Time away was longer than I had anticipated but it was clearly necessary for me to recharge.
Mostly I needed to get away from screens of all sorts. I won't say screens were entirely responisble for the lack of progress in getting rid of the swelling/fluid in my eye but it became obvious to me that they weren't helping.
What helped most of all with my eye, of course, was coming back to Florida (which I did in mid October) and going back to the retina specialist who did my retina reattachment. She ditched the "wait and see, come back in a month" strategy of my VT specialist and put me on a regimen of drops. My eye is better and I am weaning off the drops. I've lost my reading vision so I have to search for my reading glasses -- add that to searching for my phone -- nothing most people my age have to deal with so I can't complain. At least, unlike my phone, I have multiple pairs of reading glasses all over the house.
I also learned how truly addictingly, mindlessly, time-suckingly wasteful time on the computer can be. I am so much clearer about how to use computers more in alignment with how I want to live. It can be a learning tool and a source of social connection. If I am not doing one of those two things, it gets shut down.
I drove down with Mike's sister. Mike's oldest granddaughter was married is SC in October -- a beautiful, fairytale wedding on St. Helena Island and a lovely weekend with family. Then we continued on to Florida where Jean relaxed for a few days before flying back home.
I had planned on maybe driving/flying back to VT for the holidays but then could not quite bring myself to do it. Too far to drive back and forth, too much weather uncertainty, and planes . . . well, no, not this year.
I read an article in the NYT recently about how teachers were reporting increased bad behavior in students. This should not be any kind of surprise when you see how adults are behaving. Children just reflect what they see.
So holidays in Florida. I missed family, of course, but I was busy and amongst good friends here so lots of gratitude.
Happy to see you back and very happy to know that your eye issues are resolving.
ReplyDeleteTake care, stay well.
So good to see you back on my reading list. You were missed.
ReplyDeleteSo glad your eye is doing better and you are almost done with drops.
Yes computers can be very addicting. I find myself going down rabbit holes when I only wanted to know if so-and-so was still alive.
Don't blame you for avoiding airplanes. Mercy,the bad behavior on them lately is appalling. Kind of sad to hear that has migrated to the schools too.
Enjoy Florida, stay safe and well.
Good to see your post! On January 1 I decided not to log in to CNN. It has saved me considerable time. On February 1 I intend to log into Facebook only once in the morning and once in the evening. I expect to gain more time back.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back; glad your eyes are better. And I sure hear ya about computer time, especially while we've been stuck at home with Covid. I've cut back some on my screen time, and also cut back to once a week writing blog posts. I'm hoping that by doing fewer posts I will be more interesting since I won't have to stretch for topics or things to say. Anyway, enjoy your warm Fla. weather.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear from you. I am also glad that you are getting proper treatment for your eye.
ReplyDeleteComputers are like day time TV for me. I don't turn them on unless I have a purpose. If I am not blogging or reading my blog family blogs, or checking in on Facebook only to read what I care about, of looking up some information, I am not on them. Even that takes plenty of time.
I'm glad you have your community that you have created in your winter home. Be well.
you have changed your blog format. I almost missed it! Very clean and clear. I do not look forward to the way my eyes will be changing in the future and we do not have great doctors for the elderly out here!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you back, Olga! I thought of you a lot and wondered about your vision. Glad that it is clearing up with the drops. Take care and enjoy life in Florida.
ReplyDeleteI finally had my macular hole surgery done October 29,2021 and had the most long lasting gas bubble in it. I finally woke up to no gas bubble On January 1, 2022. I was so happy and relieved. Once the gas bubble got down to a smaller size it wasn't so bad, but when it was covering most of my vision, I was having so many day of nausea and light headedness.
ReplyDeleteThe hole succesfully closed, but I do notice a small bit of distortion at parts of the edge of an Amsler grid. I have a retina surgeon appointment coming up Monday so I will see what he says about the current slight distortion on the Amsler grid. Before the surgery, The Amsler grid looked like the vortex of a tornado, I don't have that anymore, so the distortion is much less.
Nice to see you back!
ReplyDeleteHi Olga! It's wonderful to see you back. I'm nervous about flying these days too and can understand how you feel. I'm glad your eyesight is getting better. I have reading glasses all over the house too.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you back. I am somewhat surprised you were back in Florida but glad the Florida doctor was offering more help. If there is one thing I've learned, not all doctors are created equal.
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