Eye Surgery

First! The back story.

Yesterday the NYTimes Lens Blog had an ambitious project to get photographers around the world to shoot one moment in time.  15:00 UMT (GMT).  I was so inspired by this idea of a global response that I had to contribute.  Apparently it was so successful that it shut down their servers.  Nice!

At that exact time (15:00 UMT) I was thinking about one thing: my daughter's corrective eye surgery for Monday morning.  Here's the image I shot and submitted (I don't know yet if they added me to their pictures that they will post):

The surgery itself is relatively short and simple, compared to most surgeries I guess.  Basically it was microscopic surgery fix with one of the eyes that seemed to be turning inwards because of a week muscle. They take both eyes and make really really precise adjustments.  There were a million worst case scenarios that went through my mind so for the weeks prior to her surgery I was saying some hardcore prayers.

I don't care who you are, agnostic, atheist, Christian, Muslim, Baha'i, you pray.  It could be any form of prayer, "I hope the day goes well",  is as far as I am concerned a prayer, whether it is to God, Nature, the universe, (use your own label).

So the whole family got up at 4 in the morning to be at the Edmonton Stollery Children's Hospital for a 7 AM appointment seeing as we are an hour and half drive away.  My focus was on my daughter today, and I used my camera to help me deal with my stress and worry. I do realize that in the grand scheme of life this is a relatively minor occurrence, but for a loving father to watch his daughter go through this it means the world.   I will try not to write too much in detail but let you see most of the pictures to tell the story.
 

Before surgery, checked in and waiting. Waving her hospital wrist band.

We brought the stuffed animals for comfort.

Next we have to weigh in and change into what looked like prison clothes that you would see in the old movies.

The iPod touch really paid for itself today.

Before getting anesthetized she was given this cream to help make her hands numb for the needle, she thought that was pretty cool. 













My wife Tanjia went in with her while she was anesthetized until she fell asleep.  After that we were not allowed to be in the operating room, I felt like offering to help in my own limited way as I was feeling so powerless and worried.  Even as I type this it makes me misty eyed (as a responsible mature and powerful male figure I still refuse to show signs of tears and weakness, don't ask me why, I'm still trying to figure that one out) at what I could not do to help her.  So all I could do was wait.

My wife was therewhen she woke up though and I am told that she pretty much freaked out when she woke up, especially with having an IV in her hand.  After they took it out and calmed her down with some codeine (she had a much needed nap after that) she was awake with her stuffed animal.  The red light is from whatever you call that thing that checks your oxygen and pulse in your finger.


















So she was great!  In fact in better condition than expected, albeit a little drowsy.  You can only imagine my elation and relief. 

On the way home, with about 8 shots of espresso in me just to keep me awake, my wife took a picture of my daughter with her new stuffed animal, and as we were taking our exit in to town I noticed the most beautiful cloud formation.  All around us were gray storm clouds brewing a huge hail storm (which came later in the evening) except for this one patch of clouds and light.  It was beautiful and from my perspective it couldn't have been a better ending to what was an otherwise crazy day. 

That's my story for today.