Its a miracle

Presided at the Holy Mysteries this morning and didn’t need my specs! How cool is that?  Had to pop them on for the Gospel and to read the sick list but the altar missal was just fine. And I could keep an eye on the back row too.

Watching

Back to hospital yesterday for my check-up and all is well. There is a wee bit of inflammation and they didn’t get all the cataract out but if it grows back that can be treated with lasers. Sounds fun. But now I can drive which is really good news. I can see for miles and miles and the colours are just spectacular. And I can now read with a pair of specs from the chemist – strength 2.5 (much less than before). Can only read for 15 mins at a time and then have to rest.

So, what have I been watching on TV for the past week? Well, thank you for asking. Here is some of the list…

Father Ted (1st series) – always a joy.

Umpteen TV programmes which had been saved which included some WW1 stuff from Remembrance-tide.

Regeneration – for the second time, but a great movie.

The Last King of Scotland – didn’t think I would enjoy it but did.

The Kite Runner – sticks very closely to the book and wonderful themes of atonement.

Update

Managed to get to church yesterday for our AGM. It was hard not being in control of it but Ian, the Vestry Secy, did a very good job and there were no questions, just thanks. Our report book ran into 24 pages this year so there is a lot going on at St Mark’s, and our giving has gone up by £10,000 (with another £7-8,000 to be claimed in tax through Gift Aid) which is just amazing really.

Son #1 has been staying with me supposedly looking after me, but I fear it has been the other way round. His essay is due today so I may get back to normal after that.

Dinner last night was spent at Raspberry Rabbit‘s who came and picked me up, despite the most horrendous traffic diversions, took me to Penicuik and brought me home again replete. It was a veritable feast and what a Christian thing to do! Oh, and the Bishop phoned to see if I was okay too which was a nice pastoral thing to have happen.

So, how are the eyes? Well they are still a bit bloodshot and today I am managing so far without the sunglasses. (But its only 7.30am!) The biggest problem is that I have no reading glasses to wear until I can get my eyes tested later this week. So this message was brought to you by a vivid pink sparkly pair of ready-readers and my nose 3 inches from the screen. But I can see perfectly as far as the eye can see. And all in glorious technicolour. A miracle!

Eye Eye

This will be brief. The cataract is out! All went well. Today is painful and bright lights (like computer and tv screens) are too much.  Distance is all ok now but I will need reading specs. This message was brought to you by touch syping so forgive any mistakes!

Architects, holy people and loads of laughs

Spent the morning with the architect at church looking at our dodgy ceiling. The good news is that it is not about to fall down on our heads like Chicken Licken. The bad news is that it does need some repairs and redecorated soon. And Hyterical Scotland don’t care what colour we paint it. Hmm. I was thinking indigo with stars.

Spent the afternoon with my Spiritual Director which is always a good thing. And bless him if he didn’t give me a gorgeous purple tablecloth and napkins from Zanzibar.

Then it was a quick dash back to Edinburgh through some beautiful countryside (yes, I can appreciate the changing colours of trees and country things from the inside of my car).

Then it was off to the Royal British Hotel (on the bus – which didn’t turn up for hours) to join the French Fahrters for our reunion. Bruce put together an incredible show with photos galore and hilarious captions. In future I shall beware that man with a camera.  And our next trip in 2010 will be to Barcelona. I can’t wait.

And today its Holy Mysteries, Queenie’s funeral and then Diocesan Synod. Oh, and I got a new date for my cataract op – 12 November – so not too long a wait. I could even have had it done a week earlier but who would miss the Clergy Conference?

The op is off

Spoke to the hospital this morning and they have decided not to operate on my cataract tomorrow as planned. I was up all night with breathing difficulties and knew in my heart that it wouldn’t be safe to go ahead, much as I wanted to. Now someone else can get my place.

I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that this has happened. It’s not just the length of time I’ve waited (about a year) but its about clearing the diary, getting cover arranged and all the planning that has gone into getting this op and recovery time sorted. I am angry and upset.

The plan now is that I phone when I am well and they give me another appointment. It could be months away and will involve more diary negotiations.

So, the doctor will see me today and hopefully give me more steroids and this time I shall stay indoors and not work at all until I am well. Bishop Alan will take the service on Sunday as planned.

Eye Eye

At the Eye Pavilion today. Why on earth is it called a ‘Pavilion’, btw? Why not Eye Hospital?  Anyway, off to see how bad the 2nd cataract is and when it’s to get done. And it’s bad. Really bad. So bad, in fact, that I’ve to get a general anaesthetic again – hoorah! Looks like it will be October though before the deed is done. In the meantime I shall continue to squint out of my good one which was done last year and not drive too far at night. And yes, the Altar copy of the Liturgy shall remain on the right-hand side for now.

Wanna see what my pupils looked like after they put the evil drops in?  (Ignore the state of the eyebrows please. Remember I am half blind.)

Ruth's eyes after evil drops

Update on the peepers

For those of you interested in the after-effects of the cataract removal…

The old eye is improving day by day. Not so red or scratchy and I am even getting quite good with the eyedrops – though not always accurate! It doesn’t particularly like fluorescent light or draughts (hot or cold) and sometimes feels like closing by evening.

Reading is still a big problem but is getting better so I am hopeful that it won’t be long before I can read normally again. Manage more each day with the magnifiers but it is a bit of a strain.

And I can’t wait until I can get the old mascara and under-eye concealer back out again.

(I should add that this setback is not normal for folk getting their cataracts removed. Most folk improve much quicker than I have.)

Update on the peepers

Back at the hospital today and all is not well. I won’t bore you with the details but not all of the cataract is out and I won’t be able to read for 4-6 weeks. Oh, and the other cataract is not bad enough to take out yet so I have to wait and then go through the whole long process again. I am not a happy bunny.

Nothing else for it but to eat chocolate.

The good news, if not slightly bizarre, is that I can drive. So I drove and got chocolate. Lots of it.

Back to watching TV with my shades on.

Let there be light – and there was a blinding light

This will be a brief blog because the computer screen is really blindingly white and hurting my wee eye. However the op was a great success and I can now see the world in glorious technicolour, brighter than I have ever seen. When did my house get to be so purple?

The problem now is that I cannot read because my glasses were varifocal and are no use now. And of course I kindly gave away all my reading glasses. So in the meantime I have to make do with my sunglasses in a darkened room and day time television.

And you shall have to wait for the whole gory story of me in a skimpy nighty in a man’s ward.