New Lens Part Two

I'm not sure how to describe that surgery. I was under the impression it would be a "conscious sedation" type of situation, perhaps something I would have no real recollection of. There was an anesthesiologist there who gave me a shot of something in my i.v. that was supposed to be that drug, the one to calm me right the heck down. It did almost nothing, was barely noticeable.

He wheeled my bed down the hall, one floor down on the elevator, and into the operating room. I joked around with the staff in the operating room. They were playing the Pandora station from my favorite hip-hop group "Atmosphere" as they bound my arms down under a blanket tucked in snug. This was to suppress the urge to reach up to your eye when it's being worked on. This wasn't my first time in a situation like this, and I was trying the best I could to just breathe and be calm.

They numbed up my eye, inside and out. then they put a eyelid spreader in place. Then they placed a sticky plastic sheet over the whole area and cut a small hole right over the left eye, leaving the right eye covered by the white plastic. they then tucked my top and bottom eye lashes under the sticky edge and sealed them back and out of the way of the surgeon.

Because of the uveitis I've been dealing with, my pupil sticks to my iris, and when it's dilated the pupil looks clover shaped. Those adhesions need to be broken before they can proceed with the surgery, so that's what he started with. I then asked him to not tell me what he was doing. He extracted my old lens and inserted a new artificial one. It was really fucking weird. Not entirely painless. The thought of going through this again on the right eye makes me want to throw up, but it's going to happen.

I was looking through the facebook news feed this morning and it was funny how there's all these nice pictures of people enjoying new year's festivities, and here and there is creepy pictures of a man in an eye patch wearing a hospital gown. I think they are kinda funny, that's why I posted them, but when I look back at the context of those pictures within an overall narrative of fun and celebration, I feel a little embarrassed...

All in all the eye is doing fine. Still a little blurry but I can already se a pretty stark difference between the eyes. The new lens has much brighter whites and darker blacks. Probably like a regular eye.

The New Lens

Thought I'd update this blog for a change.

I've probably mentioned some of this before, but I'll give a short synopsis of recent health-related goings on to get everyone caught up. My treatment drug (Vemrufenib) causes, as a side effect, an eye inflammation issue called uveitis that can only be treated with prednosolone eye drops. The prednosolone cause a couple side effects of it's own. It increases my eye pressure, necessitating another two prescription eye drops to keep it in check (combigan and xalatan). The prednosolone also causes cataracts. I've been developing the cataracts over the last several months or so and they've been getting pretty bad. I'm told that when someone naturally gets cataracts, they develop slowly over the course of several years before needing to be removed. In cases where they are being caused by medication (like prednosolone), the cataracts grow much, much faster.

Cataract surgery is quite common, and very easy, mostly taking a short 30 procedure. My situation is a little more complicated due to the uveitis, but they can still remove the cataracts and give me a new lens.  It's going to be two small surgeries on each eye, today is the first of these.

The good news is that the new lens isn't going to be susceptible to cataracts at all. This is really quite  an important detail, if I was just going to develop cataracts again, then have another eye surgery, then develop more cataracts, etc., how many of these cycles would my eyes sustain? Would the constant recurrence of cataracts (coupled with the resulting need for more eye surgery) cause me to cease taking Vemurafenib even though it's being effective as a cancer treatment drug? It would be a super shame if I had to choose between potential blindness, or switching treatment drugs, not knowing what would be waiting for me with another treatment modality.

Luckily this isn't going to be the case, because the new eye lenses don't get cataracts :)

In other news, it looks like my potential art show might happen a little sooner then I thought. My dad's high school chum (and owner of the coffee shop "Espresso Vivace") has, more or less, extended an invitation to hang my shit on the walls of his location on Broadway. Could be as soon as a month. I'll definitely make some sort of facebook enabled announcement once it get's a little more solidified.

Cast Your Voice

I've said this before, but this time I mean it: I'm selling the Bug. To prove it, here's my craigslist ad: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/3770184039.html. If you know anyone who would be interested in this car, or if you, yourself, are interested, please just leave a comment here. Or respond to the ad. Or call me. Or e mail me. Or cast your voice to the skies and I will hear you.

Procrastinuptading (<--- bad title)

My first instinct is to apologize about not updating this blog. Given the nature of it, my not posting could easily be misconstrued for something other then procrastination. I just haven't been in the mood for blogging lately. I'm not quite ready to say "Blog, I'm through with you". But perhaps I'm ready to say "Blog, I think we should take a step back". It'll probably occur in spurts, if you don't mind the use of the word.

So what's new? On the health front everything continues to hold steady. This is so rare, I really need to find a way to turn this unique situation into cash in my pocket. Any suggestions? Laura says I should contact that Seattle morning show called something like "Good Morning Now" or "Good Morning Today" or something like that. Do they pay? Do they know people who do? It's not that I'm broke, but a little extra lettuce in my salad wouldn't be a bad thing. 

I'm starting to take my motorcycle out more and more as the changing seasons allow for more favorable riding conditions. I'm exceedingly gun-shy on that bike in the beginning of the season. The other day I played with the idea of possibly selling it and getting something smaller that I'll just ride on city streets. Then I rode to work Tuesday and Wednesday and started getting my sea-legs back, cleared the cobwebs off of my biker instincts and figured I'd hang onto it for at least another year. I have at least that much time remaining on my prepaid service contract, so riding the bike - despite the expensive monthly payment - is really quite affordable. I have the bug in the shop right now getting a full tune-up, then I might just throw it into the garage and ride the bike full time through the duration of the summer. 

I've been working on a lot of artwork lately. I did about a half-baker's-dozen (that's right, 6 1/2) stipples, a couple of which I had enlarged and they adorn the walls of the apartment. I ended up getting an overhead projector off of CraigsList, which has become very handy making bigger projects. I did a self-portrait using it, and I've got a few more ideas on the back burner (with a couple more ideas on the middle burner. Is that a thing?). 

I'm going to a show tonight I'm rather excited about. The Dear Hunter will be playing at the El Corazon, and I'm taking Laura. They aren't too heavy, but this will be the closest thing Laura has ever come to a "rock show" and I'm proud to show her the ropes (I once asked her what the heaviest live music she's ever seen was. She asked "is Paul Simon heavy?"). This could possibly be one of those shows that is packed to the gills with kids. I've found myself at shows like this before and it's always a little disorienting. I silently criticize their fashion, judge their generation as hopeless, then I have this flash of self-reflecting insight, like that moment when you're at the pool and you find yourself saying "You kids stop splashing!". 

That's about it. Thanks for hanging in there :)

Overhead

I've been thinking about doing some large format artwork, but I need an overhead projector to accomplish what I have in mind. Wondering if any of the four people who will read this have an extra overhead around?

Ro's Homecoming

I received the Bug back from the mechanic on Friday 12/28. It definitely works, but there's things that'll never be the same again. It bums me out, but I think I'm doing a good job at staying positive. It still runs and drives pretty much like it did before, the rest is stuff I can get over. It's still a shining example of a 74 Beetle. My coworker Betty bought two steering wheel clubs, one for me, one for Laura (thanks Betty!!) and I've been using it regularly. I thought it would be funny to just instal a metal hasp and a pad lock on both doors, definitely secure, but maybe a tad unsightly.

Because I had to get her new license plates (because the old ones were stolen), I thought she might need a new name. Any suggestions?

The Saga Continues

They found the bug. I got a call right before my lunch break (10:30) from the Seattle police saying they found it parked in Georgetown. Luckily Laura has Mondays off and was available to drive me down there to try and pick it up. It was in one piece, missing the rear license plate, flat front/passenger side tire, the front of the steering wheel had been pried off, the ignition had been destroyed, and the inside was coated with WD-40 (to erase finger prints, I'm told). Nothing was stolen (stereo, speakers, etc...). I called my mechanic and he taught me, over the phone, how to hot-wire the car. This was my first time ever hot wiring a car, which I thought was a nice "first" to have today.

I'm looking on the bring side.

I took my spare tire to a collision shop to fill it with air, then back to the bug to install it. I got it running with the hot-wire method, then found out the steering wheel was all fucked up and wouldn't steer left. So I called a tow truck, and my insurance company, it was towed to a garage near my apartment, and I'm awaiting the word from them to see if it's a total loss or not. I think there's a strong chance it is.

In the mean time I'm driving a rental car, courtesy of Safeco.

Blue Lagoon

Seems there's suddenly a lot to update on here. I guess I'll start with the car situation. I decided to keep the bug, at least through the season, but possibly more permanently. With the decision to keep it, I decided to do some repairs that need to be done, but weren't necessarily required to place it on the market. Last week I sunk a little more then five hundred dollars into it, then yesterday morning (or Monday night) it was stolen. So now I'm back on the bike. This situation is sweating irony because I got that car to drive through this very season. I filed a police report, called my insurance to file a claim, now it's nothing but waiting. I've made a very conscious decision to not stress about this, as it's so far outside my control. It's definitely jading my already soured opinions about humanity, but I already knew people in general are pieces of shit, so I should expect to be shit on at some point. Perhaps that point has arrived. One thing's for sure: I don't need to deal with this right now, but I'm going to anyway. Life is.......

Another item, one more exciting, Laura and I got a restaurant corner booth to use as a dining room table, even though it's in the living room (since the pool table is in the dining room...). It's the cutest thing you've ever seen, it's a 1948 red vinyl with white piping, matching red formica table, all in superb shape. It spent it's entire life in someones home, so it's not all warn from being in service to the food service industry. It's seriously gorgeous :)

Another item, probably the most exciting, Laura has given me an early Christmas present which is a trip to Reykjavik! I've been thinking that my next international trip would probably be to the Iceland capitol, but I didn't think it would be happening so soon! Apparently Laura's friend knew of this special for airfare and lodging for 3 days there, we'll probably swim in the actual blue lagoon :) We're going mid February, so it should be nice and cold there.

I've been writing a lot lately, poetry mostly. I sometimes think of it as potential rap/hip-hop lyrics. I had a little section written with cadence and rhythm and everything, then I recorded it into Garage Band. A sudden, stark realization came to me: I cannot enter the "rap game" as a 35 year old white man. I may have street cred for all my health struggles, but I'm not a rapper. What, then, are these writings? And furthermore, why do artists (almost) always aim to put their productions in the public eye (or ear)? Can art be created just to please the artist? I know that must be happening at least some of the time. Is it because artists are people who are craving some form of applause or attention? A pat on the back and an attaboy? Why is it the artists default to display their stuff? I know I want to display the stuff I make, but I just wonder what my motivations are. Perhaps what I write is just prose, to be used strictly to keep my head in line. It's definitely a productive outlet for thoughts and feelings that I can't get out any other way. Should I turn it into slam poetry? That seems like the next logical step, but that's such an urbanite hipster thing to be involved in.

Whatever. I'll probably keep writing and stuff as a form of masturbating my creative penis.

Clemmenth Clarenth Parenthoud

I listen to NPR most mornings on my commute to work, it's been my primary inlet for news and current events. A funny thing I've noticed is that they love saying "fiscal cliff". Before that, the beloved phrase was "super storm Sandy". Next it will be "Clemmenth clarenth parenthoud".

Which leads me to this next thing. I have a video on youtube I'd like to share, even though it's a little embarrassing. I went to the housewarming party for my old roommate, Adrian. I've probably mentioned this, but Adrian moved into an apartment in the same building, one floor down from where he lived with me. At his housewarming party, he was serving a beverage you might be familiar with, and Adrian is famous for. It's called "Jungle Juice" and it contains Hawaiian Punch and Everclear. It's delicious. It's deliciously unassuming. I over-indulged. It was one of those regrettable situations where I was standing in Adrian's kitchen talking to him and his friends, then I was waking up in bed with a massive headache and an emergent need to throw-up. During the period of non-remembrance (a much nicer term for "black-out", dontcha think?) Laura took a short video of me as I was trying to communicate something.

here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8X0nO_v6Gs

I added subtitles, so if anyone has any ideas about what I might be saying, please comment.

Bug For Sale

My appointments have officially been changed to every nine weeks (from every three weeks). I'll only have appointments on scan dates. I'm pretty stoked about the slowly severing relationship between me and the SCCA. It's a fine clinic, don't get me wrong, but I would like more space between us.

In other news, I've decided to get rid of the bug. If I worked in Seattle, I would probably keep it, but going up and down I5 every day takes it's toll on a 38 year old car. I wanted to learn how to work on it and stuff, but who has that kind of time? Not me. So, I'm going to have a couple repairs done, then I'm going to officially put it on craigslist. Do you know anyone who might be in the market for a very nice 74 Beetle? If I had an extra garage space, I'd be tempted to keep it. I would get a 4-wheeled commuter in addition to. But then again, when does it officially become "vehicle hoarding"? How long before I have a car up on blocks? I might be in a position later to have an extra hobby vehicle, but not right now. I'm gonna sell it, use the proceeds to get a newer, most likely Japanese, reliable car, use the Motor Cycle in the mean time, and all will be well.