Unintentional vacation

I was just joking (kind of) when I was trying to figure out how to make it so that my work week would be just three days like it was last week.

No, we did not get off for the cold today, even though it is literally 8 degrees as I write this. I'm sure the wind chill is still below zero.

Instead, I was somehow able to inflict a horrific injury on myself in my half-sleeping state.

I tend to wake up before my alarm every day, look at it and see just how much longer I have to go back to sleep. I then go back to sleep for those last 20 or so minutes and awaken to the cell phone alarm. Yesterday morning I woke up and some how turned over to reach for the phone and wound up poking myself in the eye. But it was more than the ordinary poke. I believe it was Ralph on the Simpson's who said, "It feels like... burning!"

I tried to lay back in bed and let the pain cease but that didn't work. I then got up to look in the mirror. Saw what looked like a cut on my eye. Went to look on the internet to see what to do if you scratch your eye. All the while the burning is incredible. I then remembered that I was supposed to teach at school that day. Still early enough to call in sick. So I did.

Unfortunately I still have to go to the school to get sub plans ready. So I went the 30 minutes to the school, spent over an hour writing the stuff, with intermittent moments where my eye burned so bad that I thought it would be better to pull it out like this guy did -- though I wouldn't have been able to eat it. I imagine the vitreous fluid would not feel good as it squirted onto my tongue.

Called a bunch of doctors who were not opened yet by 8:30. Ended up going to eye doctor in a local hospital. They put some yellow drop in my eye that made it easier to see how big the cut was. It was about a fourth of my iris. Crazy. I guess I should have trimmed my nails this past weekend like I had wanted to.

After the doc put the protective cover on my eye, it was much better. Only annoyance after that was having to put eye drops in every two hours. But to keep my vision, I'm cool with that.

Tomorrow is a PD day, so no teaching of students.

I succeeded, unintentionally of working just three days this week.

Next week - Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, so just four days of work. January is looking nice.

Under the Sea

Back in the summer before sixth grade I realized that I could not see. Went and got my first pair of glasses -- tortoise shell, took up 2/4 of my face, despite this, I still thought they looked cool. Time went on, and I got into high school. It was always kind of hard to run races, or wrestle people without being able to see them. The thought of contacts initially weirded me out. Especially after John Cho had one of his fall out during a wrestling match and he used his spit to put it back in his head.

I succumbed junior year. Contacts were the greatest thing ever. Except that I would always wear them past the time the doctor recommended and they would start to irritate my eyes.

I have tried to estimate the amount of money I have used on glasses, contacts, contact solution, glasses cleaner, eye doctor appointments, and shit in what seems like a million years. The number is astronomical. Seems more like the US budget deficit or something.

But that is over.

Do you all remember the Little Mermaid movie? There is a scene in there, not really sure what is happening, I just remember the music. Very peaceful, mermaid singing "Aaaa-aaa-aaaaa. Aaaa-aaa-aaa-aaaa-aaaaaa". That is my theme song when I have woken up the past three days. Why?

I can see. I can see. I can see!

I had a version of Lasik on Monday. I had to get the PRk one since my corneas are thin and my prescription was so bad. It has a little bit longer recovery time, but I can still see way better. And it will only get better as the days go on.

Many people who wear glasses and contacts worry about the cost of the surgery. Honestly, that should be the thing that convinces you to do it. The cost of the surgery is less than you have probably shelled out your entire life for eye correction stuff. And this time it is a one time payment that will have you able to see the leg hairs on your leg as you shave in the shower,

Wonderful. Only thing now is that I am still really sensitive to light, which is making typing this kind of hard.

I would love to write more about the surgery, more about this NC guy who they disbarred, more about a lot of current issues, but it is starting to hurt. Instead, i will make some pancakes.

I will write more when I am recovered a little bit more.