Arting?

[clevermanka]

Because the due South fandom never dies (cheers to everyone in the dSbar!), there's a quick, last minute fandom challenge going on for this coming Sunday. I'm gonna see if I can get it together to make even a little piece for it. The most recent fanart I made was in September of 2016. Sheesh.

I've had weird headaches every day this week. This morning I ate more and earlier than I wanted for breakfast and had a cup of green tea to see if that helps to stave off another one today. They usually hit around 1pm. They might be related to the fact that my vision is changing (again, god damn it). I know I need new glasses but my eye exam isn't until February 1, which is the earliest day insurance will cover a visit to the ophthalmologist. I'm gonna have to suffer the indignity of getting multi-focals this time. The taking-off-glasses-to-read isn't working anymore since now I'm losing my close vision, too.

Anyone ever wants a negative LASIK story, I'm your girl.

Oh, and speaking of negative medical stuff, siderea posted an interesting/terrifying post about the medical device industry (and a current documentary about it on Netflix). I am so glad I had a fantastic surgeon for my hysterectomy who actually performed the surgery herself (and went above and beyond in order to make it as safe and minimally invasive as possible despite complications).

Comments

[splix]

Your mixed media stuff is so cool. I treasure my Con*Strict badge. :D

I'm sorry about the headaches. I hope the ophthalmologist can help. I got progressives a few months ago, and they're okay, but not as great as I'd hoped. So did your eyes revert after LASIK? :(

Holy shit, that documentary looks frightening. I'll watch it, but ack. I still have a chest port implanted and I'd prefer that it come out, but if I need IV chemo again I want it because my veins SUCK. I looked up my oncologist on that database and thank god she is way below the national average. I'm glad your surgeon was excellent.

[clevermanka]

I'm so pleased that you and write-out liked them! <3 <3 <3

I looked up my surgeon too and in 2015 (the year of my surgery) she took $11.15. =D There's no data on her for 2016 and 2017 which maybe that means she didn't take any money at all? She took an extra 90 minutes in the surgery to remove my more-cumbersome-than-expected uterus vaginally without cutting me open. BLESS HER.

[minoanmiss]

Bless your surgeon!

[clevermanka]

For. Real. I think I'm gonna send her a card, actually, referencing this stuff. Another (local) friend of mine who had the same surgery, but with the da Vinci robot, is still having problems, years later.

Locals, I recommend Emily Riggs at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for all your uterus-removal needs!

[minoanmiss]

Send her a card. You'll make her day.

[write_out]

I watched that documentary recently and was horrified! I didn't catch the link at the end, so thanks for linking to that post. HORRIFIED.

I LOVE my con badge so much! Once I get my fandom room in order, that will hanging where I can see it!

[clevermanka]

I don't know that I can bring myself to watch it. Oof.

And I'm so glad you still love it! That makes me really happy.

[seascribble]

Goddddd, insurance is the worst (even in Canada, eyes aren't considered part of your body, apparently, so my provincial health insurance doesn't cover vision). I hope the headaches improve after the ophthalmologist, even if you have to get multi-focals. Maybe they'll have some with hot patterns. <3

[clevermanka]

in Canada, eyes aren't considered part of your body
WOW.

I'm definitely going to have to get larger glasses frames which is a bummer bc my face is so small but I'm taking this opportunity to get a pair of the giant round frames I've always loved but felt they dwarfed my face. Because fuck appearances anymore. Life's too short and too blurry.

[seascribble]

To be fair, I never had an insurance plan in the States that covered eyes either.

I loooooooove the big glasses look! I think you'll look great with them. Also you'll be able to see!

[ride_4ever]

What's your LASIK story?

[clevermanka]

LET ME SERVE AS A WARNING TO OTHERS:
I got LASIK in 2010. I was 40, so the doctors were all "Now you're going to need reading glasses in a few years is that okay?" and I kept reassuring them that I was happy to only need glasses while I was reading. I just didn't want to have to wear corrective lenses in order to navigate every day life. What Not A Single Person Ever Told Me was that it's possible (and not even rare) for people's distance vision to start failing again after LASIK which is exactly what happened to me. I started losing my distance vision in late 2016 but I refused to acknowledge it and didn't get glasses until January of 2017. And now my close vision is failing, as well, so my next prescription is gonna have to be multifocals.

So I spent a little over $5,000 so I could go corrective-lens-free for a little over six years. Those six years were great, but it was definitely not a good financial investment and I have the additional complications of occasional dry eye (which I knew about) along with an increased chance of glaucoma that's difficult to detect because of the way the surgery this your cornea (which I didn't).

Give a whole new meaning to "hindsight is 20/20" ha ha ha ha ha *thud*

If you're the type of person who likes that sort of thing, here's a video of the real actual surgery of my left eye that my partner bravely filmed for me.

[subtlegrey]

Oi. I watched that doc today and wrote up my thoughts on it on DW. It wasn't as gruesome as I was expecting, but it def made me cringe.

Sorry re: your LASIK! (Mine went unexpectedly well, only side effect now is dry eyes.) Eyeballs are such a drag sometimes.

[clevermanka]

I'm SO glad your LASIK was worth it! How long's it been for you?