So a lot has happened since I posted my update about the surgery. I've gone through ups and downs and am nervous for the next step but I'll get into that more a little later in this blog.
My mom and I went and saw the ocularist (the Dr who made my artificial eye) back on April 10th. Since my eye socket was all healed up he was able to start the process of making the eye that day. The part that had me most nervous was making the mold of my eye socket since I knew you have to extremely still and not move your eyes at all. I'd read before going in that this part would take 4 minutes but my mom says it took less time then that. The Dr had a smiley face sticker stuck on the window that he tells patients to stare at while waiting for the mold to set. Maybe 2 minutes into sitting there he came back in to check the progress and removed the mold.
My mom thought it was still in so she was surprised when I turned and it was out. After that he came back and put a conformer in without holes that fit much better then one placed during surgery. My mom and I were able to set the appointment to get my artificial eye for May 1st.
May 1st we went back both excited to see the process of making the eye. When we got there he had the pupil already placed on the eye and tested it in my socket to make sure it fit. Then the process started to make it look exactly like my right eye. First he took little red fibers and put those on the eyeball to match the look of the veins in my other eye. Once those were on he left for a few minutes and got those smooth. Then he came back and went to work with his paints closely looking at my right iris to make sure he was getting the minute details just right. This whole part took maybe 30 minutes and then he told us we could leave for about an hour and a half while he put the 'cornea' on (basically making it have a slight shine in light like a normal eye) and bake it.
We ended up wandering around a big lots store right near his office. When we went back in he showed us the eye and put it in. Upon looking in the mirror at my new eye I started crying cause it's the first time in at least 4 years that my eyes have looked the same. My mom took pictures to send to friends and family and then the Dr did some minor adjustments and sent us on our way.
That day we also went and got my hair cut and colored since I no longer felt the need to hide behind my bangs. My mom also had them wax my eyebrows which I say had to be my least favorite part of the day. After the haircut we rushed over to the MAC counter at the mall and had my makeup done. My mom took more pictures befor, during and after the makeup and we ended the day having dinner and going home.
This brings me to the most recent news from what was supposed to be my final appointment with my surgeon July 7th. We'd gone in so they could get final pictures and my surgeon could check everything and make sure it was still looking good. During my appointment she noticed that my left eyelid is slightly stretched (most likely from my real eye having been too big for the socket). I started getting nervous at this point as the word surgery started coming up again. She called my ocularist to ask if he thought he can do anything to help. She also advised that I needed to change my left lens in my glasses to plain glass. So my mom and I decided we would wait til after I got my glasses to make any decisions and the next Saturday I went to order new glasses. While there we found out neither of my insuranses cover glasses and after I almost decided to not get new glasses my mom bought them for me. I told her repeatedly she didn't have to do that but she insisted that she wanted to and the a week later we picked up my new glasses and new lenses were also placed in my old frames so I have a backup pair. Upon seeing my new glasses on we both agreed that I do need the eyelid surgery my surgeon was talking about since it's clear now that it's only a problem with the eyelid and not the artificial eye. So now even though I know I'll feel much better having the surgery I'm still nervous since I thought my wye removal was going to be the last surgery for a while. I go back and see my surgeon in October and then I'll know more details about that process and when we can have it done. So one more tiny hurdle added to this journey I've been on for the past few years but in the end it will all be worth it.
Live (loud), Love (greatly), Stay Asp-tastic!
