8-2-98
Dear Family and Friends
The week has passed by too quickly, and the note I promised to write and send Thursday is still unwritten. I did mean to sit down and write, but things kept happening and the days just whipped by. I am sure you know how that goes.
The parts that I wanted to share were firstly, my experiences in LA and the visit there. The amazing thing to me was what kind of brilliant people inhabit the world and what wonders of science there are to help those in every profession accurately quickly and reliably divine the boundaries of both inner and outer space.
The first thing that they had me do was sit down and put my face in front of a concave white plastic thing with black concentric rings. They centered the “eye” of it over one of my own and took a computer scanned light flashed image of each eye. The result? In a minute or so an accurate map of the surface of my eye, showing the curvature – all scanned out on a piece of paper, color-coded like a geological survey map. All printed out in under five minutes. The “picture” that they take uses the black rings to reflect back on the surface of the eye and according to the distances between the rings, the computer figures out the whole thing. I think that is amazing. Henry and I are duly impressed, and we get detailed explanations of how everything works.
Then they need to figure out if my eye is “deep” enough to support the lens implant. They have an itty-bitty depth sounder type device that they put on anesthetized eyes and make measurements. It was so interesting – the sonar radar scope brings back these little oscillator- type images. From that they determined that my eyes were sufficiently deep to support the implantation of these little collagen based lenses.
After that they did some other more “regular” type tests. I am so used to having my eyes poked at and prodded that I don’t even blink hardly. Henry mentioned to me how odd it is that the eye doctor scene doesn’t bother me at all, while I patently avoid any other doctors. I guess that’s true – but I know that OD’s never hurt you, or bring in burly orderlies to hold you down while they cut you up. Although nowadays, it seems all the doctors have gotten so much gentler. The John Wayne world of my childhood has been replaced with EST trained docs who try for the no pain approach. I am always taken slightly aback when they are so concerned with my absolute comfort. What happened to the old “hold em down and stitch em up” attitudes? I don’t miss it, mind you….
Then they touched my eyes with a meter than measures the thickness of the cornea to a MICRON! Yet another techie wonder – I am amazed. And I already told you how the whole thing made me feel – like magic.
When I returned home, day followed day with a myriad of things to be done. Friday I had committed to spending the day in the CITY (San Francisco) with Sara and some friends of ours (mother and daughter) that we haven’t seen for way too long. It was a lovely afternoon, and great talks and super Dim Sum (yum yum) and great for the girls. There were tons of smiles and giggles and good talks for everyone. I am always sorry after things like this that I don’t make more time more often to do these things. Getting my butt in gear sometimes does it good. After lunch, we did some shopping, as we have more and more Sweet 16 parties coming up – seems like the whole world is just about to turn 16!
So last nite we went to one. It was another friend of Sara’s, from elementary, who moved away before high school. We see them, it seems, every year on the birthdays – and they only live a half hour away. Don’t ask me why. There is no logical explanation. Well, it was fun. It was a surprise party, and they had about 80 or so people, kids and adults, wonderful food, a DJ and a tarot card reader too. Everyone had a great time – including boys, including girls, including parents – we didn’t get out of there till after ten at night. And I heard the best piece of gossip….
Of course! I will share it with you!!!! One of the other adults at the party was a very animated, very funny lady – also very blonde, very cute – a real California girl type. Anyway, we began speaking as she attended Holy Names where Sara goes to school until she was asked to leave after the 10th grade and transferred into Skyline High School in Oakland. So she tells us about Tom Hanks – and what a dork he was – and still is, by the way, only now a dork w/money. They graduated together in the class of 74 – she used to work for his father. And here’s the gossip – when he won the Academy Award – he is the one who said “and I would like to thank my first drama teacher, Mr. (can no longer remember the name) who taught at Skyline HS in Oakland, and BY THE WAY, HE”S GAY!!! (Does this sound like the film IN & OUT????) I had heard it was based on a real story, but didn’t know the details. She said that everyone was flabbergasted at his announcement, and it read just like the later movie version. So now you know…..
Just a dork w/money (and talent, but – hey, who’s counting?) He sent a telegram to the class for his 20 year reunion, saying “why would I come? You all think I’m nothing but a dork anyway…”
And that is all the gossip that I am repeating –
Tomorrow it is Monday again, and we start fresh.
Love
Susan