I ended up being gone all afternoon yesterday. I asked hubby to drive me to the eye specialist's office downtown as he has been there frequently; me only twice in the past ten years. I completed pages and pages of paperwork (it felt like) and finally was called back to the office. They did one test then another and then yet another. Finally got in to see Dr. Z. He's a good man and we knew him before he married, and had two girls. I always ask about his girls when I go in - I think the oldest is 6 or 7 now. The other is 5 or 6... yeah, real close together.
Anyway... he says to me, "We'll do the left eye first." Wait, what? I didn't know I had a cataract in the left eye! He says, "yeah, you have in both eyes; the left is the worst." Seriously? It has always felt the right eye always gave me my difficulty in seeing/reading. Well, he said he can do the right eye first - and began to explain that I will still need to wear glasses as I have an astigmatism in the right eye. I told him I wasn't having cataract surgery to remove my need to wear glasses; I was getting it done to see better through my glasses. Not that I wear my glasses a lot. I have to wear reading (magnifying) glasses for reading, but my prescription glasses I wear for mainly distance when driving or watching movies. Some people are fortunate and don't need glasses after cataract surgery. I'm not looking to get rid of them; just to see better through them.
So we scheduled the right eye for March 16th. They could have done it March 2nd, but I need to mentally prepare for someone messing with my eyes... and I have two meetings coming up that I need to order meals for and don't want them on my mind. Surprisingly, they said I'd only need to probably take one day off work.... I do need to go all the way back downtown the second day for a check up, and another check up in a month and then six months, I think he said... but figure I'll just work around my work and save my vacation day. I can schedule my left eye in April or May, which I probably will. According to my insurance, costs will be around $1800... not including anesthesia and facility, of course.... and I have $1600 deductible... so why not go ahead and get both done this year ... at least on the second one, the insurance will pay more. And I only have to pay the deductible once. Best part? The doctor said the cataracts will never come back.
We didn't get out of the the office until a bit over an hour later... and since I hadn't snacked or eaten... suggested we grab something to eat on the way home. I wasn't going to get back on the computer for work on normal work hours Hubby has only one thought. Food. We stopped at Oregano's and it was oh so good. Hubby got some type of shrimp spaghetti dish - don't know what they called it - but what caught my eye was a special they had - chicken parm pizza thin crust. I've gotten to where I prefer the thin crust to a thick crust. It seems to have more flavor. I ate at least half of the pizza; hubby did eat one piece. The rest I brought home and then took over to Ms. Diane. I would get that pizza again - it was really good and Lindsay, our server, was very attentive and very good. Going between 3-4PM helps too - very few people there; by the time we left about an hour later, it was nearly packed with the dinner crowd.
I read some last night in the new book I got recently The Power to Change by Craig Groeschel. It is actually very interesting. I went to bed thinking about it, and woke up this morning thinking about that section I read. What was so interesting about it? He talked about being 'in training'. He started jujitsu at age 52. Not fully understanding, after a short time, he started challenging others to do a round with him (can't think what he called it). He said that each time he was a winner, even though they bashed his head in, his body was like pulp. Why did he declare himself a winner in spite of losing each round? Because he never quit. He didn't give up. He went back. He kept challenging, even though he kept losing. Because he told himself he was "in training".
I thought about my life and things I feel I failed in. Some I went back to; some I chose to avoid because of my sense of failure. None of us are perfect. I was in training, and didn't realize it. I was training to be a wife. I was training to be a mom. I was training to be a student. I was training to be a good employee. I am 'in training' as long as I pursue being those things. And I am in training to be as close to God as I can be....even though I fail at times... I keep getting up and trying again. I haven't always been a good wife, a good mom, a good student, a good employee... but it's when I pick myself up and try again... stay in training.... that is when I learn how to be better. I don't quit. I don't give up. I am constantly 'in training'. And you are too.
Craig gave examples which amused me, to say the least. "Say no to that donut because you are 'in training'." So you missed a month at the gym; go back anyway you are 'in training'. (ok, so that one hit harder) But the point is - never quit. Tell yourself you are 'in training' and just keep going back to what ever it is that you feel you do not have success in. Dieting? Watching certain foods? Craig shared about downing Mtn Dew daily..... but because he was 'in training' to get a healthier and better fit body, he chose to give it up. He still may enjoy a glass occasionally.... but he doesn't down them like he did before. I like saying "I'm in training" so it is easier to say no.
Well, that was weird. My eyes were watering (as they do in the mornings as I'm doing my quiet time)... and I used a kleenex to touch my eyes to drain the tears ... and it was YELLOW. It's that stuff they dropped in my eyes yesterday afternoon! Interesting. When they dropped it in, it didn't dribble out like it normally does - and I was surprised to see it this morning! Huh. Guess it's gone now.
Don't give up just because you fail. Pick yourself up and go back to what you failed at. Keep trying. Keep pushing. Stay in training. Some of us will be in training all our lives. It's ok. Stay in training.
Blessings!
