My upcoming trip

[Kayak Jack]

The cards you are dealt aren't your choice, but how you play them is. Keeping difficulties to ourselves isn't courageous; it's something else. Sharing and seeking advice takes some guts, because you have to expose your inner self to others.

Listen, buddy, we recognize courage when we see it. Now shut up and eatchur gree-itz.

 

[hairymick]

Heya Piper,

Hang in there mate. You are going great, just to be able to continue working and to be able to see well enough to play on these bloody things.

Things will get better mate. Keep ya chin up. We are all praying for you.

 

[islandpiper]

Well, here's where we stand right now. I filnally got to where I could get the OKWATA plans out and study them a bit, last weekend. Then I developed an infection in my "good" eye. It is an acute viral conjuctivitus, and hurts like bloody hell. At about 3:30 on Friday I closed up the shop and my wife broke out of work early and drove me into what remains of New Orleans to the LSU Eye Center where a Resildent Physician, who had apparently chosen the short straw, was waiting for me.

His chairside manner made it apparent that my late, and unscheduled visit had screwed up his plans. Usually eye-care docs are very gentle.

further, I have developed a hard cysst in the corner of my graft eye that will require treatment with a snall, sharp blade and some sewing at a later date.

My next surgery, a PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY and a lens removal and replacement on the left eye is scheduled for April 19, 9:30 AM. Those of you near a tavern at that time are hereby requested and aurhorised to sit down and have a beer, for me, "in absentia".

I don't usually go Bible-thumping among my friends, but when you all wake up tomorrow and open your eyes AND YOU CAN SEE (!!) then Thank God......that's a fair way to start any day no matter what. Thanks to all of you who have signed the Cornea Donor line on your driver's liscences and living wills.

Kayak Jack keeps telling me I should come paddling with him. I'm to a point now where he'd have to put a bell on the ends of his paddle and let me follow the sound.

Rock 'n roll.

Piper

 

[hairymick]

Heya piper, Bad news mate. Real sorry to here it.

I hope all works out for you.

That bloody doctor sounds like he needs a good smack in the eye himself. We have got his kind here too.

good luck mate. Please keep us posted.

 

[bearridge]

Kayak Jack keeps telling me I should come paddling with him. I'm to a point now where he'd have to put a bell on the ends of his paddle and let me follow the sound.

Friend piper,

Dont listen ta him....I mean do "listen" ta him. Frum what Chuck sez he dont need ta wear a bell....jest listen 'n sniff the air....like when yer wife sez "honey do ya smell a gas leak"? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

git well soon
bearridge

Old paddlers iz like old fishermen--they don't die, they just smell that way. Bears Buddy

 

[oldyaker]

Those of you near a tavern at that time are hereby requested and aurhorised to sit down and have a beer, for me, "in absentia".
I don't usually go Bible-thumping among my friends, but when you all wake up tomorrow and open your eyes AND YOU CAN SEE (!!) then Thank God......that's a fair way to start any day no matter what.
Piper

I thank the Creator every day...even bad ones. :? I'll put in a word for you.
I'm good at taverns.....I'll have a couple for ya. I'm pull'n for ya.

 

[Kayak Jack]

I have two bells. One, I wear. 'Tuther is on a stray dog. After my third paddle stroke, I silence my bell and let him follow the dog.

I haven't seen Piper-san in three days now. sigh I figger that if he can't see me, I'd return the favor.

Signed,
Couth Control Officer

 

[islandpiper]

Kayak Jack, thanks for slapping me once in a while.......it brings me back to my senses.

Headed to Slidell tomorrow early to see if a contact can be fit now to my graft. ILf so, I will have to train my brain to see with the right eye, a trick it has not done since last october.

Oh, was that a DOG? We went for a beer and he dropped his, drank the second one out of a dish.....I figured he was just clumsy.

cheers, piper

 

[Kayak Jack]

Piper-san,

I'm hoping the doc has you mega-dosing on vitamins. A "daily minimum" is for when we're already healthy and our body doesn't need some help. Go way the hell beyond that and set up some sort of a ready reserve.

I know, our body simply pees overboard what we don't need. Cheaper to have expensive urine to prevent, than to buy expensive medicine to correct.

Take care, Old Fella; your friends (both of us) are counting on you.

 

[islandpiper]

Big surprise.....last week the hospital called to tell me that I had a date in the surgical parlour on tuesday, yesterday......and needed all new lab work and an EKG, etc......jumped through a bunch of hoops as fast as possible, and ran in yesterday, slipped into a very fashionable gown, open-backside model, and stayed awake the whole time they cut into the side of my right eyeball and used a cute little industrial vacuum cleaner to suck out the lens material I have been looking through for over half a century (time for a change) and fitted in a new, CLEAR acrylic lens of about 6.5 MM diameter and 19 Diaopters power.

I felt pretty crappy the rest of the day, but went to work today and practiced looking through my new eye. In time it may learn to focus. Many, but not all of the duplicate images are gone. Things might get better yet.

Next week, thursday, is the big day on the left eye.....R&R the lens and fit a new, (used) cornea. Someday I hope to see some of you guys and really SEE you.

Piper

 

[bearridge]

Someday I hope to see some of you guys and really SEE you.

Friend Piper,

Bring some sippin' whiskey.....fer the let down. :wink:

The only guy older'n me at work wuz a one eyed Jack. When he wuz a little pardner he wuz whittlin'. Next thing he knew he had poked hiz eye out.

After 40 years of bat blind, he flew ta Russia. The big daddy dip dog funky monkey (I didnt say "nappy") eye doctor wuz over there. Whilst lyin' on the table, they commenced ta talk. First thing he found out the doctor liked ta hunt ducks. Well......our office wuz slam fulla Duck Unlimited prints that come frum too much sippin' whiskey at the annual banquet. It thru hiz whole schedule off cuz they spent so much time talkin' bout whackin' ducks.

He seen some lite fer a while, but nothin' much ever come of it. It wuz a lot ta ask. I figger yer doctor haz a much eazier job. Git yer eye fixed quick az ya kin cuz ya jest gotta geeze1 yer way down a river. :mrgreen:

regards
bearridge

ps My partner used that one eyed gaze ta throw folks off left 'n rite. Ya caint ever tell which eye he iz watchin' ya with. I seen it a hunerd times.

1: to dilly, dally, amble 'er generally dawdle along with no concern fer time, space 'er Bizarro World


His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. unknown high school student

 

[islandpiper]

BEARRIDGE, If I didn't have a date with the surgeon next week I'd walk right out to Hwy 55 and thumb my way up to someplace near where you are and I'd bring a bottle of that Jim Beam Black Label........I expect you probably have a couple of mugs to pour it into. We've got to talk.

Piper

 

[bearridge]

Friend piper,

Az the High Sheriff kin tell, free sippin' whiskey iz my favorite. Aye Laddie! We'll have that drink when ya kin see fine outta all yer eyes. How soon after the surgery til ya kin tell us how it went?

best regards
bearridge

There is nothing so absurd but some philosopher has said it. Cicero

 

[islandpiper]

Bearridge, this eye surgery tests one's patience.......after the surgery it may take from three to 12-months for the stitches to be removed, then another three to nine months for the eye to stabilize enough to have a contact lens fitted. Or, it might all be ready in six months.....depends on the host eye and health, the donor tissue and it's condition and health, the skill of the surgeons, luck.....God's will......lots of things. After my first one I was pretty blind for a month, and sort of blind for another month, then things started to get better....then they got a lot worse when the cataract formed in the lens. After my lens implant on Tuesday (today is Thursday) I am visually back to where I was about Christmas time. I have till Monday to heal as fast as i can to get a contact fitted....and pass the Snellilng Test.....so they will operate on the left eye Thursday. I have been administering the Prednasone to the outside of the Cornea and lens implant incision, and small amounts of Tequila to the inside, hoping for a speedy recovery. I have found that the more Tequila I administer to the inside of the cornea, the happier I am about the whole thing.

So.....my best guess as to when I can report the results: surgery thursday, I'll be back online by Saturday with the bandages off, and I'll tell you then if I can look at a picture of Kayak Jack and a Pine Tree and tell you which is which.

And, we WILL share that sippin' whiskey someday.

Piper

 

[bearridge]

Good on ya piper! I hope yer usin' Jose Cuervo Gold? Up ta the Shade Tree Medikle Clinic, we always use it....but dont ever use lemon 'er salt with it. Good tequila goes down best by itsownself.

Ya must have some good doctors down there. :wink:

regards 'n good luck
bearridge

Pea: They’re gonna try sneaking up on us in the dark aint they Gus.
Gus: Taking a chance if they do, a couple a sharpshooters like us.
Pea: I aint no sharpshooter I usually miss if I aint got time ta take careful aim.
Gus: By god but it’s depressing to talk to you Pea.

 

[islandpiper]

That tequila must have done the trick. I went in yesterday for the pre-op and they checked my old graft and the lens job in the restored eye.........yippee!!!! I have 20-30 in the restored eye with no corrective lens or glasses!!! These guys work miracles.

I'll report in again after the BIG TRIPLE, probably friday PM or saturday.

Cheers, Piper

 

[bearridge]

Hot dawg. Mitey dang good news. Lookin' fer some more later on in the week. Jose Cuervo Gold cures a heap a stuff.....frum ringworm ta depression? I hear Ole Frank Roosevelt used it ta make hiz leg work (when Miz Roosevelt wuz away). :wink: Lord I am sorry I tole that 'n bless all the little pygmies down ta the Seychelles.

regards
bearridge

Barnum was wrong - it's more like every 30 seconds. Unknown

 

[oldsparkey]

yippee!!!! I have 20-30 in the restored eye with no corrective lens or glasses!!! These guys work miracles.

Cheers, Piper

Yippeee !!!!!! will be ......YIKES .......when your good eye see's a picture of Kayak Jack in the trip reports , all the rest of us are some good looking devils. :roll:

Chuck.

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

That's great! Just don't ruin it by looking at that old geezer in the mirror. :shock:

 

[Kayak Jack]

Keith - I'm glad you can see better.

When you gonna start looking better?