Charting My Gratitude :: Part 3

The Gratitude Month is flying by. Gotta keep up with my chart! Here are a few blessings for Nov. 13-18...

13. What abilities are you grateful for?
I'm extremely grateful for my ability to write. I realize it does not come easy for everyone, so I am blessed. I am thankful I can use the written word to inspire, educate, and entertain others. Nothing eloquent. Just me typing from the heart.

14. What sight are you grateful for today?
Every sight. As someone who had glasses since kindergarten and was legally blind with 20/400 vision when I finally had lasik surgery 14 years ago, I really, really appreciate the ability to see without the aid of corrective lenses. Granted, I do use the "cheaters" because of hours working on the computer, but I can still wear cool sunglasses when I want to!

15. What season are you grateful for?
Mostly grateful for summer. The warm sun and longer days energize me. It seems like I can get so much done in a day – compared to now when it's dark at 5 p.m. and I am ready for bed at 7 p.m. Plus I get to bond with Mr. Deck Chair. Bonus gratitude points right there.

16. What about your body are you grateful for?
I'm glad I read this closely so I didn't have find a body part I love, ha. I am grateful for a healthy heart and strong legs. I can walk and run and bike or whatever. And they can handle that. Can't wear heels without getting a charley horse, but that's another story.

17. What knowledge are you grateful for?
To me, experience is knowledge. I am grateful for some of my struggles in the past because I can now use those experiences to help others. God saved me and I can pay it forward.

18. What piece of art are you grateful for?
I love anything my baby boy created! While much of it has gone into his scrapbooks, I still have masterpieces hanging around.

Plus, I have heart-warming creations like this Valentine's door hanger that I've seen every day on my closet door... since, oh, probably 2002. And no, I didn't keep everything. Just enough to fill the void in this empty nester's heart.

Hope you are continuing to find blessings to be grateful for each day!

Four Eyes

I started wearing glasses in kindergarten. Though I might find this school picture adorable now, there was nothing cute or charming about glasses back then.

Ever.

After high school, when I'd saved up enough babysitting money, I got myself some contacts, which I wore for some 15 years. I honestly couldn't live without some sort of corrective lenses. I was pretty much blind as a bat. (Which doesn't really make sense since they can see at night, can't they?)

About 10 years ago, hubby and I decided it was time for me to have Lasik surgery. The procedure had been around a few years by then and I'd heard mixed reviews. Mostly it was "you get what you pay for." If you go for the screamin' deal, you may have to go back a time or two for enhancements (at extra cost, I'm sure). I decided to spend more on a respected eye doctor -- and inventor of some of the Lasik procedures -- down in Madison.

First, I had to see a local doc so they could determine the health of my eyes and the severity of my vision. I can still remember when told me to walk toward the sign and stop when the big E on top was clear. I honestly was only about 2 inches away, if that, when it was clear. I don't think they had a prescription number big enough. So instead of 20/20, they wrote down 20/400!

"Are my eyes too bad? Can I still get Lasik?" I was very concerned. They assured me I was a safe candidate. So off to Madison I went -- 10 years ago today. As it happened, Jim had just started work in Iola with me and was on a business trip already. So I had to have a friend take me (and Carter) down there.

After talking through the procedure and explaining that there would be a moment in there where my cornea flap would be open and I would be blind -- only seeing gray -- I was relieved they gave me a Valium to relax me and edge out those fears of going even blinder than a bat.

When I was laying on the table and they had to pry my eyes open, they were having some difficulty because my Hedberg eyes are so small. I said something like, "Oh no!" And they were like, "Don't worry, we'll make it work.You're not leaving until we do this."

So I had my laser beams shot in my eye (you need more "clicks" when your eyes are worse), they closed up the flap and sent me on my way with some groovy big black sunglasses you see on cataract patients. I was to keep my eyes closed as much as possible for the rest of the day.

The next morning was the first time I awoke and could see my alarm clock clearly! I seriously had 20/20 vision pretty much already! Amazing. I did all my antibiotic/recovery drops and was very good about resting my eyes for a few days. I healed perfectly and have had no problems.

They did warn me that after 40, I guess that's now, my aging eyes would eventually need reading glasses and such. I held off pretty long. It's only been in the last several months that I have used those "cheaters" on occasion and have a prescription for nighttime driving glasses. I can live with that.

The bonus, of course, through all of this is that I finally could wear sunglasses. Ask Jim or Carter and they will tell you I probably have 2 or 3 pairs in each vehicle plus a few by my car keys. I will not say I have an obsessive penchant for purchasing them, but it didn't take me long today to find 6 different pairs in 6 somewhat recent pictures on Facebook.

I must say, FINALLY four eyes never looked so good! Ha.