otherwise I can become extremely sick, like I did yesterday.
My inflammation has spread into the small intestine, narrowing the path that food travels. If something doesn't get fully digested, it can become obstructed, which is extremely painful and can cause vomiting. I have been hospitalized twice with obstructions and have had numerous other incidents in the past that in hindsight were clearly obstructions. As a result, I cannot eat anything that is too difficult to digest or I risk the consequences. The list of forbidden foods includes peanuts and corn, two of my favorite foods, but foods that I haven't eaten since 1998 when my doctor found the swelling in my small intestine. Sometimes I stumble across food that I wouldn't expect to cause problems, but that does, which brings me to yesterday.
On Wednesday night, I had Chinese food for dinner, a dish that I've eaten without problems in the past. Not this time. I woke up yesterday morning with nausea and on-and-off stomach cramps that were severe at times. As I always do with stomach cramps, I assumed the worst and didn't eat or drink anything for several hours. I went to the store to get my usual diet when cramps strike: soft, mushy, and liquid food. The only time I eat Jell-O is when I suspect an obstruction. Nonetheless, the cramps grew in intensity until the pain became constant, scoring at least a five on a scale of one to ten.
After suffering for a few hours, I called the doctor, who sent me off to the emergency room at NYU Medical Center. This time I was prepared for a stay in the hospital, unlike the other two times I wound up being admitted. I packed a bag before heading out. Luckily, I didn't need it nor did I need a CAT scan, which was my biggest fear. You have to drink a large bottle of contrast before a scan. I was resigned to my fate, but by the time I arrived at the hospital, the pains had begun to subside. The examining doctor gave me the all clear to go home after the exam didn't show anything major and I held down some Jell-O. She didn't think it was an obstruction. I am not so sure since the pain was consistent with what I have experienced with obstructions and since I am feeling slightly bloated today. Bloating is a typical after effect of an obstruction because the intestines become distended from all the spasms.
Thankfully, I am feeling basically ok now, experiencing some minor discomfort from time to time. I had my first real solid food since Wednesday just a little while ago and am holding it down fine. Nor has it caused the pain to worsen. Now the question is do I go out tomorrow night my girlfriend Jennifer as planned. That will be a decision for tomorrow, but if I do, dinner will be quite tame despite my taste for exotic foods. The price of living with a chronic disease.
A colleague passed along an article with a startling revelation: “nighttime calories are no more fattening than daytime ones.” It’s even backed up by a study by the Oregon Health & Science University. Truly fascinating stuff, as Mr. Spock would say. What’s next? An 80-degree day in the winter is no warmer than an 80-degree day during the summer?
Today was supposed to be the day that I had the rest of my crown work done, with only the permanent needing to be cemented at this point. Supposed to be because thanks to Federal Express it never happened.
Update: It is 9:30 the morning after. The package is still not there. The van returned to the local center last night not having completed its route. Exactly why a top-priority package wasn't treated as such is beyond me. Not getting any answer through customer service or the local facility, which is supposed to but hasn't called me, I called corporate HQ and spoke with a lovely woman in the president's office. Hopefully her involvement can make the difference.
To make the appointment easier for me, I decided to have a dentist in Forest Hills finish the work rather than my usual dentist in Manhattan. Which means that the crown needed to be delivered to the new dentist. Which is where Federal Ex comes into play.
I could have opted for a courier, but because of Fed Ex's stellar reliability, I figured what the hey, they're just as good. Wrong. The crown was supposed to be there at 8 this morning. It's still not there.
Part of the delay is because of the weather. I suspect the bulk is because the driver decided to make up his own delivery schedule, ignoring the priority order of packages, and decided to wait on this package since the dentist is in a residential building with a doorman.
Well, the driver is likely toast to some extent because I have penned one strong letter expressing my "profound disappointment" and the loss of "customer loyalty and trust" as a result of this experience.
Sadly, in the end, nothing can be done to make up for the fact I need to take another day off tomorrow or that my sister lost a day at work as well.
Ever since I had my meltdown at the dentist, I have been vulnerable to anxiety attacks, especially in tight situations.
Today, I made the mistake of zoning out on the subway and missing my stop. That meant I was stuck for the next five minutes as the train was entering express service. For a moment, I wasn't sure what the hell to do and was afraid I’d flip out. (Sure, it's an irrational fear since nothing was going to happen.) Instead, I whipped out a bottle of water that I now carry with me regularly and started sipping from it. (Water helps in case my mouth becomes dry or I find it tough to swallow, both symptoms of anxiety). Amazingly, the water proved to be a great coping tool, helping me stay calm and focused.
All in all, the mistake added about 10 minutes to my trip, and thankfully, that inconvenience was the worst that happened.
I believe that I can now say without doubt when is the worst time to have a panic attack. That would be when you are sitting in the dentist's chair, halfway through having two crowns done. You are basically at a point of no return in the procedure and a most captive audience. Sadly, that's what happened to me last week.
The way my dentist was doing the work made me begin to feel claustrophobic, and in spite of my knowing what was going on, the next thing I knew I was suffering a full-blown panic attack. I managed to get control of it for a few minutes. Before long, however, I had to bring the proceedings to a halt. It meant, of course, that my dentist – aside from having his schedule for the morning scotched – had to fashion a temporary covering for my teeth before sending me on my merry for another try this week.
The other try turned out to be this morning. Now, the catch with panic attacks is that once you get the thought in your head, it’s very hard to get it out. The idea of having a panic attack can create a panic attack. So what to do when you’re walking right back into the situation that created an attack only a few days earlier?
This time, I armed myself with palliatives. After last week’s appointment, I got a Xanax prescription from my doctor, and I downed a pill before today’s appointment. I also queued up several relaxing songs on my iPod, which I am extremely grateful to my sister buying for me as an unexpected gift.
Thus fortified, I plopped myself down in the chair – still with butterflies – and let the dentist do his thing. At first, I thought I’d have to bolt immediately, but I steeled myself and stuck with it.
Thankfully, the dentist needed to drill only for five minutes, and then it was on with the temporary crowns. Twice I had to keep my mouth closed for several minutes – once to take the impression for the temporary and again to cement the temporary in place. I definitely felt myself freaking out the second time, but with the iPod playing, I focused on the song, knowing that as soon as it was over, I’d be able to open my mouth. You see, the dentist told me how long I’d need to keep my mouth closed each time, and I picked songs that fit the bill.
All together, it took about forty-five minutes. After it was over, I still felt on edge for a while, but eventually I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. To my dentist – thank you for being such a mensch about it and helping me through it.
More power to the state of Illinois. Ignoring federal law, Illinois is establishing a program that will allow people to buy prescription drugs from overseas sources such as Canada and the UK. Of course, there's the usual claptrap from corporate shills, excuse me, opponents of importing drugs, that buying drugs overseas isn't safe. Sure, if you buy them from developing or lesser-developed countries, but last time I checked, Canada and the UK were modern countries whose citizens don't seem to be suffering from a rash of dangerous drugs.
I went to donate blood today. I found out that I cannot donate blood in the United States.
Why?
Because in 1985, I spent 3 months in England. Yes, that's right, they're afraid I was exposed to mad cow disease. Look, I might or might not BE a mad cow (I'll leave that to all of you to determine), but the idea that I'm at more risk of exposure than the average American is rather silly and shortsighted. It is highly likely that our herds are infected too. We simply don't test them. We do, however, feed them the same mashed-up sheep brains that caused the disease in the first place. So why would our herds escape infection?
Unfortunately, due to this shortsightedness, other people with the same rare blood type I have will be unable to receive blood from me, even though I am in excellent health.
I was eating a 6 oz. container of Stonyfield Farms Nonfat Peach Yogurt for breakfast this morning. With 120 calories, this isn't precisely a calorie-laden feast. Yet I recall that two years ago, the common size for a container of yogurt was 8 oz. 2 more ounces of yogurt would have made my breakfast caloric intake a "whopping" 160 calories. Given all the high-caloric food portion sizes that are increasing, why, I ask, are yogurt portion sizes decreasing? I mean, what the hell? Are the dairy companies worried that we're going to gorge ourselves on yogurt? I don't think so.
I've been successful in my attempts to lose weight. I am not to my goal yet, but I have very noticeably lost weight. To the degree that people are coming up and asking me "How did you do it?" I wish I could say I had invented some crazy new diet fad that I could make millions off of selling to others. But I can't. All I'm doing is the old tried and true - eating less and exercising more. I know it's not "sexy". I know it's not trendy. It is, however, effective. It's also not what most people want to hear. So much for making millions of bucks as the next diet and exercise guru.
Dr. Zizmor disciplined by state health department.
I know this will have absolutely no meaning to those who haven't spent any significant amount of time in NYC, but Dr. Jonathan Zizmor has been running subway ads for years on end. I can still picture his face (yes, he puts his photo on his ads, something which, having seen it, I would not personally have advised). So when I saw this headline, I had to laugh.
So I was working out before on the fabby Bowflex, doing leg kickbacks. And I pulled a muscle in my butt. I think that must take some kind of special talent.
So anyway, I got to thinking today about the disconnect between what we know logically and what we actually do. Generally speaking, people who smoke know that smoking is bad for people, but they smoke anyway. Most people know that regular exercise is good for them, but most people don't exercise regularly. There's clearly some kind of logical fallacy at work there. It isn't exactly the relativist fallacy, nor is it exactly special pleading, but it's kind of like them.
As for me, I know that eating well makes me feel better and cuts my cravings for junk food way, way, way down. And yet, since 9/11, I hadn't been eating well. I was good pre-9/11. I ate very little junk food and exercised regularly. Sadly, like so many other aspects of my life, 9/11 had an effect on that too. The depression really impacted my eating and exercising habits, and not for the better.
Until I got really sick three weeks ago. That intestinal virus really threw me for a loop, but it also got me back to better eating habits. More fruits and vegetables. More water (okay, seltzer, but it's a form of water). And, not even slightly amazingly, I'm feeling more energetic and have seriously diminished cravings for junk food. I've actually lost 12 pounds (not over the last 3 weeks, which would be bad, but over the last 3 months, although the final 5 came off after the intestinal virus) and am now aiming to get back down to my pre-9/11 weight. I'm more than halfway there now, so I figure, conservatively, I'll be in good shape to do it in the next 2-3 months. [Yes, I'm exercising again too. The Bowflex rocks.]
I'm really looking forward to achieving my goal. I'm really looking forward to fitting back into all those clothes I still have hanging in my closets. In the back of my mind I always figured I'd get around to it at some point, which is why those clothes are still hanging in my closet. I'd hoped it would be sooner, but as long as you're alive, it's never too late.
Wish me luck.
As I'm sure many of you already know, a Utah woman has been charged with murder for postponing a C-section which would have saved the lives of one of her twins.
A few facts about the case:
First, there is no evidence offered in the article to back up the prosecutor's claim, yet some people are still running with that explanation, presenting her as some horribly vain bimbo who would rather maintain a perfect appearance than have a scar. This despite the fact that she already had two C-sections and finally delivered this pregnancy via C-section as well.
Second, when did failure to take medical advice become a crime? Yes, in this instance, having the C-section performed a few days earlier would have meant both babies would have been born alive. However, what about the many times that doctors prescribe C-sections unnecessarily? The times when doctors say that the child has a high risk of dying if a C-section isn't performed, but the woman refuses and goes on to deliver a healthy baby vaginally? What of the rare occasions when the doctor goes so far as to get a court order to perform a C-section against the mother's wishes, and the mother dies as a result? How often has the doctor been charged with murder in such a case?
Third, this is not a routine medical procedure. This is an invasive medical procedure. And not just an invasive medical procedure, but one, as mentioned earlier, which is sometimes prescribed unnecessarily. Are doctors deities? Are they infallible? No, at least not outside of their own minds. Are we to have no say in our own medical decisions, having invasive surgery forced on us? It is a tragedy that the child died. But is it a crime? No, I don't think it is a crime.
But I'll tell you what. If doctors are to be treated as deities by courts of law in some instances, than there is no reason why they shouldn't be held equally responsible when patients follow their advice to bad results. Regardless of the risks of the procedure and whether they've been disclosed to you. If the doctor says so, and if you don't follow the doctor's advice to bad results, you can be considered criminally liable, than if the doctor says so and you do follow the doctor's advice to bad results, the doctor should be considered criminally liable as well.
I don't want to work
I want to bang on the drum all day
I don't want to play
I just want to bang on the drum all dayListen to this
Every day when I get home from work
I feel so frustrated
The boss is a jerk
And I get my sticks and go out to the shed
And I pound on that drum like it was the boss's head
BecauseI can bang that drum
Hey, you wanna take a bang at it?
I can do this all day
Via hnumpah at 3DHS
Aloe vera gel is a wonderful thing. I started using the pure aloe vera gel (no color added) after my moisturizer a few weeks ago. The cold weather was drying out my skin even with the moisturizer, and there's few things I hate more than the feel of dry skin. I don't know how people live without moisturizing daily. If I even skip a day, I feel all itchy. And my skin isn't really dry; not compared to some. It just feels that way to me.
So I was reading the back of the bottle, and came across a section where it suggested other uses you might make of the aloe vera gel. As a blemish gel. As a hair styling gel. I was somewhat skeptical. Aloe vera would help with blemishes? And it wouldn't make your hair greasy? But lo and behold, the few breakouts I would get on my back cleared up after regular use of the gel. It was fantastic.
I figured that if the blemish gel part were true, maybe it would be beneficial as a hair gel. Well, it doesn't have any style hold value, but it does help to condition the hair without making it greasy.
I wonder what other uses it might have?
A few days ago, Jim asked me why anyone would call a substance six times as powerful as heroin* (OxyContin) "hillbilly heroin." He wanted to know why it wasn't called "hardcore heroin". My immediate response was "Because one is a bigot?" I mean, really, because why "hillbilly"? Why not "rural", which I presumed (as it turns out correctly) was what the term really referred to? I didn't know the answer to the question, but a Newsday article reveals it.
"Mainly it's abused in areas that don't have ready access to heroin," said Dr. Herbert D. Kleber, a professor of psychiatry and director of the division of substance abuse at Columbia University in Manhattan. "We don't see much OxyContin abuse in New York City. You see it in really rural areas, anywhere from Maine to West Virginia."
*I don't know the validity of this claim; it was simply the question that Jim asked me. I have no idea how powerful OxyContin is compared to heroin.
I'll have more to say about this later, after I figure a way to put into words my shock that anyone, including the Vatican, would tell people living on a continent with the worst AIDS crisis in the world, namely Africans, that using condoms doesn't lower the risk of getting AIDS. I know the Vatican opposes the use of contraception on principle, but that is no excuse for spreading misinformation.
Lawsy, lawsy, Miss Eva, I can see!
The laser eye surgery has been completed, and so far I am quite pleased with the results. Thanks to everyone for their well wishes. A little rundown on the types of surgery I had.
In the left eye, I had the LASIK surgery, which is where they make a flap in your cornea with the Excimer laser, reshape the eye under the flap, and then put the flap back where it heals naturally in a couple of days. It took about 7 minutes all told to do that eye, although most of it wasn't with the laser. I felt no pain at all, just a little pressure when they inserted the speculum to keep the eye wide open and when they used the microkeratometer to make the flap. Last night, it felt like I had something in my eye, but that sensation was gone when I woke up this morning. My vision in that eye went from 20/400 to 20/30 overnight, and my astigmatism went from 1 point to being completely gone. The vision should improve a bit further over the next couple of days, but even at 20/30 I'm ecstatic.
In the right eye, due to a recurring problem with corneal weakness, I had to have the PRK laser surgery (photorefractive keratotomy). In this procedure they use the Excimer laser to remove the top layer of the cornea and then reshape the eye. Because of this, the healing time is longer, and you don't get the same immediate vision benefits. The top layer grows back naturally also, but it takes 1-2 weeks instead of 2 days. Again, no pain, just pressure from the speculum. This procedure also took about 7 minutes. Today there is some minor discomfort and I'm wearing a bandage contact lens (basically a contact lens without vision correction capability). The vision in that eye went from 20/400 to 20/100 overnight and the astigmatism is completely gone. The vision should continue to improve as the eye heals. The PRK surgery will also cure the corneal weakness. What would happen is that part of the top layer of the cornea would erode every 2-3 weeks, so it was like getting a scratch in your eye every 2-3 weeks. When the cornea regrows, it will be stronger, so no more erosion!
I'm on eye drops a-go-go for the next week. Antibiotic and steroid drops 4 times a day and artificial tears every hour while I'm awake. I also have another type of drop just for the right eye which I also use 4 times a day. I have to wait about 5 minutes between types of drops, so it's a 15 minute procedure every time I have to use them. The bandage contact lens comes out on Tuesday evening.
I am not having much light sensitivity after all. There was a bit this morning, but it has mostly subsided by now. The left eye has no discomfort. It's a little dry, but the artificial tears help with that. The hardest part of the entire surgery was having to stare straight ahead for 5 minutes. Well, that and the no eye makeup for a week thing. The room is freezing, so they give you a blanket. They'll also give you a sedative if you ask for it, but I wasn't feeling nervous enough, so I went without, and I don't regret that at all. Didn't need it.
This is so fantastic. I have been wearing glasses since I was 3, so that really means I was born with bad vision. This is the first time I have ever been able to see unaided in my entire life. I haven't been able to wear contact lenses for the last year because of the corneal weakness, so I've been stuck with glasses. I can't wait for the week to be up, so I can start really showing off all that fancy Bobbi Brown eye shadow I bought!
...as I will be having light sensitivity for the next few days. I'm having laser eye surgery this evening, and I expect to be unable to blog for the next couple of days as a result. Wish me luck.
The technology sounds cool, but the name doesn't. Could you really turn Gecko Man into a cool theme song?
Gecko Man, Gecko Man. Does whatever a gecko can. Can he hang from the roof? Take a look, there's your proof. Look out, here comes the Gecko Man.
See, it just doesn't work.
A 40 foot colon is part of the National Cancer Education Tour to help educate people about the dangers of colon cancer. People can crawl through the "Colossal Colon" to view various stages of the disease. I wonder how this would work for other forms of cancer. You could have the "Large Lung," the "Behemoth Breast," and the "Prodigious Prostate." I bet you'd get a big audience for those last two.
