The Eyes Have it

Well: I  am happy to report that Joan and I had A Talk about my finding an indoor pool.  SMU's pool operations office continues not to answer the phone, which is not a good sign; and the Baylor pool is open, but they're only letting in their own members, and the membership is pricey; so that's kind of out for right now too.  However, we decided that the lackluster pool at the gym is probably fine if it's not crowded.  (Not that I'm complaining about the pool at the gym; I was swimming in a lake full of fishpoop, fergodsake, so I can handle a pool at a gym, though honestly, they could clean it more often.)  I made my way over there yesterday and got a lane to myself.  The lane is probably about seven feet wide and 25 yards long, which seemed like appropriate social distance.  I wore a mask on the way in and on the way out, and I didn't shower or use any of the other facilities.  So I think I'm okay, COVID-wise.  In the meantime, I somehow sprained my stupid knee, so I probably won't get back over there today, but maybe tomorrow during church time.  This is Texas; if you want a facility to yourself, go during church time. 

(And just incidentally, my Buddhist meditation group meets on Wednesday nights, so it's not like I'm not going to any religious gatherings at all, and by the way, it wouldn't be any of your business if I weren't, so there. Nyah.)

Another thing:  I am OUT OF SHAPE.  Yes, I know round is a shape.  I used to swim 1600-2000 meters (that's a mile to a mile and a quarter) as a matter of course, and yesterday I didn't even make it through 1200.  Well, the time I've had in the pool has been pretty limited, and though I'm sure I swam farther than that at the lake, it's impossible to measure, really.  I'm going to have to build back up to a full 1600 before my swim team starts up again, if it ever does.  I've been doing a lot more walking on the treadmill than I have swimming, which I guess builds up different muscles.  (And altogether now, let's hear it for the treadmill; when we first bought it I was wondering if we'd lost our minds, and then came the lockdown.  Really, really glad we had a treadmill during the lockdown and since.) 

 

So now for the big announcement:  I'm having cataract surgery in October.

Yes, I'm really 78 years old.  I just look really young.  😬 And I'm thrilled to bits about being treated for this, but it's either get treated or possibly not be able to drive at night anymore, and since we're down one driver to begin with, what're ya gonna do?  As it is, I have to round up a support person (who can drive) to accompany me on this crazy errand, plus come up with a rather alarming amount of money for the stuff my insurance doesn't cover (and as always, there's something).  Now, cataract surgery is No Big Deal anymore, they do it all the time and they hardly ever make misteaks make mystiques  do things wrong. Still, it's a little unsettling to have somebody carve into your eyeball, yank your lens out and replace it with a fake one.  The upside is, of course, that I won't need glasses anymore.  The downside is that I will still need glasses anyway, because they're only doing one eye; the other eye isn't due for years. 

Also, there are add-ons.  I guess there's always a luxury component to surgery?  I can get a spiffy lens called a PanOptic for an additional $4,000.00, which will correct my distance and close up vision until the end of recorded time.  (Though one article I read suggested that younger persons, which I guess means me, shouldn't opt for the PanOptic lens because it can lose focus over time.  Geez, for $4,000.00 shouldn't you expect quality eyeball part replacements?) Or, I can opt for the cheaper Toric lens for a mere $2,450.00 extra, which will cure my distance vision; I'll still need glasses for close vision.  Or I can opt to have a laser surgeon do the job, rather than a boring old human, for $1,000.00 extra. And whether I opt for any of the add-ons or not, I am going to need new glasses, because my vision will have changed; so add another $300-$500 to that price tag.  

Anyway, that's in October.  Then I need to get my hearing checked.  The way you know you need to get your hearing checked is that your wife tells you to get your hearing checked.  Amirite?  In all seriousness, I need to get my hearing checked; since everybody started wearing masks I find myself unable to tell what they're saying about half the time.  My sibling has been diagnosed with something that involves thinning of the bones of the ear, and has hearing aids now.  It's genetic, so it could be that.  Or it could be Central Auditory Process Disorder, which they told me I had when I was 26, getting lots worse over time.  That sounds like exactly the sort of thing they would lump in any hearing loss that they can't explain.  And of course nothing could be further from the truth, except what they said was, "Your hearing loss is all over the register and we can't explain that, so we think it's Central Auditory Process Disorder." Anyway, Google it.  It can't really be helped with hearing aids but maybe I've acquired something else over time that can.  

I gotta say, turning 50 has been expensive. And not just because my comfort has become worth more money, though that's true, too.  I wonder how much the COVID vaccine will cost, when it finally comes out, and how long it'll last, and whether or not insurance will cover it.  Maybe there'll be add-ons for that, too.  Maybe for an extra $1600 you can get one that was actually tested on humans.