I wrote this post back in 2009. However, I just found it in the drafts folder today and thought it worth posting.
***
I don’t believe in coincidences at all. I believe that “coincidences” are really God giving us all kinds of signs to remind us of His existence. The following story isn’t directly related to Carmen but I thank God often that He got me through a tough time with my eyes so that I have less to handle while caring for Carmen.
I first got glasses when I was 8 and then contacts when I was 9. The doctor put me in rigid, gas-permeable contacts. I stayed in the gas-permeables for the next 18 years. I wore them every second of the day, only taking them out at bed time. When I was pregnant with Lauren I started having a lot of trouble with dry eye and infections and eventually could no longer wear contacts. This was a huge deal to me as my glasses gave me horrible headaches and were just plain thick and ugly! You can’t really make coke-bottle glasses cute — although Dave assured me that I looked great, even with those ugly, ol’ glasses! I spent most of my pregnancy in bed with a hot compress over my eyes, trying to relieve the dry eye and pain from the infections.
After Lauren was born, I still had problems and couldn’t go back to contacts. I think I put every eye drop and antibiotic and herbal remedy in my eyes. Nothing helped.
We looked into Lasik and decided that it would be a good option so that I could at least avoid the headaches I got from my glasses. Since my prescription was so extreme, -10.75 and -11, I went to Dr. Whitten for the surgery. Dr. Whitten did Tiger Wood’s Lasik so I figured I would be in good hands.
In April 2005, I went in for my Lasik procedure. I was ecstatic! The tech did a couple more tests before my procedure was set to begin. Then I received the crushing news that I couldn’t have the surgery due to a corneal abnormality in my right eye. If Dr. Whitten had proceeded with Lasik that day, I likely would have needed a cornea transplant.
I managed to make it to the car before the tears started flowing. I think they had already given me the Valium for the surgery. That was a good thing as I was so, so upset.
Dr. Whitten referred me to Dr. Rubinfeld, a corneal specialist. After about 50 tests and countless doctor visits, Dr. Rubinfeld decided to proceed with PRK. Technically PRK was not FDA approved for my prescription but a steroid could be applied to my eye that would hopefully get me near 20/20.
Dr. Rubinfeld warned me that with my prescription I would most likely need more than one surgery. I would likely also have all kinds of side effects: increased dry eye and halo vision around images being two of them. He also made it crystal clear that recovery from PRK takes a long time and is very, very painful.
In September 2005, I went in for the PRK surgery. My appointment was set for 10am. I got the Valium, completed a few tests and signed my life away!
The procedure was so easy and so quick: numbing drops, a clamp, and a laser reshaping the surface of my eyes. It took about 10 minutes in total.
Afterward, the nurse told me to sit up and look at the clock. “What time is it?” she asked. For the first time in my life, I could see something farther away from my face than three inches!
“12:02!!!!” I exclaimed. As soon as it came out of my mouth, it hit me that Lauren was also born at 12:02pm. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Dr. Rubinfeld was right. The next few days were horribly painful and my vision came and went. I have never been in so much pain and that includes unmedicated labor and delivery! But, as time went on, the pain subsided and within a few weeks, I was seeing much better.
I see 20/20 today and have absolutely no side effects. No halos. No double vision. No problems at all. And strangely enough, the dry eye got significantly better after the surgery. I have a couple of bottles of eye drops but only use them a few times a year.
For so many years, I was legally blind. I am still amazed that I can see. I once was blind but now can see…
I am so very thankful that I am not dealing with eye problems right now. I sometimes stop and thank God for getting me through one trial so that I could handle the next! I don’t say it exactly like that. It’s more like, “Thank you for for healing my eyes. I don’t think I could handle eye problems and Carmen’s disease!”
So, this is my miracle. 20/20 vision. And the assurance, yet again, that God orchestrates the events of our lives. 12:02pm.
Dave and me (pregnant with Lauren), 2003
By the way, in case you are interested in reading the other posts in the Miracle Series in which this post was supposed to be included, here are a few links:
Has God shown you any miracles?
)
