The big day - Lasik surgery

Woke up early today for breakfast and then went to pay for my tickets down to Phuket. The business center automatically booked them for me without asking, so I was a bit miffed at that (couldn't check other prices), but in light of time constraints it was probably better anyway.

Then I went to the Lasik center for my eye check. My starting vision was 20/100 in my right eye and 20/63 in my left. They did fifty million tests including inspecting my retina with a small magnifying lense - like a jewellery loupe, but the doctor held it between her fingers. The whole process was very professional. The first thing that happened was they took my picture, and every different test that I did had my picture on the computer where they enterred my info. Great way to ensure there is no mix up.

I also had to watch an hour long multimedia presentation on all the side effects that I might have. I was impressed with how thorough that was. I had lots of questions and they answered them fully for me. Some of them the assistant couldn't answer, so he said I should ask my doctor. I asked her about the halos (because I have them already so was especially worried about them after the surgery). She said my pupils were on the large side of average and that is why I get the halos. She said it was a possibility for me after the surgery that they would be worse. Getting halos is only a 1% risk though, which was acceptable for me.

All the tests checked out and I was a good candidate for surgery, so they confirmed my appointment for that afternoon (originally I was supposed to go for the exam yesterday but had been rescheduled due to a conflict - so my exam and surgery were on the same day). The only thing left to do was go and get my HIV test.

I went up to the nearby hospital where they did the test and gave a discount to Lasik center patients (because of all the referrals I'm sure). All up the thing cost about US$20. Not bad. As usual, my body did not want to give up any of my blood. At least the nurse found the vein on the first prick - I had to show her where to look on my arm though (the space with all the needle scars centered in a 5mm area). She only got about 70% of the amount that the test required before nothing more came out - and that took a good 10 minutes... for one small vial. Since that was the only vein she could find, she was going to resort to butterfly clips in the hand. I begged her to check with the lab, because, pardon my language, drawing blood from your hand hurts like a bitch. Luck was with me thankfully - the lab said that that was enough blood and I was spared the agony of needles in my hand.

I was sent to go and pay the bill and wait about an hour for the results. I just had a mini-nap and watched all the people in the waiting room. I got my "negative" report and then went down the street to grab lunch. I should note that I felt very cool in my sun glasses (my eyes had been dilated during the eye exam so I was sensitive to light) until I realized NO one else was wearing any. I guess it wasn't all that bright outside. Oops.

Lunch today was green curry with shrimp, rice and a coconut smoothie. I love coconut smoothies. They work perfectly at cutting the spice in curries. The food was ok, but a bit expensive considering the type of restaurant I was in. A total of 300 Baht.

After lunch I had a bit of time before my surgery, so I headed back to the hotel to grab a nap for an hour. Then back to the Lasik center for my surgery. I must say I was a bit worried. Because of all of Hiroshi's "you'll go blind!" and my sister-in-law Keiko's "Lasik surgery is not safe!" I started to get really nervous. Especially because I was by myself.

They started me off with numbing drops, which stung. They then gave me a pill which I assumed to be valium - it matched the pills in the packet of valium they gave me for that night if I had trouble sleeping. The valium did not have any effect as far as I could tell. If it made you calm, all I can say is I don't want to know how badly I would have freaked out during the first part of the surgery.

They put in a metal ring to keep my eye open, which was also the thing they attached the cutter to. That was a bit uncomfortable because it was digging into my cheek bone. Next they put suction on your eye before they make the flap. Oh - my - god. That was excrutiating. In everything I have read online, no one has mentioned pain during suction. Everyone says "it was a bit uncomfortable... and my change in vision is aweseome!". Heh. I think this is like what happens with childbirth. Ask a woman immediately after birth how bad it was, and a week later, and you will get two totally conflicting answers. Something along the lines of "most painful thing you can imagine - never, ever in a million years will I get pregnant again" to "not so bad - I want another one". Well, let me tell you, that suction part hurts. Granted it is only for about 15 seconds, but those are pretty much the longest 15 seconds in the world. Especially when you are by yourself and there is no one there to hold your hand.

After that horrible part though, everything was fine. Or maybe the valium kicked in at that point LOL. No, the laser itself did not hurt at all. I had to look at a light for about 40 seconds while the laser worked. My right eye kept wandering on its own accord - but I was eventually able to look in one place for the right amount of time. My left eye had the same problem and she had to stop the laser at one point. I am worried that that eye will have a problem now. She said everything went fine but I am still worried.

The laser itself smells. The doctor said it was the laser and not my eye that smelled like burning. It isn't that bad. The room just smells a bit off. When the laser finished the doctor smoothed the flap back over my eye. That was weird. I couldn't see what instrument she was smoothing it with, but I could feel it. Felt like someone lightly stroking your skin actually. Not painful or uncomfortable, just odd because you don't expect that sensation in your eye.

After that they taped up my eyes with bug goggles (white plastic cups that have a grand total of six small holes in each) to protect my eyes. I had to rest for a bit, and then they escorted me to the shoe locker (everything was blurry) and down to a taxi. They even called my hotel a bit later to make sure I had arrived safely. That was great.

At the hotel you immediately have to go down a set of stairs. The concierge on duty spoke very little English and didn't understand "please help me down the stairs". A lady came running over though and helped me down the stairs and took me to my room. I immediately went to bed like I was suppposed to, and slept for about 5 hours.

At that point I could "see" - limited as I was thru mini-holes. I ordered room service because getting to a restaurant would have been a nightmare. Room service came up with my food and it was absolutely beautiful! The cart converted into a table with linen table cloth. There were even fresh flowers in a vase. I took a picture with my camera because it was a bit hard to see it completely, but what I did see was nice.

I had shrimp cakes, chicken and cashews, tom yung goon which is spicy soup (which I hadn't ordered and was charged for, but I was too out of it to complain and try to deal with it - and the soup was good anyway), and a Thai dessert. Everything was delicious except the dessert which was a rice and bean thing. Oh well, at least I tried something different.

After dinner I went back to bed again. I was sleepy and not in any pain so I didn't have to take any of the pills they had given me. Lucky, I guess, that I have no discomfort whatsoever.