It was the kind of week that most people would like to forget. There were definitely some highs in the week but some frightening lows as well.
It all began when I took a hard blow to my right eye one week prior to the week in question. Since I have a long history of retina problems, and have had numerous surgeries on the other eye, I asked my optometrist to take a look. He did not see any eye damage or retinal tears, so we both thought I had dodged a bullet.
A week later, I went to Birmingham to participate in the Southern Christian Writers’ Conference. One of the highs was that I won a writers’ award for one of the lyrical poems in my new book. One of the lows was that I would not be able to remain at the conference long enough to receive my award.
The morning the conference began, I noticed a small black spot at the top of my vision. By the end of the day that spot had grown to become a large cloud. That evening I visited the Callahan Eye Foundation Emergency Room at UAB. Unfortunately, they discovered that my visual cloud was caused by a detached retina. The doctor said I would need surgery, but her prognosis was not encouraging. They scheduled me for “nonemergency” surgery three days later because “the damage had already been done.”
I didn’t close my eyes for the remainder of the night. Thoughts of losing vision in my former “good eye” ran through my mind all night, but so did prayers that such would not happen.
I had an already scheduled CT scan in Auburn for Monday. My doctor had suspected a reappearance of a cancer that was surgically removed nine years earlier. They did the scan, then I headed back to Birmingham to have eye surgery the next day. We put out a plea for prayer. An amazing retina surgeon successfully reattached the retina and put a temporary gas bubble in my eye to hold the retina in place until it adheres and heals.
Since I had been through that same procedure in my other eye 14 years earlier, I knew what was in store. I spent the next week keeping my head face down. That forces the bubble to stay in the correct position, but it does not help a fidgety man stay in the right position. It is almost as hard as when Mama used to tell me to sit still during church! What can you do while sitting, walking or lying with your head and eyes facing downward? Not much! You can read with the other eye, listen to music, talk and pray.
The day after surgery, when they removed my eye shield, I could see! I couldn’t see much, but when I realized that I could see at all, the eyes that saw poorly also leaked tears!
Now I’m reminded of that blind man of Bethsaida that they brought to Jesus. Jesus put spit on his eyes, laid his hands on him and asked if he saw anything. He answered, “I see men like trees walking.” Then Jesus put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up. Then the blind man’s sight was restored and he saw clearly.
Now I have a much better understanding of what he meant by seeing men like trees walking. I’m praying that as soon as I’m able to be fitted for new contacts/glasses, I too will see clearly.
I’m thanking God for the high of a successful surgery and the skilled doctors He used to do the miraculous.
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com.
