Oh, you guys. What a crazy couple of days. Have you ever had a moment in your life that just didn’t feel real? That moment when you think to yourself, “Did that really just happen?” Do you believe in modern miracles? I’m pretty sure I’m living one right now. At least, that’s how it feels to me. Yesterday morning when I woke up, I fumbled for my glasses so I could see what time it was. I blindly took a shower to start my day. And then I sat, nervously, in the car while my husband drove me to the surgical center to have ICL surgery to permanently correct my vision.

Twenty four hours later, my life somehow feels completely different. This morning when I woke up there were no glasses on my nightstand. The room around me was completely in focus. And I showered knowing exactly which bottle was the shampoo and which was the conditioner. I was actually afraid to open my eyes this morning for fear the surgery I had had the day before was merely a dream. Imagine my joy to know that this is my new reality. 

The Ins and Outs of Surgery

I was really nervous the night before surgery. Even if you trust your doctor and you know the surgery has been performed thousands of times on others, it still doesn’t negate that feeling of “what if I’m THAT one?” I’m so grateful I have a supportive husband who was able to calm my nerves and assure me that all would be well. 

The surgery itself was fairly quick, as far as surgeries go. We arrived at the surgical center at 9:00 in the morning, I was wheeled into the operating room around 10:00, and we were headed home before 11:30. The best part was the results were pretty instantaneous. Even in the room, my doctor had me open my first eye and look around. It was incredible to see the screws in the lights above me. Silly, right? But, to give you some perspective: normal vision is 20/20. My vision before this surgery was 20/750. 

I was given some medication that made me slightly tired and about ten different drops in each eye and that was it. I was awake through the whole procedure, but I was never uncomfortable. And I know my perception of time must have been off, but it felt so fast!

No More Issues

The minute I had both eyes open, I actually burst into tears. It sounds so cliche, but I couldn’t help myself! It was overwhelming to be able to see as well as I could. I’ve spent the last twenty-nine years wearing glasses and contacts. I spent my childhood feeling blind in swimming pools before I had contacts. And after I had contacts, I still felt limited because water was always dislodging them and making them swim in my eyes.

I’ve had allergies that make it impossible to wear my contacts, months of using drops to eliminate eye irritants and issues. I’ve had many, many occasions where I’m ripping one contact out of my eye because of the pain and then driving home with one eye closed so I can get to my glasses. My sister has even had to bring my glasses to work for me so I can take both contacts out because of the pain. 

Modern Miracles

This surgery was expensive- I’m not going to lie. And I did not make this decision rashly or without serious thought. At one point I even asked my husband if I was being selfish by having this surgery done. And his answer was so sincere that I knew it was the right thing. He told me that if this surgery improved my quality of life then it was worth it. 

This surgery was worth every penny. Every moment of testing, every moment of discomfort when they lasered a hole in my iris two weeks ago (that was total misery, by the way), every hour I spent in waiting rooms, every last eye drop that I continue to put in my eyes. All of it. I would do all of it again in a heartbeat. Because even after only twenty-four hours I can see the improvement in the way I live my life. Today at my follow-up appointment I was told that in my preliminary testing I was only seeing 20/40 with my contacts and glasses. Today I am seeing 20/25 and that should only improve over the next few days. 

There are plenty of people who will say, “This is no miracle- it’s just modern technology and science.” And that’s fine. I actually agree with that. It is modern technology and the study of scientific ways to treat eyes that made this possible. But to me? It is so much more than that. To someone who could not see a person’s facial features from ten feet away without the aid of glasses or contacts, this is a modern miracle. It’s my modern miracle and I will always think of it as such. I have spent the day in wonder as I have driven around and seen with such clarity the beauty of the area in which I live. And it is clarity that I cannot ever remember having! Even my backyard seems more beautiful.

This surgery is my miracle. And there will not be a day where I won’t wake up and be thankful for it.