Wonderful Vacation...Now, Back To Reality

Today marks my first (somewhat) full week back at work. It's weird and I'm not thrilled about it. It's so hard to come back. It used to be that I would vacation and, around the fifth day or so, I'd be ready to get back to it. Not so much. I could have vacationed another month or two. Seriously! I did not want to come back. I think I'm no longer cut-out for career mode, working, the rat-race, whatever. Hubby thinks I should focus efforts on my writing and I'm considering it seriously. Of course, I still have to pay bills. Can't up and quit my job (God, don't I wish!). Lol!

Can you believe July is nearly here? Where did June go? The summer is racing along at NASCA.R speeds. What is up?

You Thrilled Me

I can't let this day go by without commenting on one of the greatest (albeit eccentric) entertainers of all time. My first encounter with the King of Pop was second grade. I had a little record player that I played 45s on, mainly record/book combos. I remember finding the Off the Wall album in my parents collection and, even though my player sometimes skipped the best parts, I learned every song on that album. I envisioned myself meeting this amazing singer one day (who didn't live very far from me).

By third grade, I was rocking my Thriller cassette nearly as much as my Off the Wall album. He was the greatest to everyone in my class. No one had anything negative to say about Michael Jackson. I remember the red jackets that adorned several of my male classmates and there wasn't one soul who didn't yearn for a sparkling glove. Good or bad, right or wrong, the impact he made upon our world will last forever. I hope you find the peace in death that you couldn't find in life, Michael. Rejoice, for you are free.

Total Drama, but We're Here!

Wednesday afternoon after work was probably one of the hardest afternoons of my life. Next to leaving my first born at the hospital after I was discharged, this is probably next in line. I can't get into all the details because they are not my details to share. I will just say this; I am not opposed to chemical castration. It's a good thing we were going on vacation the next day. I really needed it.

At 4:30am Thursday morning, my household was busy with everyone skittering around, getting ready to leave. We left around 5:20am (really wishing we'd left at 5:00am). No matter. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, found a space next to the shuttle stop and hopped on, headed for the terminal. We made it...to a line that looked about a mile long. We were fortunate, though. People must be getting more savvy about the airline kiosks. The line moved along quickly and we were done checking in within about ten minutes.

We boarded our South.West flight to Denver with ease. Settled into our unreserved seats and had a good ole time for about an hour. Hubby, with the girls and me on an aisle seat across from him by myself. Sweet! In Denver, we grabbed breakfast at McDonald's then hoped on our next flight to Orlando. Two hours and 44 minutes later, we were still circling the airport. Why? Oh, a massive storm just happened to hit a few minutes before our arrival. Any lighting seen within five miles of an airport and the airport gets closed. Did you know that? We didn't either.

Running out of gas at 10,000 feet is not cool, so off to Fort Myer for a fill-up. We hung around their airport, in the plane, for about thirty minutes (within that time, I learned a little more about my seatmates. A grandmother and her granddaughter, returning from a funeral in Wyoming. The granddaughter was quite charming) then back up in the air to get to Orlando. Via a detour route, we finally arrived in Orlando at 7:00pm...three hours later than our scheduled landing time.

Missing the first Hertz shuttle (because it was just too dang full) we caught the next one to pick up our car. Hubby's driving a 2008 Hond.a Accord. It's burgundy with cream/tan interior. The girls love it! Indy calls it "our red car".

Riding along on the speedy toll road is great...until you hit the tolls. My MSN instructions only mentioned one toll booth but, actually, there were three. Nice. Good thing we thought to bring lots of quarters. The rental has a pass on the window, but we weren't really sure how to use it. We'll be doing a bit of research later today or tomorrow because our plan is to venture back to Orlando this weekend (Sunday and then Monday, maybe).

It's now 8:30pm, Thursday evening. My girls are tired and hungry and we're all just ready to check in and be done with the never ending day. The Daytona Beach Regency resort was to be our final destination, but when we arrived, our desk clerk informed us that there was no room in the inn. Oy! But, never fear! They booked us next door at the OceanWalk Resort. What a good God I serve! Seriously? Our timeshare? Yes!! Hubby and I were ecstatic! You see, we tried to book here earlier in the year, but it was full. So, we arranged for the next best thing. Daytona Regency rated well and was within our budget, but to be able to stay where we're familiar with everything is a nice treat. Oh, did I mention? They upgraded us to a two-bedroom condo with separate entrances. Sweet! We can't even hear the kids when they're acting like monkeys!

The main area has a living room with Murphy bed, 52" t.v., full kitchen, laundry facilities, king-sized master bedroom with 32" t.v., walk-in closets, garden-jetted tub, walk-in shower, and ocean view. The separate room has a kitchenette, 19" screen t.v., two queen-sized beds and pool-side view. We are in heaven and totally teaching our daughter about the virtue of patience and what it can bring you.

Last night? We ate at Bubba Gump's which was pretty tasty. We strolled the Ocean walk area a bit before heading home. It was late, but I made the girls shower and get fresh before bed. They were very grateful for their shower. Seems the humidity factor didn't really hit home until after they'd showered and realized they really needed it. Hubby and I relaxed in the garden tub (gotta get me one of these!). He tried to pick us up some drinks down at the bar in the lobby, but the bartender had announced "last call", just before he got down there. He was bummed, but she encouraged him to come back tomorrow (today) for her Hurricanes. The tub soaking was still nice without the drinks, but that would have been the icing on the cake. We showered off afterwards, then went to bed (but not to sleep, snicker, snicker).

This morning, I took video and pictures of the resort in the light of day. Indy came in and told me that she slept well and I opened the curtain, so that she could see the ocean:

"Mom, the ocean is so beautiful and shiny," my three year-old announced to me.

I agreed and let her know that she would be swimming in it soon. She's so excited. My eldest is bouncing off the walls! We keep putting her in check, but it doesn't seem to be making much difference. She's just so stinking excited. We keep trying to remind her of things she did here, but she doesn't remember. I hope this time, the memories stick.

Later, we went to visit my grandmother. It was as if she'd aged twenty years, but I suppose it's hard to see someone you know who's always been independent, living in a retirement home. She is completely silver-haired. It amazed me! (she's colored her hair for as long as I can remember). Her nails were painted and that made me happy. I told her she still looked glamorous. I was so glad she knew me and seemed genuinely happy to see all of us. This is the first time Indy has ever met her great-grandmother. Hubby took lots and lots of pictures.

So, why am I typing this post on my holiday/vacation? My hubby just left to go work-out at the gym. He's trying to keep his regime. I understand, but it still makes me sad that he left. He called a few minutes ago to tell me that he's not running away from me and that he's having a good time with all of us, he just wants to try and stay on track. I don't like it, but I get it. I laid on the guilt pretty thick and he actually seemed moved...for a moment, then off he went. Sigh.

When he gets back, I'm hoping we'll hit the beach or hit the pool. The oldest has been worrying us to death about the water. I must admit, I am eager to get in there myself. I also wouldn't mind doing a stroll around town. This really is a pretty place with a lot of good memories for me.

Whistle While You Work

We are either incredibly efficient or OCD. I haven't quite decided which. The truth is, whenever we get ready to leave for vacation, we clean. And, I'm not just talking about a little dusting or some glass cleaner, I'm talking rent-the-rug-doctor-and-scrub-the-oven-range-hood clean. Last night, hubby was steam cleaning like a crazy man. The day before, I was dusting, wiping and sucking up dust bunnies that had never seen the light of day. Today, we will divide and conquer the remaining work (laundry, mopping, bathroom cleaning/scrubbing, and packing). We'll need a vacation, just to get away from all the cleaning! The idea, really, is to leave a clean house and come back to one. Who wants to come back to a junky pig-stye after resting and relaxing for a week. It would be utterly depressing (that's why it has never happened in this family).

My mother is away right now, jaunting around Vegas with my sister in her rented, luxury sedan. She hasn't been since the 70's, so I know it was a total eye-opener for her, driving down the strip for the first time (in decades) Monday evening. Surprisingly, she hasn't really toured/visited the resorts. She's simply decided to go brain-dead in the condo and just relax. I can appreciate that. Tonight, they're supposed to see Way.ne Brady at the Venetian. I hope she has a good time. She really deserves it.

Hubby and I had a little evening spat last night over money. It wasn't even over the lack of money, it was just talking about the money that pushed me over the edge. It was 11:00 (way past my bedtime) and we were talking about how much cash to carry on us. We have our budget, so we subtracted all of the money we've spent thus far for the trip. The problem arose when hubby couldn't find the exact amount for the airline tickets. I was trying to pull up the site and do a quick check, but he took my over-assertiveness as a, "You think you're the only one who has ideas," idea. Great! We tried to work through the issue, last night but I was just too tired. I remember telling him that I didn't mean for my actions to be taken that way and that all I wanted to do was just get it done (I really, really hate talking about money). He seemed better this morning, but you never can tell.

So, where are we going? This family is making an east-coast trek to Florida. While there for fun in the sun, we'll also stop over and see my grandmother. My hubby's best friend lives there as well. My hope is to work on some control issues I have, while I'm away. The control is internal and I have a hard time letting go. I really want to let go, have fun, and not stress about every little thing. Can I do it? It will be a better vacation overall for everyone if I can.

I'm hoping the weather cooperates a little better there than what's going on here. I know Florida has had a bit of rain, but when it's 90 degrees, does anyone really notice? We've been getting dumped for what seems like weeks here. So out of the ordinary for this time of year. A coworker told me that a front usually in place over Arizona (I think) is not there this year, so all the weather that typically gets blocked is hitting us full on. Would someone please turn off the spicket up there? Surely, we've gotten enough water.

I've Already Checked Out

Our vacation doesn't officially start for me until Thursday, but I am already basking on the beach. The sun is beaming down on me and a gentle breeze tickles my face, while my children try to dodge the waves. My hubby and I sip drinks with umbrellas and laugh at the man pulling the speedos out of his crack. It's bliss!

Hubby's vacation officially started on Saturday, lucky duck. He's been around for the last couple of days, tidying up, paying bills and running errands. Actually, I think he officially checked-out two weeks ago. He's so excited! It's fun to watch him and listen to him talk about all the things we're going to do. He's such a big kid.

My eldest keeps asking about when and where we're going. True to tradition? She hasn't been told a thing. Boy, is she going to be surprised!

When All You Can Do Is Watch & Wait

Based on a comment GC made the other day, I thought I'd talk a bit about someone who is the complete opposite of my workaholic hubby; my best friend's hubby.

My bff and I met in college, back in 1993 (phew those years!). She was engaged to be married by our Senior year. I really liked the guy and went out with them several times (best way to know, you know?) . I thought he was a good match for her and I felt that he truly loved her. Unfortunately, he got cold feet and in a bad way; he completely stopped communicating with her. She heard from him about a year later, when he showed up to say;

"I was trying to find a job for you." Um, what?

There were other guys after him, but she found a guy who she communicated with long distance through her work. He lived in New York, but the distance didn't seem to deter their relationship. They began flying back and forth to see each other. Personally, I thought their visits weren't enough to really know where their relationship was going. I mean, you fly into town, have the best time for two or three days, then leave. You don't have that "grocery shopping", "pay the bills", "be around each other so much, you start to make each other sick" time you really need to have to get to know someone.

So, time went on and the company they worked for folded. They laid off both parties (which totally sucked) and my bff spent the next year and a half working odd jobs, until she found the one she has now (she's very happy). He was trying to figure out if he should take another job in New York, or move down to where she was and try to find something there. He chose to move and they became engaged. He had a nice severance package, so he was able to move, rent a new apartment and furnish it well without taking to much of a punch. He began looking for work and they made plans to marry.

They lived in separate apartments and got to know each other better (which is good, because I was very worried about this). Oh, before I forget, an incident occurred that brought up a red flag for me before he ever moved to Nashville. My hubby's grandmother passed and the three of us made arrangements for hubby to stay with my bff. Now, keep in mind, we've all known each other since college and we all hung out as friends before hubby and I ever got toghether. It only made since to all of us that he stay with her in her spare bedroom, rather than rack up expense. She explained this to her fiance and he was fine. Well, hubby went and was rarely at her apartment because of funeral arrangements and visiting friends and family. One night, fiance calls and hears hubby laughing at something on t.v. Fiance flies into a rage and becomes almost impossible (hubby and bff's words). Hubby told me later that he thought his reaction was completely bizarre, seeing as how he knew hubby would be there. We all sort of wrote it off, but hubby and I never forgot that incident.

I met hubby-to-be the day before their wedding (at the wedding rehearsal) and wasn't sure what to make of him, at first. He seemed nice enough, but we didn't talk much. The wedding came and went with lots of drama (as weddings do), especially with my bff's new mother-in-law.

Fast forward. They've been married nearly four years. To date, this man does not have a job. I can't imagine that his severance has lasted this long (I seem to remember her saying that she didn't want to dip into his 401K, but perhaps that's what they are doing now). They live in a very nice area of town and he drives an MDX. He's also a "labels" man, only buying the best of everything. She is more down-to-earth and conservative. It could come from K-Mart, and she would be fine with that.

What does he do all day? She used to tell me about the jobs he was interviewing for. When he wasn't interviewing, he was house cleaning. Now she doesn't tell me anything. I don't ask, either. I'm nearly afraid to! My hubby is in total cop mode about this and thinks he's shady as hell (I'd say, I have to agree at this point). Are they living on her paycheck alone? Does he collect monies from some "mysterious" source? She was very downtrodden, the last time I was in Nashville (2007). She confessed that she felt guilty because he moved down there for her. I told her that, that was his choice. She also felt badly because she had just been given a permanent job at her current company and he was totally unsupportive.

So, we wait. I want her to wake up and kick that dead-beat's ass out of her apartment (it's her apartment, as far as I'm concerned, because she's paying the rent...I'm sure). She wanted and deserved so much from their relationship and, from what I can see, they just keep moving backwards. He's over 40. There is no excuse. I love her dearly she is the god-mother to both my girls. There really isn't anything I would deny her, if she asked me...but I know she won't. I don't bring it up because it's such a touchy subject so, I wait. I'm really getting tired of waiting.

Popularity Can Be Profitable

My hubby has picked up two, additional clients for personal training. He is totally getting paid! It's nice to have the extra income (and it will be super lovely to have it as spending money on our vacation in a couple of weeks) but the trade off? I have to wait until the wee hours to see him. I've told him this and he claims that, because of the way he's scheduling his clients, we'll still get plenty of time together. I know I shouldn't complain. There are plenty of people who have husbands who don't work and just plain don't give a damn. Mine has always worked like a friggin dog.

I suppose this is why he's so retirement focused. He wants to build up to a nice nest-egg for our "after life", so to speak. One where we can enjoy each other and not worry about financial woes. I appreciate that thought process, truly. It's something my own father never thought to do and now suffers daily for it. I think, in this suffering economy, more people are taking stock of their future and trying to assess what are priorities and what aren't. We're also being more creative with our spending. With our new habits, I hope (when things finally get better) we don't revert back to bad habits; but, history tells us a lot, doesn't it.

From the Beginning

The Day of Surgery:

Hubby and I dropped off the kidlets and headed to the vision center. It is approximately 40 minutes away from where we live, but we made it there in about thirty (thanks to hubby's lead foot). We headed to the Target next door because I'd been so nervous, I hadn't had anything to eat. I knew they would be giving me anxiety meds so a stomach with padding (food) would be best. I had a hot cinnamon and sugar pretzel. Yum!

We headed over to the vision center directly after, with only ten minutes to spare (thanks to an uber slow check-out lady who felt it necessary to learn the life stories of every person in her line). I signed in and the receptionist asked my name. She pulled my file and directed me to a desk directly west of her to make payment. One thousand of the payment came from varied sources, while the remainder (about $2500) went straight to their finance company (no interest for two years). I could hear a girl behind me complaining that her eye felt like it had sand in it. The nurse explained that it was probably the bandage contact lens (must be a PRK patient, I thought immediately).

"Bandage contact? When can I take it out?"

"Your optometrist will take it out in four to five days."

Uh, talk about uninformed! What the hell?! I have to say that the clinic does a great job at letting you know what to expect. When you call to schedule an appointment for your scans, they send you a huge packet to read through. The day of your appointment, you are given a portable DVD player to watch a video on the various procedures and how they work. Then, after your scans, you talk to a counselor who tells you everything to expect. How the heck didn't she know about the bandage contact lenses? I wanted to take her and shake her when I heard her complaining. Hubby was in total agreement. Even he knew what to expect.

My payment taken care of, we were directed to an area I hadn't been to before where we were asked to sit down. "Aurora" asked me if I'd filled my prescriptions and brought my refresh tears. But of course! She then told me that most patients were offered something to calm them down for the surgery. I was nodding even before she told me what she was going to give me. She giggled a bit and offered me a valium. Within minutes, I was taken to an exam room where hubby and I were greeted by the optometrist we'd met at our last visit. He had me read a sheet with information about the procedure (Girl in the waiting room, didn't you read your sheet?). He then performed another eye exam because it had been one month and one day since my scans were performed. Talk about thorough! He gave me a surgical bonnet and booties to wear, then he told me that the doctor would be in to talk with me shortly.

Hubby asked how long the procedure would take, then excused himself once the Aurora assured him she would call just as soon as I was done. The doctor arrived soon after hubby left and talked to me about the procedure. We also made some chit-chat about where I was from, which led him to tell me about his best memories of Nashville (oddly, they were of his first visit to an Outback Steak.house and his dish of their succulent crabs). I asked him about my sensitivity to lenses and how I was worried about the bandages. He asked me to tell the optometrist, once I saw him again, to give me diluted numbing drops. This gave me a great sense of relief.

The doctor left and I was moved to a waiting area where "Makayla" gave me instructions about my drops. Oh, and the Valium was starting to kick in. Great stuff! She told me that everything was on the sheet, since I was worried I would forget. It seemed as if I would be putting in drops all the time.

Behind me were two chairs, which I dubbed "Chair 1" and "Chair 2". There were patients in both. After a few minutes of being in the waiting area, the person in "Chair 1" was escorted into the surgery room. The "Chair 2" patient was moved to "Chair 1" and I was moved to "Chair 2". Makayla added numbing drops (which burned a bit) and my eye lids become very heavy and sticky. After a few minutes, she was back to add more drops. I sat feeling like a drug-head for just a few minutes more, when "Chair 1"'s occupant was moved into the surgery room. I became the new seat-warmer for "Chair 1." Makayla was back with more drops. Goodness! More? The, she took something that looked like a small double-forked prong and headed for my eye. She was going to mark for my astigmatism. She touched my cornea and I reacted.

"Can you feel that?"

"Yep," I informed her directly.

"Okay. Let me get some more drops." Gosh, were my eyes just immune to this stuff? (Later, when I looked at my eyes, I saw two, blue dots on either side of my pupils where she made her markings.) I chatted with the former "Chair 1" occupant's hubby, who informed me his wife was getting mono vision surgery in one eye. In "Chair 2", a very nervous lady sat fidgeting, nervous about her second run with Lasik (it seems one eye was over corrected). Thankfully, this clinic I used covers enhancements.

Mono vision lady appeared and her hubby grabbed her arm, then wished me luck.

"You're up," informed a nurse. I headed into the laser/surgery room where they laid me down on a table. I was asked to slide up and place my head in a cylinder type head area. My knees were raised and I was offered a "teddy bear". The teddy bear was a soft brick with tape all around it. I assumed the tape was to repair where fingernails had dug into it, once too often. I accepted the brick and prepared myself.

The doctor asked me to stare ahead at the green, flashing light. My first thought? The hulk is going to appear! I know, I'm such a nut. There were four, bright lights surrounding the green light, which sort of reminded me of stage lights. I kept my eye on the green light, as I was instructed to do. Again, more numbing drops and this time, I felt like my eyes were really numb. They taped down my bottom and top lashes (weird). Then, the added the speculum to keep my eye open (they described everything they were doing). Next, the doctor put on some sort of cup that placed pressure on my eye. It was uncomfortable, but tolerable. He then added the alcohol which would remove the epithelial layer from my cornea. The cup would keep the alcohol from running all over my eye (weird) and he informed me that the light may disappear while this process was performed (it did). He then washed away the alcohol, and the green light soon reappeared. This process (the alcohol portion) took 35 seconds and I could hear the nurse counting down the time. I got the impression that he was scraping away the epithelial layer that had been eaten away, but he did not say this. I was grateful, but I could certainly tell what he was doing. Next, the doctor informed me that the laser would correct my vision, and this would take 7 seconds. There would be a burning smell (and there was...weird...like burning tires) for the time frame the laser would be working. After the laser, he rinsed my eyes again, put in the contact lens and added an eye drop of some sort. The whole process took about two minutes, tops. It was then repeated on my left eye.

They were listening to the easy listening station and I was very aware of hearing, "Live Like you were Dying" as my surgery took place. How about that for a permanent memory. :) The nurse gave me her hand and pulled me up. Immediately, I could see very clearly. I expected this...I also expected what happened after taking about five steps; total blurriness. I was escorted back to the exam room and asked to sit with my eyes close.

To my great surprise, I heard "Aurora" come in and ask me if I'd like a fresh baked cookie. Heck yeah! Ooey, gooey chocolate chip loveliness was placed in my hand. She even set one aside for hubby. Next, the optometrist came in and took a look at my eye with the "scope". Bright light! Bright light! Man, they weren't kidding about light sensitivity. Yeesh! It was like a burn to the brain! They could see the dead epithelial cells off to the side of each eye. Eww! I hoped all the drops I would be using would wash those suckers away. They asked me if anyone had called my hubby. I wasn't sure. They made me put on my blue blockers then escorted me up front. The optometrist himself began placing the call to hubby when who should step off the elevator? I gave hubby his cookie and my thanks to everyone there.

We went to Sam's to pick up prescriptions (the lighting was horrific, even with the sunglasses), then we went home and I rested with the aid of a percoset. Later in the evening, I ate a bit, talked to my girls, then went back to sleep. My eyes didn't hurt or bother me, but there was a lot of blurriness. The goggles I have to wear for sleeping are crazy and I find myself sweating around the eyes from lack of circulation. I'll be glad when I don't have to wear them anymore (they don't look anything like the protective lenses hubby had to wear after his Lasik procedure. Not sure if these are are step up or not).



Day 2

I woke up to blurry vision and dry eyes. Hubby took the children to school and trained his client, while I rested in bed. I listened to my book on CD (Thrill) and ate myself into oblivion. Stress/boredom eating is not good when you're trying to get back into your two-piece. As the day wore on, the dry eye issue worsened. I met with my optometrist who was convinced I'd show up, pimp slap him and cuss him out (I thought that was pretty funny). He was amazed at how well I was doing and said that the epithelial layer was growing back nicely. After checking my vision on the chart, briefly, he said I was around 20/30 to 20/25 vision,

"But you understand it will get worse before it gets better."

Indeed. I understood this well. I told him about the numbing drops and how I hadn't used them yet, since the optometrist at the vision clinic informed me that it would hinder the epithelial growth. I told my optometrist that I would only use them as a last resort and that I would mainly rely on my refresh drops and percoset for pain management. He told me not to hold back and I assured him I wouldn't. ;)

Day 3

Ugh! The agony! Based on every story I'd read about PRK, this was to be the worst and, for me? It certainly was. Everything was so blurry and jumpy. My eyes felt like there were sand particles in them and I had the sensation that I was viewing everything from under water. I had to get the babe ready for her dance performance and apply some semblance of make up, before my mother arrived. My mother ended up putting on the lipstick because I couldn't focus on both the child's lips. Crazy! I took a percoset mid-day and slept to try and get past the day. I listened to From Dead to Worse on disc, along with a bit of Thrill. Hubby was very attentive, seeing to all my needs and generally being a good husband. I was on my drops like a crack addict, just to try and help the recovery process along. Overall, day three really sucked. I just prayed I'd get through it without being too much of a bitch.

Day 4

So much better than the day before. I even felt up to driving. Bad idea. The road was jumpy and the vision was super blurry with lots of ghosting. Good thing there isn't a lot of traffic on Sundays. Hubby wasn't impressed that I took it upon myself to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. How could he stop me, though? I, at least, brought home a stellar breakfast for everyone to enjoy. I ate with the family and enjoyed the company of my hubby and girls. By breakfast's end, I was ready to rest again. Hubby joined me in the back on his laptop (the ultra bright screen turned away from me, thank you very much) while I listened to the last of my Sookie Stackhouse book. He provided me with drops every hour, on the hour and helped me keep up with my drop-schedule from the doctor's office. I was off the Acular by this time (although, I never noticed it removing any pain). I really didn't have pain during any of this, per se. It was more discomfort than anything. Great discomfort on day three, but never pain. (blurry vision = blurry picture...sorry, folks)

Day 5

I drove my kid to school without too much difficulty. I then took Netflix videos to the post office, then back home for my drop-schedule (Here's an observation: the Omnipred feels the best...not surprising, since this is the steroid. Also, the drops run down my nose and throat, sometimes. They taste god-awful). I then took the youngest to the park, briefly (too hot). So, off to the library where she picked out her first book (on her own) to check out. It took a little persuading to get her to put the book on the counter for scanning. She just didn't want to let it go!

I've stayed on my refresh drops on the hour every hour and what's funny? I totally don't have to watch the clock. I know when it's time. The dryness is unmistakable. Can you believe I have to do this for the next month? Only after a month can I back down to refresh drops every two to three hours. It's totally necessary, though. Until the eyes learn how to produce their own moisture naturally again, this is what I'll have to do.

I suppose I'll limit the PRK updates to once a week or so. I believe my description here gives a pretty clear picture on what to expect. Everyone is different and healing is a long, slow process. I am optimistic, however. Every time I get a glimpse of visual sharpness, I think, "Woohoo! That's what I have to look forward to."