Through Sickness and Health

For the last few weeks, I have felt like there was something in my left eye, like an eyelash caught in my eyelid. It finally became really painful Sunday night and unbearable Monday morning. I found out from the doctor that I have a Recurrent Corneal Erosion. At the time, all I could think was how glad I did not have pinkeye with two kids in the house.

So, the doctor taped up my eye, leaving me to drive home with one eye. It was not too bad at first-I stumbled out of the doctor's office (receiving many sympathy nods from strangers who I know were laughing at me afterwards), somehow found my car and managed to start driving home. Have you ever tried to drive with one eye? I do not recommend trying it for fear of being responsible for an accident. I only came close to an accident twice and the worst thing to happen was missing an exit to the highway-I did not see the signs since they were on the left side of the road.

The second I parked the car in the driveway, the pain started. It was like God spared me the agony of driving home feeling like that (funny enough, He let me drive home from work in labor three and a half years ago, but that's for another post). For the rest of the day and most of today, the only time my eye was not in constant pain was when I was sleeping or watching tv (honestly, it was the doctor's orders to watch tv).

My husband is amazing. He never complained, but just worked really hard at keeping me from working. I had full possession of the remote control, made myself at home in the comfortable chair with the ottoman, and was not allowed to help with anything. He cooked dinner (and I mean made chicken with all the sides-no ordering out), took Abby and raced off to his softball game, came home and immediately cleaned up the toys that I did not finish picking up, gave our dirt-covered daughter a bath, put her to bed, and then asked if I needed anything. This morning, he helped with the kids, left to tutor high school students, came home and went right back to helping.

My favorite thing about all of this was that he never complained. He kept a great attitude with the kids and never mentioned that he was tired. It made me realize how much I complain on a daily basis because these are my normal days, but complaining does not make anything better. Maybe if I try and keep a better attitude, my kids and my husband will notice and most likely be in a better mood as well.

So, here I am, patch free and full of drugs on my eye, finally able to look at the computer without crying in pain. I am not sure why this infection had to happen (just one of those things, according to the doctor), but perhaps part of it was for this lesson to be learned.

And for the reminder of the wonderful husband I have that still holds true to his marriage vows.