It’s been a long time since I’ve written and I do apologize.  You may remember that I had cataract surgery on both eyes a few months ago.  Well, after the second one, my vision changed quite a bit and I’m still getting used to it. It may still improve so I’m trying to stay positive.  In the meantime, I have to curb my computer usage because my eyes get very tired very quickly.  (That’s led to a few withered crops on my farm on Facebook, let me tell you.)

I’ve been trying to use the new Smartlink FM system but haven’t had any luck with that so far.  It’s a different brand from my hearing aids so it needs “boots” to make them work together.  The boots unfortunately, are surprisingly flimsy and poorly designed.  I’ve only had one day where the system did work and it was a wonderful day, but only one.

Wonderful Audiologist went to Chigaco to a conference and promised to try to find a way to get them to work for me.  In the meantime, the FM system is back at the manufacturers getting checked out.  Siemens is coming out with a new device called the “Mini-Tek” which may help the FM system work with my hearing aids.  I’m keeping my hopes up – but not too high.

Ahh technology!  Well, I really do have more good technology news than bad to think about today. (Who am I? I feel like I’m channeling David Pogue! 😉 ) Logitech brought out its next generation of security cameras and they’re far superior to the originals (which do work very well themselves.)  The new ones are high def, have night vision and are easier to access on the web and  I highly recommend them, especially for hearing impaired or deaf people.  You can get a lot of peace of mind when you don’t know what you’re hearing (or not hearing) and you can check the cameras.

I’ve also found a way to access my computers wherever I am.  And, I can also do it through… tada… an iPad!  Imagine this:  Sitting in a car on the New York State Thruway, connected to my desktop at home or just connected to the Internet in general.  There may not be much reason to do it, but you have to love that you can.  Well, I guess you don’t have to, but I can’t help it.

Technology has become very important to me since I lost my hearing.  I can text anyone anywhere in the world instantly and even people who don’t have hearing loss text constantly.  How much business is done via email?  We don’t have to call 411 for information anymore – we can just find it on the Internet.  We can search anything we want to know and find answers immediately – even on a smartphone while standing in the middle of the street.  Answers and information are at our fingertips.

How else would we get the news before the TV and newspapers print/air it?  How else would our cars nag us? (…<HUGE SIGH>..recalculating!)   How else would we find menus for restaurants in every major city?  How else would be buy movie tickets before even leaving for the theater?  How else would we hear people talking about their farms?

If you stop to think about it, it’s almost miraculous how connected we’ve all become.  You’re out there reading this and we’ve probably never met in person.  Maybe you’re my Facebook friend.   Maybe you’re even my Farm neighbor!

One down, one to go.  Cataract surgery, I mean.  I’ve had the first surgery and so far, so good!  The surgery went well but I did have a few strange things happen.  First, I ate two Digestive cookies – I’ve never done that before!  I thought they were for hospitals and babies.  Sure enough, the nurse in the hospital gave it to me after the surgery and darned if it wasn’t good.  (Or maybe it was the sedative, who knows?)

Second, I had a lot of flickering lights for the first five or so days.   Aside from scaring me (then the surgeon said it was not common, but did happen sometimes) it was very annoying.  It also brought on my Menieres symptoms from all the flickering movement.  I found that if I looked straight ahead while talking to people or watched TV (we won’t discuss programming content right now.  I’m still too frightened by it!) it didn’t bother me. But reading and certain lighting did.  That’s 90% gone now and he thinks it’ll go away completely when the second eye is done and they’re balanced.  Right now I’m still seeing through one cataract eye.

Some of you know how scared I was before the surgery.  I’ve had a long time fear of things coming at my eyes.  I’m happy to say I wasn’t aware of it happening and I feel much better about getting the second one done this Friday.  It will take a while after both are done to see how my vision ends up, but I’m typing this very comfortably without pressing my nose to the screen.  That’s a good thing.  I’ll keep you posted. (No pun intended.  Ok, maybe it was.)

So happily, I can still read lips, I can still watch television, and I can still function normally.  I can’t drive yet, but that’s because I need new glasses after both eyes are done, but overall, things are fine.

The other thing I wanted to mention is the new Blackberry Torch.  As much as I love Apple, I want to stay connected to people via the Blackberry Network (the Blackberry messenger is a wonderful way to keep in touch from anywhere!) so I get Blackberry phones.  My last one, the Bold (9000) had spectacular sound.  It was the best I’ve heard on any device – cell or landline.  I’m sorry to say that is not the case with the Torch (9800).  The sound on the Torch is tinny, weak and well, just plain crummy.

I’m not here to do a Blackberry review so I won’t talk about the other features – I do like the Torch – just a few bugs.  But I do think it’s important for anyone who’s interested in hearing loss to know the sound on the Torch stinks.  It is a cell phone, after all.  Come on, RIM, how about considering sound when you make these things?

Back to my eyes – they’re still green.  See you after the next surgery!

So on January 28th, I’m starting my first cataract surgery. I’ll be having it done on both eyes.  I know, I know, to most people it’s not a big deal.  Almost everyone I know has had it done or will have it done soon, in fact.  Yeah yeah, it’s a 15 minute procedure and it’s simple.  I get it. But it IS surgery and there are risks.  Not huge risks, but it’s huge if it happens to you.  Risk of serious infection that can cause loss of vision, risk of retinal detachment which if not treated soon enough can cause loss of vision, bleeding… you get the idea.

Rationally I know I have a good surgeon and it’s more likely that nothing bad will happen, my eyes will heal, we’ll probably need lower wattage bulbs in our house, and that’ll be the end of it.  Emotionally, I can’t help but wonder “what if?”  What if something happens to my vision?  I don’t have ears as backup.  I don’t have hearing to keep me going.  I totally rely on my eyes and my vision isn’t all that great to start.  I need my eyes to read lips.  My eyes are my ears.  What if I have neither?

Of course the noble and notable heroine Helen Keller comes to mind.  If she could do what she did, what am I worried about?  But I don’t know if I have her courage.  I know I’ve been strong up until now, but I’ve had something to hold onto.

But this isn’t an  “oh gee I feel sorry for me” blog.  It’s more like a wondering out loud blog.  Will I get more than I can handle? Will I be able to handle what I get?  Will I still have green eyes?  I’ll try to post before the surgery but stay tuned.