Sunday, March 2, 2008

Eyeballs and (not in) gutters

Done with 2 weeks of ophtho, and it was a rather painful experience though I did see lots of cool stuff like an enucleation surgery and some really excellent ocular prostheses (fake eyes) where you almost couldn't tell the real eye from the artificial one. And the fake eyes aren't round balls like you'd think they would be - when the eye is removed, the surgeons attach the eye muscles to a space occupying conformer, and the fake eye is actually a flat piece of very elaborately painted porcelain that sits behind the eyelid. I also saw some children born without eyes, and some of the reconstructive surgeries that can be done to enable the kids to wear prostheses are amazing. I was on a plastics team, and in addition to the reconstructive surgeries, I also saw some lid lifts and other exciting stuff. People really freak out about their eyes - I have seen patients practically faint as the physician was trying to touch their eye. Since pre-school, I have been wearing some sort of corrective lenses, and I think now, you could pretty much touch my eye with a rock, and I might comment on the discomfort, but I could sit calmly in a chair while you did it. I suppose others aren't so lucky and feel the need to kick their legs up in the air and weep during procedures (long story).

Onto more exciting news, Raul and I cleaned the rain gutters today. We have had massive amounts of snow this year, and today the temperature was above 50 degrees, and it all melted. Cleaning the gutters is Raul's favorite job, just ask him. He has some 'shoulder problems' (wink, wink) that prevent him from actually cleaning the gutters, so that's my job. I wear gloves, climb up a ladder and stick my hand in the gutters, and today I pulled out clumps of ice and rotting leaves and mud. It's Raul's job to hold the ladder to make sure I don't fall. I think he got the short end of this deal - it's no fun to be standing and holding a ladder while mud, ice and rotting leaves are raining down. He's started wearing a raincoat on gutter-cleaning days. He is smart.

I will have some finished objects to show you soon! Hilary and I have plans for another 2 person sew along in the works. We are going to make Amy Butler's Barcelona Skirts in the fabric shown in the picture. I also am going to make a Nappy Bag and I am finishing up the toe on sock #2 of my Rockin Sock Club socks.

Onto the most exciting news: 8 weeks to go until I am done with med school rotations!

Yours truly,
Dr. (for reals in 10 weeks) Knit

4 comments:

homeinkabul said...

ewwwww. I can never keep my eyes open during an eye exam. It's very frustrating for the doctors.

I imagine fake eyeballs to be like Mad-Eye Moody's in Harry Potter. You are ruining my daydream. So I will pretend I did not read the actual description of a fake eyeball.

10 WEEKSSSSS

Lorrel said...

It sounds like the two of you work well together, even if you are the one up on the ladder. Smart thinkin' to get a raincoat for protection from all the stuff you found in the gutters. 50 degrees, that's the warmest I have heard you talk about in awhile. Spring is right around the corner, just great weather on tap. Love ya.

J.Po said...

You're such an adult - with the gutter cleaning and all! WOW!

That Amy Butler stuff is so so cute. Do you buy individual patterns or books of hers? I haven't seen her stuff in fabric stores....

Unknown said...

The art of the production of our implants is the result of the experience handed down over the years and the use of new technologies. And I have to say THANK GOD that somebody invent this kind of technology! I even bought my ocular prostheses online from this guys - http://ocularistica.com/

 
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