7-11-98

Dear Family and Friends

Well, I think MAYBE something is finally happening. I actually have AN APPOINTMENT to see the eye doctor who will do my surgery. As of Tuesday, I am officially out of contact lenses and in glasses (oh damn – I look like Adam Ant or something) for the two weeks preceding my appointment. My eyes need to reform to their natural shape so that I can be tested for whatever it is they need to test for – eye size or something, I am not exactly clear yet on what they mean.

At any rate, July 29 is HAPPENING – I will be in LA and at the doctors and at that time will be given what I understand are two options – one which actually mimics cataract surgery (the lens is replaced with a man made lens) and the other one the current “experimental” procedure. I returned the call to the office over my cell phone, as I was impatient and not about to be home for several hours, so I cut the call short and got minimal information. But I DID get an appointment!!!

There is some measurement as to the depth of the eye that is required for the FDA study, although I am sure I will qualify in every category for poor vision. I will get more information next week, and am not sure when the eye surgery schedules in relationship to this visit, but I DON”T CARE. YIPPEEE!!!! Something finally happened. And the last I heard I was told to be patient, it might be until November till anything happens. Well, this is definitely a lot sooner than that. Not the March date I was originally promised, but far from Thanksgiving.

Every time I begin to think about the surgery and how it will impact my life, I am ignited anew by all the possibilities. Reading and night driving are two areas that have become more and more difficult in the past two years, both of which are very very favorite activities – because I like to be out at night and many times am returning home alone in the wee hours. It has become a real struggle to try and navigate the streets to find freeway entrances when I am unable to read street signs, especially on unfamiliar turf. And I have almost given up books, although I always loved to sit down in the late afternoon and read a good book straight through – finishing usually before the sun came up. I would love to be able to do that again – now even an hour or two will usually guarantee a head feeling like the mummy ’s curse. I still do it, but less and less often, as it simply isn’t worth the exhaustion it causes. As Mick Jagger once said so concisely – what a drag it is gettin old.

Anyway, so things are moving. And so I am ready, again, for whatever that means and whatever it brings. And its just a little more than two weeks away. J Happy happy day!

Love,

Susan