100 ABSTRACTS - NUMBER 30

Today dawned bright and early for me - well before my usual getting up time - but Mr. HCB was already up and raring to go.  We had half an hour’s worth of drops to put into his eyes before we left home - one every 5 minutes, to dilate the pupil in his right eye and then more when he reached the hospital.

We left home at 7.45 for his 8.15 appointment and I was very surprised at the amount of traffic on the road, but I guess more people are actually going out to work now.  I left him at the hospital at 8.05, then drove home and prayed that the operation would be as successful as the one on his left eye back in March.

By 9.50 Mr. HCB was ringing me to say I could collect him;  we were back home just after 10.30 - and all appears to have gone well.  He was quite hungry and thirsty as he had decided not to have anything to eat or drink before we left - his choice and not a requirement.  

I did say that I would like to take a photograph of him, and you know how much he chunters normally, but he agreed quite readily - most unusual - and he didn’t even make any comment about fees.  When I questioned him about this, he said the drops must have desensitised his brain as well as his eye!  

It’s so good to keep a sense of humour and after reading the instructions that he is not to lift anything for at least two weeks and is not allowed to do any gardening for four weeks, we will both need to remember that!  He has just taken two paracetamols because his eye is pulling slightly, which is to be expected but he has managed to get his sunglasses on over his eye patch.  However, he declined my offer to take a photograph!

Anyway, this is his view of me - for my 30th Abstract for my 100 Abstract Challenge to help raise awareness of the Mamie Martin Fund, which helps young women and girls in Northern Malawi to get a secondary education, and also my view of him, complete with eye patch.  I did say that I probably looked better as an abstract, to which Mr. HCB replied that they were my words and not his! 

We are so grateful to have a wonderful National Health Service in the UK and hopefully, when Mr. HCB goes back to see Mr. Shah in three or four weeks, his sight will be much better and who knows, he may even be able to watch cricket without his glasses!  

“Whatever you may look like, 
     marry a man your own age - 
          as your beauty fades, 
               so will his eyesight.”
Phyllis Diller

If you feel like sponsoring me for doing these Abstracts to help the Fund, this is the link:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MaureenIles