Dreams do come true. In May I bought a new bicycle. Actually it is a recumbent bicycle. I’ve walked for years, sometimes every day; then I would slack off and have to re-motivate myself to get going again. As I got older walking became less pleasurable. Every time I put my right leg forward on the asphalt or concrete it sent a sharp pain up my leg and when I returned home I would have to take a pain medication. I looked into riding a bicycle. A regular two-wheel bicycle created balance problems (I am in my eighties) and I did not want to fall.
I looked around and found a recumbent bicycle. I tested a couple and rented one for a week. I throughly enjoyed it. I went out each morning, did about four miles round-trip and had no leg pain. I noticed when I was pumping my legs and knees were being exercised along with my upper leg muscles and hip joints as well.
So I bought the recumbent bicycle and will continue to use it for regular exercise and enjoyment.
In between all of this I was visiting Dr. Mark Goulas, an ophthalmologist in Bluffton, S.C., for my annual eye checkup. I had been put on notice a couple of years ago that cataracts were developing in both eyes. (See my note above about being in my eighties.) This year, Dr. Goulas said it was time to do something. I was a little nervous at first. Blindness is a disease that frightens the hell out of me and is right at the top of my list of conditions I do not want to experience. There are too many natural sights to enjoy, too many beautiful women to gaze upon, too many books to read, movies to watch and…well, you get the point.
There were two options presented to me. Regular lenses Medicare will cover and TECNIS Multifocal lenses which Medicare does not cover and cost more. The latter lenses were what my late wife, Joyce, had and she never needed glasses for anything, reading, computer, sewing, etc. Nothing. Dr. Goulas had put her in TECNIS several years ago, I opted for the TECNIS and had my right eye operated on May 19. Within a couple of days I was looking at the walls in my house with left eye closed and through my right eye. And then I did the reverse. Looking through my right eye I was looking at a white wall. Through the left eye the walls looked beige.
After a few days my sight got better and better. I started reading and working at the computer without glasses. Dr. Goulas took the lens out of the right side of my glass's frame when I saw him a week later. He has a great sense of humor and excellent skills. He was voted Best of Bluffton in January this year and will get my vote in January 2017.
I had the left eye done yesterday (June 2, 2016) and saw the good doctor today. All is progressing as expected and my sight is getting better by the hour.
Dr. Goulas put the lens back in my old glasses so I could donate them and four other pair to the eye bank. Off they go this weekend.
I am so happy I had this done and wish everyone the best of eyesight throughout their life. It is like a new lease on better terms.
My May/June 2016 have been memorable. May yours be also in some pleasurable way.
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