Diary of My Eye Disease Treatment
Day Eight
JENNIFER | SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 5:31PM JST
Before I can begin with this day, I haven’t really concluded the night before. I had dinner with Yurie and it was interesting. Although we did not speak much, she made an effort to try to get some words out here and there. I did the same. I told her to feel free to ask me any questions if she had any. We used the dictionary for the most part.
Last Night’s Dinner
We had:
Before I can begin with this day, I haven’t really concluded the night before. I had dinner with Yurie and it was interesting. Although we did not speak much, she made an effort to try to get some words out here and there. I did the same. I told her to feel free to ask me any questions if she had any. We used the dictionary for the most part.
Last Night’s Dinner
We had:
- Breaded chicken, which was delicious
- Small cabbage salad-lovely
- Rice
- Potatoes-tasty
- Egg and onion soup, which is the best soups I have ever had and the only one of this kind I have ever had
- A small yogurt drink-scrumptious
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez - - Last night's dinner
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© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez -- Today's breakfast
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© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
Nearly 4:00am
I go to the bathroom, I come back to go to bed, but the book I had just read prior to falling asleep was still in my head and affecting my body. It was surprising that the topic could have such an impression on me. Immediately, I grabbed the notebook I keep on the side of my bed and wrote about 10 topics that I would like to expand on. 10 or 15 minutes later, I was able to snooze again.
Before I knew it, the intercom went off for us to check our temperatures. The nurse came in and I got the usual check-up. I brushed, and then headed to breakfast. Today’s breakfast was delish.
Breakfast
They have served eggs here before in cube forms and although they are tiny, they are fulfilling. We had some rice, onion and wheat gluten soup, cabbage salad and yogurt. I sat with Yurie and asked her how she slept last night. We always have to use a translator, because our languages skills are so darn limited. She confessed only 3 hours and she said it in English. She added that it is a side effect of the steroids. I guess that is why I have trouble falling back to sleep whenever I go to the restroom in the middle of the night.
After breakfast, I got a call from dad. He tried to give me some of his points of view on life and business. I always respect listening to other people’s worlds. We have our own and whatever works for us, we run with. We talked about my eye condition, my thyroid disease and so on.
I go to the bathroom, I come back to go to bed, but the book I had just read prior to falling asleep was still in my head and affecting my body. It was surprising that the topic could have such an impression on me. Immediately, I grabbed the notebook I keep on the side of my bed and wrote about 10 topics that I would like to expand on. 10 or 15 minutes later, I was able to snooze again.
Before I knew it, the intercom went off for us to check our temperatures. The nurse came in and I got the usual check-up. I brushed, and then headed to breakfast. Today’s breakfast was delish.
Breakfast
They have served eggs here before in cube forms and although they are tiny, they are fulfilling. We had some rice, onion and wheat gluten soup, cabbage salad and yogurt. I sat with Yurie and asked her how she slept last night. We always have to use a translator, because our languages skills are so darn limited. She confessed only 3 hours and she said it in English. She added that it is a side effect of the steroids. I guess that is why I have trouble falling back to sleep whenever I go to the restroom in the middle of the night.
After breakfast, I got a call from dad. He tried to give me some of his points of view on life and business. I always respect listening to other people’s worlds. We have our own and whatever works for us, we run with. We talked about my eye condition, my thyroid disease and so on.
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9:12am
Looking forward to getting my anesthetic tape soon. Expectations get the stepping! It is all dandy. Today is a beautiful day and I look forward to embracing it in any way it approaches me. Are you with me? Let’s do this! The IV Injection I got my second course IV injection starting today. It was a little painful maybe because I haven’t had it for four days. Nothing I can’t handle though. In no time, I was feeling a little worn out. I began reading The Voice of Knowledge written by Don Miguel Ruiz. I would read and put it down since my energy hasn’t been up to par. Feeling slightly tired. It could be a side effect of the steroids. It’s what I keep hearing from the nurses. The Second Floor I haven’t felt like writing much today. I have been taking naps throughout the day. I had a series of eye exams on the second floor. Everyone is so quiet and so collaborative. I’ve had these exams before, but I guess it is time they check the progress. |
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
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- First, there is this machine that tries to decide how clear you can see. At least that is the impression I get from it. I can’t remember the second machine.
- Afterwards, the nurse calls me in to take pictures of my eyes looking in various directions; up down, diagonally in all four corners, left and right. In one of those pictures, another nurse pulls my eyelids up while I look down and I get my picture taken. I’m sure they look scary.
- Next, there is another test where I have to look through some 3D-looking glasses (a red glass and a blue or black glass) and place a green arrow on special red dots projected on the wall. The nurse tells me to go up, down, left, right and I follow.
- Finally, there is a machine where they place two disks on each side of it. On one disk there is a tiny blue box and the other disk contains a tiny goldfish. I have to make sure that the fish is placed properly within the confines of the box while I look in upward, lower, left and right directions. I have a little trouble getting the fish in the box. Every time I try, it seems to shift. It’s funny and annoying at once. Well, I was done with my tests and returned to the third floor rolling with my IV to my room.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
The Eye Injection
The doctor took the sticker off, swiped the alcohol pad and attempted to enter the needle. She was touching the area to try to get the injection in properly. I tried my best to prove that I was okay. She couldn’t get the needle to go in. Hahaha, that made me chuckle a bit. She had the nurse get another needle. She apologized. I do not know why, but I was shaking a bit. Yet, my soul was intact. I wasn’t in pain, I wasn’t in a lost state of mind, I was just there allowing it all to come and go. I grabbed the alcohol pad afterward and the nurse stayed with me. She grabbed my hand and it felt like love. She was like a comforting figure who felt my moment. Another nurse came back a few minutes later prior to the pain subsiding. I told her that I was okay, that it only hurt a little. She corrected me and said, “No, it hurts a lot.” It seemed like she new my pain. Mentally, I like to put pain on the back burner in order to refuse whatever effect it can have on my state of being. She had compassion, I felt relieved and the pain eventually receded.
That was done and I was grateful, so grateful that I could get better today. It may not be any different than any other day, but I truly feel thankful. I called the nurse and showed them my IV. It was almost empty. She took it off and put a Band-Aid on it.
Nurses Opening Up
Two nurses come around and try to use their English skills to communicate with me. I like that because it takes them out of their comfort zone with me. One of them brought another nurse. The other nurse cannot speak English, but I asked them to practice with me anytime. She told me that she dances hip-hop. Beautiful! It’s nothing new in Japan. There are many young people here who are into hip-hop dancing and they do it so well.
Thanks for reading! Time for dinner~
The doctor took the sticker off, swiped the alcohol pad and attempted to enter the needle. She was touching the area to try to get the injection in properly. I tried my best to prove that I was okay. She couldn’t get the needle to go in. Hahaha, that made me chuckle a bit. She had the nurse get another needle. She apologized. I do not know why, but I was shaking a bit. Yet, my soul was intact. I wasn’t in pain, I wasn’t in a lost state of mind, I was just there allowing it all to come and go. I grabbed the alcohol pad afterward and the nurse stayed with me. She grabbed my hand and it felt like love. She was like a comforting figure who felt my moment. Another nurse came back a few minutes later prior to the pain subsiding. I told her that I was okay, that it only hurt a little. She corrected me and said, “No, it hurts a lot.” It seemed like she new my pain. Mentally, I like to put pain on the back burner in order to refuse whatever effect it can have on my state of being. She had compassion, I felt relieved and the pain eventually receded.
That was done and I was grateful, so grateful that I could get better today. It may not be any different than any other day, but I truly feel thankful. I called the nurse and showed them my IV. It was almost empty. She took it off and put a Band-Aid on it.
Nurses Opening Up
Two nurses come around and try to use their English skills to communicate with me. I like that because it takes them out of their comfort zone with me. One of them brought another nurse. The other nurse cannot speak English, but I asked them to practice with me anytime. She told me that she dances hip-hop. Beautiful! It’s nothing new in Japan. There are many young people here who are into hip-hop dancing and they do it so well.
Thanks for reading! Time for dinner~
