Op day

Wednesday morning we went for a clifftip was in the direction of Limslade Bay. As we approached the penultimate headland the wind became so fierce we had to turn back or risk being blown off the path.

After lunch, I packed my bag and left for home, collecting the week's veggie bag on the way. After repacking to took the train to Newport and walked up Stow Hill to Chris and Martin's place to spend a couple of nights either side of tomorrow's cataract op, arriving at seven.

I was treated to a right royal feast with salt marsh lamb chops and a perfect matching 2012 Barolo, before settling down in front of their giant telly to watch a movie about a con-man who pretended to be an MI5 officer, seducing and swindling wealthy young women, apparently a real life story. before turning in for the night.

*******

My alarm woke me at six, and I was ready for the drive to St Joseph's hospital by six thirty. There was ten minutes of panic before Martin found the car keys, then all was well and I arrived on time.

I was the last of four people that eye surgeon Andrew was treating in the morning session. First a briefing, then twenty minutes preparation for surgery with the anaesthetist to make my eye suitably numb for surgery, then a brief greeting from Andrew before being face covered for the job. The next half hour was in the dark with occasional flickers of light and the sensation of liquid running off my temple.

I was soon on my feet again afterwards with no left eye vision for a while until the anaethetic started to  wear off, then disconcertingly clear double vision for several hours while the eye's control muscles thawed out. As I regained full use of my left eye, my vision turned very foggy and stayed like that the rest of the evening, clearing gradually. The eyeball ached and reacted painfully to strong light, not surprising after invasive surgery. 

Partly with one eye we watched a movie about a real life Dutch art forger in the immediate post war period, able to paint in the style of Vermeer convincingly enough to fool top level experts. As compelling to watch as the TV series 'Face or Fortune'. I was pertty tired by the time I turned in, after such a momentous day. Tomorrow will be different again.