Catching Up--Orange Flan and Phil's Eye: Lasik Warning

Resolutions/intentions post is coming soon, but as it continues to pour with rain here and melt all our beautiful snow, we're heading back up to Anchorage today for the surgeon to check Phil's eye, so I'm accepting the continued discombobulation and working the intentions within the spaces.

When we got home on Friday, I threw together some roasted veggies and something delicious, beautiful, low-glycemic and delectable to take to the low-key new year's party at Phil's daughter's house:

It's based on the 'bitter orange creme caramel' from Everyday Raw Desserts but I low-glycemic-ized it (xylitol syrup) and once I'd put it in that container, it wouldn't pop out again, so I just served it like that, with thinly sliced mangoes and fresh blueberries as accompaniments.

I think I'm in love with irish moss... The texture was to-die-for, as was the taste, of course. It was very well enjoyed. I was delighted with how quickly I could put it together, and it was the perfect therapy for having ended up in the ditch driving home!

Phil's eye underwent a 'trabeculectomy' last week.

The intra-ocular pressure is too high (an effect of glaucoma) and the pressure gradually damages the optic nerve. He has already lost some vision and other methods have not reduced the pressure enough. The trabeculectomy is essentially a notch cut into the eye to allow excess fluid to drain. The success of the operation depends on the notch/hole, which is a wound, not healing. Bodies always want to heal wounds, so it's a tricky thing and they put some chemistry in there too to retard the healing.

Soon, his eye will be looking much better and seeing much better too!

I wanted to share this important piece of information, though: Phil had lasik about twelve years ago and he did not know that having laser surgery gives artificially low eye pressure readings (because the cornea is so thin). He has a family history of glaucoma and checked his pressures regularly, and they always looked good. He'd already lost some vision when he finally saw an eye specialist who said 'You've had lasik? Then your pressure is much higher than the actual reading.' They even have an algorithm to tell them what the 'true' pressure is depending on how it reads as measured.

So, anyone who's had Lasik (as I have, and I think it's a wonderful thing), please be aware (especially if you have family history of glaucoma) that it gives falsely low eye pressure readings and make sure that your optometrist knows that you've had it.

Phil is an intensely visual person...

And his twinkly, beady little eyes are one of his most noticeable and endearing features.

He's been doing wonderfully so far in maintaining a good attitude to convalescence (rainy, yucky weather and no skiing=removal of temptation, thank you, weather gods!) and no doubt will be goofing around again soon,

love to all