The One-Eyed Wonder Strikes Again: I'm pretty sure you all know that humor is my main coping mechanism. Well, it's going to be in full swing the next few weeks. Long story short: a surgery to remove an eye cyst revealed it was the little (already blind) eye that was collapsing in on itself, and the entire eyeball will need to be removed in the next few weeks. Joy.
I can only see with one eye already, so that's not going to be different. Losing the actual eyeball will be an adjustment...but an adventure, too...right? Right. We're going with that.
So what happens next: The missing eyeball will be replaced with an implant, my eye muscles will be re-attached to that, add a quick skin graft and a brand new shell (you have got to be kidding me) and VOILA, I'll be back to new. Those are the facts. I'm not ready to blog the emotions, so that's what you're getting right now. The adventure begins...
In the hospital, they try to keep you warm with those heated blankets - problem is, you're nervous and anxious and the piece of paper they pretend is a warm blanket really does little to calm you, much less actually bring warmth. Thankfully, I was blanketed in love over the last week - just a few of the many, many blessings:
blessings: sunrises full of color
blessings: small town living = lights hung over the main road in town
blessings: crosses overhead - prayers everywhere
blessings: finding emu oil at the grocery store
(It was right above the Arnica Montana which I needed to
keep the facial bruising to a minimum, and emu anything cracks me up.)
blessings: dear friends who hold your hand and pray with you and read random Bible passages and tell you silly jokes at just the right moment and love you and support you every step of the way
blessings: rudimentary eye patches that cover up the carnage beneath. Oy.
blessings: um...tape that eventually comes off your face?! Ouch.
blessings: care packages sent by Mom and Dad with lots of goodies and love
(I'm not sharing the marshmallows)
blessings: cheerful cards and Christmas-scented soap.
(don't eat the soap, Bren)
blessings: cookies delivered by friends just passing through town
(Snickerdoodles are GONE)
blessings: sugar-coated lemon-blueberry muffins, straight from the oven
(I'm going to gain 100lbs, but I am certainly loved)
blessings: lots of chocolate and conversation about funny stories at work
blessings: freshly made bread delivered by the baker herself
blessings: cheeseballs ready in the fridge. MINE.
blessings: tuna sandwiches after Saturday morning basketball games
blessings: medicine that keeps me sane and dulls the pain of the stitches in my eye
blessings: cards that move (and look like they only have 1 eye, too)
blessings: crazy pictures of the moon which remind you
of the little children who came to visit and made your heart sing
blessings: intentionally mismatched socks that make me smile
blessings: friends that let me smash the heck out of the frozen ice pack when I realize my life is about to change and just let me be who I need to be in that moment.
I used one main telephone to answer house calls this week, meaning the other one logged the calls: 58 calls came in over the last 3 days. And that's not counting texts, e-mails and calls on my cell phone. I am blessed beyond belief to have such supportive, prayer-filled people in my life - While I am NOT looking forward to the next surgery, I am confident the blanket of love will be thick and warm!
