{"id":6063,"date":"2017-02-27T03:00:15","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T03:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=6063"},"modified":"2017-03-25T23:45:51","modified_gmt":"2017-03-25T23:45:51","slug":"on-that-nail-in-my-right-eye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=6063","title":{"rendered":"On that nail in my right eye…"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

(…which could have resulted in a “lazy eye” like character actor\u00a0Jack Elam<\/a>\u00a0– but didn’t.)<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

Here’s a break from\u00a0Politics<\/a>: \u00a0Six years ago I was helping my brother take up the deck in his back yard. \u00a0I ended up having a large nail – like the one shown at right* – shoot up and puncture my right eye.<\/p>\n

Since then I’ve learned to manage with one good eye. \u00a0Then last Friday, February 24, I went to a local eye institute. \u00a0I figured on getting my right eye fixed, but it turned out more complicated than I thought. \u00a0(“Of which more anon<\/a>.”) \u00a0<\/em>Which leads to one point of this story: \u00a0That fooling around with sharp objects can indeed “put your eye out.” \u00a0That’s what happened to veteran character actor\u00a0Jack Elam<\/a>, shown in the top picture.<\/p>\n

Born in 1920, by the early 1930s he was living with his father and stepmother. \u00a0(His birth mother died in 1922.) \u00a0<\/em>There – in south central Arizona – he “lost the sight in his left eye during a boyhood accident when he was stabbed with a pencil at a <\/span>Boy Scout<\/a> meeting.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Then of course there was that famous exchange in the 1983 film\u00a0A Christmas Story<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Ralphie<\/span><\/a>: \u00a0I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!<\/em><\/p>\n

Mrs. Parker<\/span><\/a>: \u00a0No, you’ll shoot your eye out.<\/em><\/p>\n

Which is pretty much what\u00a0nearly<\/em> happened.* \u00a0Which leads\u00a0to another valid point: \u00a0That sometimes those\u00a0old wives’ tales turn out to be true<\/a>. \u00a0(See also\u00a0Old wives’ tale – Wikipedia<\/a>.*)<\/em><\/p>\n

But getting back to the nail in my<\/em> <\/strong>right eye: \u00a0The thing I remember most about the incident – six years ago – was a feeling of utter stupidity. \u00a0How could I have done such a thing? \u00a0How could I have been so careless?<\/em><\/p>\n

That, together with a feeling of being totally\u00a0out of it<\/a>. \u00a0I know my brother drove me back and forth to the local eye institute’s\u00a0other-side-of-Atlanta offices and back, several times. \u00a0(On the\u00a0Atlanta Beltway<\/a><\/em>, which is normally a nightmare to drive even one time.)<\/em> \u00a0I also remember that there was at least one surgery, and a host of pre- and post-operation doctor visits.<\/p>\n

But through it all I was pretty much in a daze.<\/p>\n

Now fast-forward six years, beyond the ongoing lack of\u00a0depth perception<\/a>\u00a0that I had to learn to deal with. \u00a0(As illustrated at right.)<\/em> \u00a0And my going on to finally adjusting to seeing with only one good eye. \u00a0Around this time last year – at the annual eye exam that I now take very serious – there was some mention of a corrective procedure that would cost only $500.<\/p>\n

But I decided to wait. \u00a0And the end result was that having turned 65 last summer, the procedure would now be covered by Medicare. \u00a0But again, then came the complications last Friday.<\/p>\n

The local doctor who does my eye exams made an appointment at the College Park office. \u00a0He added that I could drive myself up and back, and that the actual procedure would only take about five minutes. \u00a0Which sounded too good to be true, and it was…<\/p>\n

It turned out he was talking about a\u00a0YAG eye procedure<\/a>:<\/p>\n

A YAG procedure, or … posterior capsulotomy, is a type of corrective surgery sometimes needed to correct cloudiness of the lens covering<\/strong>, which is known as posterior capsule opacification, following cataract surgery…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which was part of what threw me off during the “procedure preliminaries.” \u00a0The nurse practitioner started asking questions about my cataract, and I had no idea what she was talking about. \u00a0(I had gotten a nail through my eye!)<\/em> \u00a0But in the fullness of time things got clearer.<\/p>\n

That is, I finally got to talk to the surgeon who’d operated on and “saved my right eye” six years ago, and he had a different opinion. \u00a0A YAG procedure – shown at left – would indeed take only five minutes, and I’d have been able to drive myself home.<\/p>\n

The problem was: \u00a0A “YAG” only clears up cloudiness in the lens<\/em> <\/strong>of the eye. \u00a0My problem was: I had<\/em> <\/strong>no lens in the right eye. \u00a0The surgeon had taken the lens out – damaged as it was – in the process of saving the eye six years ago. \u00a0So the surgeon’s solution was a\u00a0secondary lens Implant<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The end result? \u00a0A new appointment for an actual surgery in April, complete with a thick folder of cautionary instructions and a prescription for three separate eye drops that appear to be really<\/em> <\/strong>expensive. \u00a0Then too I won’t be able to drive home, so the nice insurance lady arranged for a ride to and from the surgery. \u00a0(Paid for by Medicare, thank you very much.)<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0But I feel ever so much better about this procedure. \u00a0If it’s going to be this complicated – I’ll have to tape a plastic shield over my right eye at night, to prevent “inadvertent rubbing” – it’s got to be worthwhile.<\/p>\n

Of course I know I’ll get more nervous as the time for the surgery gets closer, but maybe – just maybe – I’ll then be able to see out of both<\/em> <\/strong>eyes, and have some depth perception.<\/p>\n

Also “of course,” there was and is a simple solution that could have prevented all this\u00a0rigamarole<\/a>: \u00a0Always wear\u00a0<\/span><\/span>safety glasses<\/a>,* no matter how\u00a0<\/span>dorky<\/a>\u00a0they look…<\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

The upper image is courtesy of\u00a0Jack Elam<\/a>lostcoastoutpost.com<\/a>. \u00a0The photo of Elam was part of an article – “GROWING OLD UNGRACEFULLY: The Good, the Bad and the Awesome” – which was in turn a trbute to “Spaghetti Westerns<\/a>.” \u00a0(Referring to the\u00a0<\/em>“broad subgenre<\/a> of Western<\/a> films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone<\/a>‘s film-making style… \u00a0The term was used by American critics [because they] were produced and directed by Italians<\/a>.”) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

And a BTW: \u00a0The original title for this post was”Yes, ‘you could put your eye out!'”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNote\u201d also that an asterisk in the main text indicates a statement supported by a reference detailed further in this \u201cnotes\u201d section. \u00a0Thus as to the “large nail – like the one shown at right:” \u00a0 I’ve kept the actual offending large nail “even to this day,” but was unable to upload a photo of it in time for publication. \u00a0Note that the nail image as used is courtesy of additionally 16 Penny Nails Home Depot moreover 10 X 3 1 8 In 12 Penny …<\/a>nikecuador.com<\/a>. \u00a0I believe the actual offending nail is a “12 penny;” at any rate, it is some 3 and 3\/4 inches long, bent and rusty.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Re: \u00a0The 1983 film,\u00a0A Christmas Story<\/a>. \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>\u00a0noted that Ralphie ended up getting the gun, but:<\/em><\/p>\n

Ralphie takes the gun outside and fires it at a target perched on a metal sign in the backyard. However, the BB ricochets back at Ralphie and knocks his glasses off. \u00a0While searching for them, thinking he has indeed shot his eye out, Ralphie accidentally steps on his glasses and breaks them. \u00a0In order to cover for the fact that he accidentally broke his glasses, Ralphie tells his mother that a falling icicle was responsible for the accident. \u00a0His mother, not having seen what actually happened, believes him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On that note, the “Ralphie-with-a-BB-gun” photo is courtesy of\u00a0The Lance : Christmas Classic Movie Review: A Christmas Story<\/a>funny-pictures.picphotos.net<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: \u00a0Old wives\u2019 tale<\/a>. \u00a0<\/em>Wikipedia<\/a>\u00a0noted that such “‘tales’ are considered superstition<\/a>, folklore<\/a> or unverified claims with exaggerated and\/or inaccurate details. \u00a0Old wives’ tales often center on women’s traditional concerns, such as pregnancy<\/a>, puberty<\/a>, social relations, health, herbalism and nutrition<\/a>.” \u00a0The article includes a list of such sayings, such as: \u00a0“Swimming with full stomach causes cramps and [you] should wait an hour after eating before swimming;” \u00a0“Don’t make silly faces or it will make the silly face permanent;” \u00a0and “Shaving makes the hair grow back thicker.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0Depth perception<\/a>. \u00a0That lack turned out to be a problem when I was climbing “one big pile of &^%$ rocks after another.” \u00a0See the notes to\u00a0On the Chilkoot &^%$# Trail! \u2013 Part 2<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: “Dorky<\/a>.” \u00a0Merriam-Webster<\/a>\u00a0indicated the term, “when used to refer to a socially awkward or inept person, is a relatively recent word: \u00a0our records indicate that it first appeared in writing in the 1960s.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: \u00a0“Always wear\u00a0<\/span><\/span>safety glasses<\/a>.” \u00a0I should mention that my “niece by marriage” got me a gag gift for the Christmas following the punctured-eye incident in August. \u00a0She got me a solid set of heavy-duty plastic safety glasses. \u00a0(See also\u00a0<\/span>closing the barn door after the horse has bolted – Idioms<\/a>. \u00a0And a side note: \u00a0The term “niece by marriage” was provided by\u00a0What would you call your nephews wife – Answers.com<\/a>. \u00a0Another site,\u00a0What do you call your nephew’s wife – Answers.com<\/a>, posits that the “English language has no special name for a nephew’s wife and does not consider you to be related to you. You would simply call her ‘my nephew’s wife.'”)<\/em><\/p>\n

The lower image is courtesy of\u00a0We’re going to be remembered [for] dorky looking goggles …<\/a>\u00a0kotaku.com.au<\/a>, in “This Week In The Business: The Dorky-Looking Goggles People.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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(…which could have resulted in a “lazy eye” like character actor\u00a0Jack Elam\u00a0– but didn’t.) * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * Here’s a break from\u00a0Politics: \u00a0Six years ago I was helping my brother take up the deck in his back yard. \u00a0I ended up having a large nail – like the one shown at right* […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6063"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6063"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6143,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6063\/revisions\/6143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}