I HATE(ed) EYE EXAMS!

First some history is in order here. A couple of years ago at a routine eye exam for new glasses my then optometrist discovered a beginning tear of my retina.  That led to some pretty scary (for me) laser surgery.

You sit with eyes wide open while the nice doctor approaches you with a hypodermic needle that is quite long and pokes it in your eye ball to deaden all sensations there. Then he stands back and zaps your eyeball with a laser (you know those things they tell kids not to point at peoples eyes or they could go blind?!)

Yes, something like that.

More history: I have been from infancy on scared to death of doctors of all types.

I panic at the mention of needing to see one.

More history: For the past 30 years I have been teaching Relaxation Exercises to clients for all sorts of stuff from minor stress reduction to curbing fears.

So: In last year I took RELAXATION PILLS to reduce stress for last years eye exam, which did not help one iota. I am able to panic past pills.

So this year I decided to use my own darn Relaxation Exercises.

And I am happy to report.

I was successful.

I sat fairly bravely in the chair. The young woman took a device that she pointed at my eyes one at a time and pulled a trigger which made a little sing song-y sound...and I guess shot air or something into my eye(s) to check their "pressure". The pressure was fine.

Then I looked at a chart and read letters and she told me my eyesight was 20/20 for distance. (I was guessing, but apparently I guessed correctly). I hope I guess correctly at the signs on the road while driving.

Then she put drops in my eyes, even letting me keep them mostly shut and then I opened them myself to let the drops enter the eyes. She was nice. She did not hurt me. She let me do it MY way!

Then I waited some more and talked to one of the old people about books and movies.

Then it was my turn.

I practiced my deep breathing. My hands were warm. A good sign that I was relaxed.

The doctor remembered me. How could she not, I had given her such a hard time last year.

But this year I really was more relaxed.

Granted I swore a bit when she held my eyes open with some device that felt like she was digging a finger nail into my cheek, but she swore she was not. And granted I did start to shallow breathe as she gave her quick directions of look up to the right, to the left, up, down, all around. Oy Vey! Would this never end?

But then it did and she was done and I was fine and I was fine and I was just fine.

I came home and looked for lolly pops but could not find one. I sure did feel like I deserved at least a piece of chocolate.

Oh the drawing? Done in ink quickly at the intake counter sitting across from that receptionist. No erasers. Then came home and added watercolor.
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Postscript to Mammogram exam Post: Results...all good!!!! Relief for another year!
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