Cataracts

I've been blessed with pretty good eyesight during my life.  I need readers to magnify the print when I am reading, but my distance vision has always been all right. In the past few years, I have experienced a gradual worsening of my vision.  I walk three or four days a week with a friend.  I began to notice that the individual leaves I used to be able to see up in a tree were now a blur of indistinguishable green. And when I read a page of a book, there would be a blurry area in the upper left of the page.  I could always shift the page around so my eyes could read the blurry bits, so I didn't worry too much. Then threading needles became really difficult.  I kept wanting more light for whatever task I was working on. More light always seemed to be the answer to my issues. And it helped. Up to a point.

I went to the eye doctor yesterday and she confirmed I had cataracts in both eyes, worse in the left eye.  The good news is, it is fixable. No rush.  I think I'll wait a few months until the COVID issue is more clear, then schedule my procedure.  I have never met a person who has had cataract surgery who has regretted it, so I am pretty excited for good results.

My husband is having some health issues as well, of a more personal nature.  I don't think he would like me to discuss them specifically, so I will respect his wishes.  Let me just say, a general wish of good luck would be welcome on this end right now. Getting old sure is the pits. 

On a lighter note, Eva was having homeschooling with her dad Monday and Tuesday of this week while her grandpa and I were away seeing doctors.  She is such a creature of habit.  She kept texting me, "Nana, can I have my morning break now?  It's 10:30."  "Nana, can I have lunch now?  It's noon".  Good heavens. I will be home soon and we will be back in my kitchen doing homeschool and the Earth will keep spinning on its axis.  

Hope you are all well.  A random quilty thought popped into my mind: have you heard of Joanna Figueroa's (Fig Tree Quilts) new Winter Solstice quilt along? It looks very interesting.  Eight-inch blocks with a dark background.  I do miss the nice big PRINT HERE button for printing the patterns, but you can copy and paste and work around it.

Hope your week is going great. Not long until Christmas.  I just want to get back home and stay put until mid-February.

Comments

[Shonnie]

I think I can help, if you use a windows (not apple) computer. Right click on the pattern picture outlined with blue dashes, and chose "open image in new tab". Now click on that tab on the top of your browser - you will have just the pattern there, and can easily print or save it. Good luck!

[Jackie Hicks]

On my regular computer I can save and/or print the entire post. I've saved the post as pdf and can go back and print the pages I need later. Hope this helps.

[Pam]

First off Nichole, good wishes for you when you have your cataract surgery. You are certainly right when you say people say it makes a huge difference. In regard to the patterns, just do a copy and paste to a Word document or whateve you use on your computer. I make a folder with the quilt title and then just save each of the patterns to that file They are then all in one place and easy to access to print whenever you want them. Very easy. If you can blog, you can do this!!!

[Lynn C. (NJ)]

Modern cataract surgery is a wonder! In and Out in one day! And to be able to see clearly again! We are so lucky to live in modern times and not to gradually go blind with no treatment available. Best wishes for your surgery when you have it. I don't know anyone who regretted having this surgery either.

[Kerry L.]

Well you might “feel” like you’re getting older but I think you look great! I have had vision issues over the years and I think it can make you feel a bit vulnerable but after your cataracts are done I think you will feel renewed! Sending good wishes to you and your husband!

[Jan]

I'm right about where you are in the cataract world; both eyes & the right one is the worst. I, too, am waiting until COVID is at least a bit under control before having the surgery. Our late friend who was about 25 years older used to say 'getting old isn't for sissies!' Boy, was he right! In my teaching experience, kids like a routine & to know what's coming next. Eva is definitely on a schedule for home schooling--this isn't a bad thing! Stay well!

[Dianne Simons]

Regarding Fig Tree, if you put your finger on the pattern photo one of the options that pop up is is email. You can send it to yourself and then print.

[Lynn]

Two things! I had my first cataract surgery a year ago this month, the right eye was very bad and is now great. The left eye was done in January and my vision is so good now. The interesting part is the change in colours. I was crocheting an afghan before and after having my eyes done, I don't like my colour choices anymore. What I once thought was orange is now pink. We built a house previous to my eyes being fixed, fortunately those colour choices are still good. For printing the pattern, I right clicked and saved it to my desktop and then printed it!

[Mary Kastner]

Hope the rest of your doctorvisit trips goes smooth and you can get home soon. You are obviously missed😂. I haven't had the "you have a cararact" yet. I remember when my mom had hers. It was really a big deal back then but fortunately times have changed. Safe travels!

Mary

[Debbie R.]

When it comes time for your cataract surgery, I wish you luck. I have heard that the results are amazing. And good luck to your husband now, with whatever ails him. For sure getting old is not for sissies. But it's a lot better than the alternative!

[Ina]

oh, dear. getting old is not for sissies. did your ophthalmologist tell you to start taking Occuvite? mine did 10 yrs ago when she saw the beginning of cataracts had advanced quickly over 1 yr. Mine haven't advanced anymore but I will eventually need surgery.

I hope your husband recovers quickly. Hugs to you both.

[Taria]

Wishing you and your hubby some good choices for good outcomes. Good luck with it all.

[Kelli]

Wishing you and your husband the very best going forward with health issues! I so appreciated your openness about the pattern printing - so many answers were a help to many I'm sure! Merry Christmas 🎄☃️🦌

[Annie Ol]

Congenital cataracts run in my family and multiple family members have had surgery as kids. My mom didn’t have hers out until she was in her late 40s or so—she never knew most people could see individual leaves from a distance!

[Kathy B]

Nicole, I had my cataracts when I was 63. It is amazing how much better I see. I can even drive without glasses now! Best of luck to your husband with his medical issues.

I agree with you.....I could start hibernating after Christmas and continue for months. It gets very cold and snowy here in Wisconsin!!!!

[Julie]

Good luck on your cataract surgery. I was extremely nearsighted and wore contacts. I had cataract surgery on both eyes earlier this year. Love that I can wake up in the morning and see clearly.. Once things settled, I still need readers and glasses with a small prescription to drive. Procedure is less than 20 minutes. You are in and out in no time.

[Anita]

Sending happy thoughts your way! It is so scary right now needing any type of medical procedure or going anyplace that may be a Covid haven so I understand you wanting to wait. I've always been near sighted so am experiencing great vision now that I'm older as they're starting to adjust. I guess it's the reverse of people with good vision all their life.

[Vickie Perrine]

I was told something, putting getting old in perspective:
It beats the alternative!