I learned a new word today: "involute" which means "wither" (google says 'curl up'). So my trip to the Ophthalmologist was as interesting as always. The doctor, a kind professional doctor with a knack for conversation that makes you feel he is paying attention to you in the moment but you realize that he is seeing probably 20-40 or more people a day; this doctor is Jewish and has the mezuzah on each door way. His office is clean, with nice furniture and lots of doctor's chairs and fancy eye equipment. The people, from elderly and middle aged Jewish people, to a 60 year Malaysian woman who was an aid to an older woman from the Hebrew Home, to a thin black woman, probably from Africa... the Asian lady said she married a man at 39 who was 15 years older than she is and he had already died. She came to NYC to work and was very good at her job. She, the African woman, and I talked about how God always has a way...if one grows old and has no family, there is still a way that one will be cared for.... it was such a fascinating meeting, as if we were having tea and could talk about what really mattered in life. The African woman pointed upwards and said one must live knowing God.... So I had lots of tests for my eye and it showed that there was a change since my first appointment there on November 30th... basically a blood vessel near the retina was enlarged, with a possibility that it may bleed or leak. That's where the 'involute' word was learned. First I was given an eye test where they put dye (via a needle on the top of my right hand) into me, that went directly to the eye. Then they took lots of pictures of the back of the eye, to try to see what was going on. So I was given the choice of 3 medicines in the form of a needle in the eye; I called my Husband so he could be in on the choice and then, once it was chosen what shot I would have, they put many drops in my right eye (to clean, to numb) and put a small eye speculum (something that keeps what it is holding open) in my eye (quite uncomfortable!)...by this time I was lying back on the medical reclining chair and they gave me a shot in the eye. I could feel the needle in my eye, but there was no sharp pain. Afterwards it felt like I had been punched in the eye and my eye felt so dry, still having some of the drops in it (many antibiotic drops were put in my eye after the shot). This shot was to involute the blood vessel. I go back in 4 weeks to see how this went. Most likely I will need another shot, maybe 2 or 3 more. :( ... but thank God that I have this medical care! And had such an interesting people-watching time... (There was also this Jewish man who was not cooperating with the woman caring for him, most likely a daughter, and when we were getting into the elevator we looked at each other and I knew quickly that he knew that I knew that he was being difficult on purpose because he found it humorous to do so). Anyway. A day in the life of Elizabeth having NYC adventures!
