Rick’s Story: Part 2

This is the Monday after my Thursday morning surgery.  I am taking eye drops 4 times a day: Prednisone and Ofloxacin.   I sleep with a shield to protect the right eye. I am in good spirits but I do feel the right eye, not in pain but just it feels like it has been worked on.  I wake up in the morning and have a bit of mucus build up in the right eye.  I will discuss that with the doctor when I see him on Friday.  I sense it is a natural outcome of the critical surgery. Not as much redness finally today.

I am not to work out such as lifting, running or walking fast.  I am not to bend over but I have forgotten several times and done this.  Trying to remember to bend with my knees.  I took a leisurely walk yesterday and today. On Saturday I went to an alumni 5K race and watched the event which required some light walking.  I feel stronger every day and would like to start walking fast but want to hold off until next Friday appointment.

My convalescence is made easy because I am temporarily laid off. I feel I would not have been able to work the first week after macular pucker surgery in all honesty.  I am having trouble remembering not to lift heavy things and bend as it is. I think anyone who gets retinal surgery should be prepared to take one or two weeks off of work just to be safe.

I have been able to spend time with my family and each day. I am driving more to get back in that groove. I felt weird driving around town on Saturday.  We drove to Kingston yesterday from Berwick (about 30 miles) and I felt better about that.   I am constantly wearing wrap around sunglasses as the sun at this time of year is very strong and I do not think it would be good to be unprotected.

The first several days I have been very tired and almost want to nap in the later afternoon but I am feeling stronger each day.  Perhaps the drops are making me tired but it could also be the degree of the surgery. Perhaps at 64 I am getting to be more prone to taking a nap in the afternoon.  I am catching up on my reading both in English and German; this helps make up for not being able to work hard or work out.

Thank you for allowing me to make this partial report on some of my post operation effects and feelings.