cataracts

So this past Wednesday Tom had his right cataract removed. As you can imagine, he was a bit apprehensive about the procedure. As a "veteran" of two separate Lasik surgeries, I was a bit more confident and while concerned, attempted to be the positive side of the equation.

We left the house to arrive for the 8:45 appointment to the concierge surgery center. They checked Tom's name, ID, inquired which eye (put a sticker on it), and asked birth date -- apparently this was repeated to him often enough that whenever anyone would enter the room he'd recite it.....They took him back from the waiting area at about 9 and I sat and "caught up" on all the People magazines (not my normal, but certainly a time-passer!). About 10 they came to get me and, I assumed, he was done and that I was going to the recovery area. Nope. Instead I went into a small inner room where I was able to watch the surgery via tv with on of the nurses talking me through was was happening (quit reading until the last paragraph if you're squeamish!). Quite interesting, actually. The view I had was of his eyeball -- it took up the entire tv screen. It was the same view the doctor had -- the microscope she used had the camera attached. First they made a small incision, then came in with the large incision maker (about the size of a toothpick). Then the put in the tool that breaks up the lens with ultrasound and vacuums it all out. It was really interesting to see how after the lens was shattered, you could see the cloudiness more from the "pieces" and watch them be sucked out. Basically took less than 10 minutes total. The doctor came in to talk to me, letting me know that it was considerably thicker than she'd anticipated but it all went well and he'd be in the recovery area soon. He came home and rested for the afternoon and I "babysat" him.....Mom took the girls for mani-pedis and then mom and dad took them to a movie (the Focker one which they don't recommend). Mom and I then left Tom with dad and went to the grocery to get the stuff we hadn't gotten on Monday.

Yesterday, Tom took dad with him for his 6:45 appointment. They then went to breakfast and came home. We all vacated the house at 11 as it was to be cleaned. The girls went to see "How do you Know?" (cute, light, not one I'd say run out to see) and the boys to see "True Grit" (which they DO recommend to go out and see). Home again for a bit before our fancy dinner out -- Muriel's on Jackson Square. Tom had been there for work functions before, but the rest of us had never gone. YUM! I had a spinach salad, grilled fish, and sorbet. The girls had steak (Abby ate the entire thing). Maggie had room for dessert -- flourless chocolate cake. Mom had a crab appetizer, salad, lamb, and bread pudding. Dad has oyster appetizer, salad, fish, and creme brulee. Tom enjoyed a pasta appetizer, salad, and bbq shrimp. No one went away hungry and the girls and I will certainly go back! Today we're doing the pre-meal prep for tomorrow -- stuffing is cooking, potatoes baking, pie will be baked, table is set, mushrooms are sauteed.......Merry Christmas!