You Know the Drill

I started this journey in late 2018, early 2019. Somehow those years have slipped by really quickly. A situation that I had not anticipated at all snuck up on me and now has become a very intricate part of my calendar.

Myopic degeneration quickly entered into my world, whether I was ready or not.

Visiting the retinal specialist

From the initial scheduling of the Retinal Specialist visit, I was nervously unsure of what was next.

The first step was learning the steps of the actual visit. Starting with the check-in and then the waiting. Simple eye charts exams, followed by the eye scans. Soon after was the consultation with my doctor to determine whether there was to be an injection, or not. Quickly scheduling the next appointment followed by finally bumbling around the house after it all is completed. Then a couple hours in a fog due to the dilation of my eyes.

As simple as it sounds, it is quite a process to master.

Pre-worry

Having always been a bit unsure of new and “exciting” things, these abovementioned steps were quite unnerving at first. I tend to pre-worry, so quite naturally this would set my anxiety radar into overdrive, always wondering if I was doing everything correctly.

Unsure if my results from the chart exam meant things were good or not good. The time spent during the eye scan seems so long, was there something there that needed such prolonged observation?

Adjusting and anticipating the process

As each appointment progressed, I slowly found myself correctly anticipating the next step of the day and in time, I quit hyper-focusing on those worries. I can now, calmly, go through the steps of each test, knowing that the information they are gathering is just a big part of the evaluation.

It is funny how time can make you stop and refocus on eliminating the crazy nonsense that can clutter up rational thinking.

Learning new lessons

Having learned how to calm down first is most important. Then how to just move through the appointment, doing what I am told to do. Letting the professionals handle what they know how to do and just being in the moment.

It sounds so simple but it has taken me some time to get to this point in this journey. To a point where I just let it go, of course hoping for a positive result. But at the same time accepting that sometimes a shot is needed for my own good. Never too old to learn new lessons.

You know the drill

Through all of this, I had a moment during my last appointment. I was in the “injection chair”, getting the pre-instructions and multitude of drops. Clearly knowing that the next step was the actual injection itself.

As the doctor approached the chair he clearly stated “Okay, lean back”. He paused as I had already done so and that is when he said “oh, you know the drill”. Yes, I do. It has taken me some time to get here but yes, I know the drill.