EYE EYE EYE

Monday, February 29, 2016
Happy Leap Day! Analiese noticed that the Google logo had rabbits on it today. I said, "Well, rabbits leap!"

We had Family Home Mid-day today, because Jonathan has to work this evening. Ken took us to Long John Silver's for lunch (Jonathan's choice) to celebrate Jonathan's completion of his Aviation Mechanics course. We sat there and talked a while about upcoming plans, events, etc. Things are changing again, hopefully for the good!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Best laid plans...
I got up this morning to take a shower. I washed my hair. Washed my facial with my facial scrub. But...WAIT! You know how it says on all these little bottles "Keep out of eyes." They mean it. Seriously. Because I got some of the scrub in my left eye.

Now, normal soap would sting and, after rinsing it for a while, would be okay. This scrub is different. I've used it for years - YEARS - without a problem. It contains ground walnut shells to exfoliate (their words, not mine) and thoroughly cleans the skin. It is a bad thing, though, to have it in your eye.

Instant agony. Rinse, rinse, rinse. No go. Ken was still in bed and I called for him to come look at my eye. He can't see anything, but it's not like I'm being very cooperative. It hurts like crazy...even worse if I try to shut my eye.

By now, it was 6 a.m., I'm wet and in a lot of pain. I can't see out of the left eye and the right is watering in sympathy. So, dread-of-all-dreads, I call my students and cancel Seminary. Yes, it's that bad.  Ken gives me a blessing before he heads out the door to OKC for more training. So I'm alone with my kids, can't see, and in pain. Somehow, I don't think my day is going to go as planned.

After a weak scripture study (small print doesn't get any easier with non-functioning eyes) I get Analiese started on lessons - foregoing our usual book reading and history lesson - and I call the doctor. They can get me in at 10:30. I'm at a begging point, so I take it.

Boy, am I glad Jonathan is at home, though. He drove me to the doctor, who's office is just down the road and next door to the hospital. He gave me a hug as I cried (I was encouraging crying at the moment, hoping it would flush the object out), and waited with me patiently. The doctor sees a scrape on my cornea (Don't I need that?) and makes an appointment for me at 2:30 with my eye doctor. You know, the one I saw last week about trifocals. We'll be getting to know each other better today.

One nice thing about my regular doctor - he told me to put a warm damp compress over my eye to help with the pain. I was able to go home and lie down for a while and rest - with my eye closed. Not perfect, still some discomfort, but not so bad.

This time, I had my Visiting Teacher take me to the optometrist. Jonathan had work at 4:00 and since Dr. Geiger was fitting me in, I didn't know how long it would take. Helen is so very nice and helpful, though, and sat crocheting in the waiting room while I had the doctor look me over.

End result: Scratched my cornea, but it'll heal within a day. There was a foreign object on the upper lid. He had to numb my eye, pull up the lid, and take the thing out with tweezers. Fun. Still, the minute he numbed the eye, the pain was ALL GONE, so he was my hero from there out. He gave me some drops and said don't come back unless things get worse.

What relief! I did have a headache when I got home (stress?), but some tylenol, and more eye-resting helped. Another lovely Relief Society sister brought dinner in for Analiese and me, so we didn't have to resort to sandwiches. Sweet, too, was a phone call from a Seminary student, wanting to know if I was okay. I reassured her that I would be fine and had a good cry afterwards: a) to wash those eyeballs again and b) because the Lord blesses me with so many great people in my life.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Left eye is a little "goopy" this morning, maybe from the eyedrops, maybe just a reaction from the stress I put it through yesterday. I carefully bathed it in the shower this morning. And...no facial scrub for a while. I am suitable chastened and terrified.

It does itch like crazy, but Mom always said itching means healing. It gets weepy, too, so I blot it from time-to-time. Doesn't look pleasant, all red, and it's a little blurry, but SO much better than yesterday.

Yes, I drove to Seminary. Do you think I am going to let a little eye blur/weepiness get me down? No! And by the time Seminary was over, it was pretty clear. Well, as clear as it gets without glasses. So, I put on my glasses! Duh.

Thursday, March 3, 2016
One of my students who was absent yesterday returned today...but shouldn't have. She is still ill, poor thing. By this afternoon, her mother called to inform me that both she and her brother are now sick and won't be in class tomorrow. It'll be one-on-one with Megan...hopefully she didn't catch whatever they've got. Besides Seminary, I know she has major testing at school this week!

Put my car in at the Ford place for an oil change/check-up. Those people there are SO good! He said 45 minutes, and 45 minutes it was. Everything checked out okay, though I did need new windshield wipers. They've renovated their place, too, and it looks nice. Their service is excellent and their prices aren't bad for a dealership. I don't mind recommending them.

Worked at Wal-mart again today for Hallmark. Got to meet my Wal-mart co-worker, another employee who usually services the other Hallmark displays in Altus and other areas, and my supervisor. I go back tomorrow to get my scanner gadget and more training.

Friday, March 4, 2016
Two students absent today! The ill one from Wednesday is out again, and now her brother is sick, too! Poor dears. Megan didn't catch what they had, though, and we had a nice lesson together.

My Hallmark day today was much longer and harder work. We had six boxes of stuff to put up, plus I watched a bunch of training videos. It was just my supervisor and me and by the time we were done, I was tired! I'm thinking I ought to get a pedometer, just to see how much walking I am doing at work!

Saturday, March 5, 2016
Busy morning - so much for lazy weekends! It started with me and Jonathan going to pick up my basket from Bountiful Baskets. It's been a long time, but is so worth it! Today I had a bunch of gala apples, some tangerines, strawberries, a couple of avocados (Jonathan's), scallions, white potatoes, broccoli, asparagus (small & tender), a large head of romaine, two butternut squash, and zucchini (also nice and small). That's a good bit of veg for a great price - and they all look good!

After that, we went to Fox (Ace) Hardware for a hoe because I need to do a bunch of weeding in all of my planter boxes. Following that was a trip across town to the bank so Jonathan could deposit his check.

Then we went home, did our scripture study and all three of us (Ken was gone by 7 a.m. to work at TB) got dressed in our church clothes for a baptism at 11 a.m. Eric, the young man being baptized, has done stuff with Jonathan and Lance since last fall. It was a great baptism; the Spirit was strong!

Next...home so I could put my veggies away, Analiese could clean Alice's cage (while I watched bun run around - as much as you can on a leash - outside), and Jonathan did up last night's dishes. He'd gone out with friends the night before, but promised he'd do the dishes today. Good. So I can make some more. Neverending.

I took Alice (on her leash) outside to the front lawn for a change today. My neighbors came out and the teen daughter was entranced by Alice. She was also floored that I could leash a rabbit. Not that Alice is in anyway thrilled by it. You know she's not a wild rabbit, she's way too comfortable flopped down in the open sun.

The afternoon was spent taking Jonathan to work and prepping for Sunday and next week. I have lots of things to accomplish next week so that we can enjoy the Spring Break that follows!

Sunday, March 6, 2016
I so love Spring! Those trees were looking pretty pathetic during winter, it's nice to see them budding and greening again. The house on the corner has a weeping willow that is currently green and lacy. I love it. Analiese doesn't understand why I get so excited by the trees and plants (she gets the birds and animals). I see it as evidence of God's love...and I'm just appreciating it!

Really windy and overcast today. It's Ken's turn for a headache. I led the music in sacrament meeting for him. He stayed home and slept. One of my Seminary students is back from her illness, but her brother has strep and is laid low while her mother is now coping with a cold. Taking turns, poor family!

BTW, those tangerines from Bountiful Baskets yesterday...juicy. Really good. Nice to have some decent citrus.