And there’s nothing you can do about it.

In November 1990, I was a month away from my 19th birthday. I had graduated from high school five months earlier. I was working part time at the pizza joint. I was trying (unsuccessfully) to take ONE class at the local community college. I was spending all my free time partying with my friends and surfing in Santa Cruz. I was mostly staying up all night and sleeping past noon. I was restless and directionless.

Also during this time, Saddam Hussein had invaded a little Persian Gulf country called Kuwait. The US was officially at war with Iraq. And my friends were joining the various branches of the military.

My buddy Brian talked me into going down to the US Navy recruiting station. And the sailors down there told me all their best stories of travelling and seeing the world.

I was sold. I signed up. I spent the entire day at the recruiting station. That night I came home to my unhappy parents.

“Where have you been?” my father asked, angry that I’d been gone all day and didn’t tell anyone where I was.

“Mom…Dad…I just joined the Navy…and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

I went to my room with a smug smile on my face, thinking about all the freedom I’d have once I was out of my parent’s house. Later I found out that my parents spent the entire night, awake in bed, unable to sleep, worrying about their son about to go to war.

I went to boot camp weeks later.

Well, today is Veterans Day. And I am a veteran of the first Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991.

So happy Veterans Day to me.

PRK week 11 update

My vision has been pretty stable for the past few weeks. My left eye is very clear, I’d say probably pretty close to 20/20. My right eye is not as clear. I’m probably going to need a touch-up.

My doctor says that this is normal and not to worry–the procedure will be free. They will continue to monitor my vision monthly. When my vision is stable for at least six months they will schedule the next procedure.

Hopefully this won’t be necessary. It’s not impossible that my vision may soon get better in my right eye. I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see.

PRK 6 week update

So it’s been six weeks since my PRK surgery. Today I’m seeing pretty clearly. That said, I’m not quite finished healing yet.

Most of the changes in my vision in the last two weeks have been my ability to focus on my computer screen and other things up close. Halos and starburst around lights at night are almost gone. My ability to focus on things far away at night is a bit better.

In daylight, my ability to focus on things far away are unchanged in the last few weeks. I went deer hunting earlier this week and was able to spot deer and other animals a few hundred yards away, but couldn’t see them perfectly clearly as I did before with my contact lenses in.

I don’t have eagle vision yet, but then it’s only been six weeks. Most people take around three months to completely heal. Hopefully around New Year’s Eve I’ll have that 20/15 eagle vision that some people get. But I’ll be happy with 20/20.

I have no regrets. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself.