I Can See!!!

I'm not blind...thank goodness. =)

Here is my attempt to describe to you the process that occured when I went to go visit Orlando's leading lasik specialists, Dr. Filutowski and Dempsey.

We walk in, and to tell you the truth, I wasn't nervous, just a little carsick due to the fact that I was filling out some paperwork on the car ride over and complicated the matter by taking a bit out of the bf's veggie whopper.

Anyways, so we get there, and I sign in. Two minutes later this man comes to get me and introduces himself as Orlando's best masseuse. Apparently, Orlando has voted him best masseuse at some point in time, and he comes in and gives a short massage to patients before their procedures. COOL!

So I go sit down and watch all these people filling out their forms and wondering why they haven't called me up yet since, of course, I was on time, and a little early, actually!

This lady comes and sits down next to me and two seconds later, this older nurse lady comes out and calls "Valerie Villar?"

To which I stand up. Of course I'm wondering what the heck is going on since I didn't register, pay, get my bag o' Filutowski goodies (coffee cup, sleeping pill, sunglasses, eye drops, etc.). Then the lady behind the desk looks up and says, "no, not her, the OTHER one." To which we both look at each other thinking...oh CRAP! They have us confused! I'm going to walk away with this lady's eye perscription lasered on!

Long story short, while I was getting my five minute massage, the front desk lady had called me up to register for my appointment, by calling out "Valerie," to which the OTHER lady answered to since her name was also Valerie, although her appointment was for AFTER me. In addition, we both had the same perscription and everything. FREAKY!

So, I had to wait longer while all these people were getting their procedures done. There was a room full of people when I got there, and when I was done, there wasn't anyone left in the waiting area. In the mean time, I was able to watch from the viewing room the live video up on monitors showing each eye surgery. Very "Learning Channel"-ish.

When I finally get called, I grab my hair net (in the bag o' stuff) and leave my really cute eyeglasses. They bring me back to a separate room and sit me down. Since it is Friday, the two main doctors are tag teaming. Dr. Dempsey, a female, very soft spoken and relaxing, puts me under some machine. Good thing I'm practically blind without my glasses because I'm seeing lots of blurry stuff.

She has me looking at blinking lights and puts this thing around my eyeball that prohibits my blinking. She then tells me that I will be feeling some pressure on my eye - which I do. This whole time she's speaking to me with this really soothing voice...like one of those relaxation tapes..."You're doing fine...almost halfway done...we're done...you did wonderful." After the pressure, she tells me that the laser is starting to work to cut the flap on my eye. I could feel little tiny-tiny touches on my eye that sting just a little tiny bit for a 1/2 a second each. She does that for both eyes than moves me away from the machine.

At this moment, even if I wanted to open my eyes, I couldn't will my eyes to open. She tells me that now that the flap is made, there are air bubbles under there that prohibit me from seeing. So I lay there and then feel the touch of the nurses who lead me to another room. I hear voices in a hallway, I stand a little bit and then led to another room where they lay me down. This room, from what I saw afterwards, is the actual room that the doctor works his magic in correcting the vision. He had two machines in there so he can work on one person on one while the next person is laid down and waiting for him in the other.

I am glad I was able to rest a little bit between the cutting of the flap and the actual procedure and kind of calm down...not that I really needed much calming down. Oh, didn't I mention that they offered a valium to any patient that wanted one? I totally popped that pill. =)

When it was my turn, I couldn't see anything. I heard the doctor come over to my machine and sit down. He was a pretty soft-spoken man, so I think I wasn't really listening to him as well as I should of. They covered my left eye and so he started in on my right eye. I couldn't really see much, but from what I saw he did on other patients, he opened the flap that was made with a little tool. He told me to look at the flashing red light. THAT'S what I didn't really understand him telling me. Normally I'm a really good patient! Needless to say, I NOTICED the flashing red light, but I didn't really concentrate on it very well. I guess that affected things because he couldn't really get a read on my eye and decided to put that flap back and try on the left.

This would've been little nerve-wracking...if I wasn't all "whatever..." due to the valium.

So the left eye started, and I actually noticed he wanted me to keep looking at the blinking red light...so I figured I should. I looked and then I heard little clicking noises. I don't know what the laser did, but it didn't hurt any. When that was done, he had another tool with a little wipey thing on the end. He closed the flap and sort of smoothed my eye down. It did sort of look like someone was washing windows on my eyes. He put more drops in my eyes and then did the same for the right eye which went well (now that I was looking at the ever blinking light).

He moved me away from the maching, sat me up, took off my hair net, wiped my eyes, turned me to the nurse and said, "smile for the camera!" We both made a thumbs up motion and that was it!

They led me to another room where someone looked at my eyes really quick. Afterwards, the nurse went to go get my developed picture and some other nurse guy walked by, said hello, looked at me and said, "you have a red eye...don't put visine in." Thanks, dude!

I went home, put some drops in, took the sleeping pill and slept all night.

And this morning, after taking off the eyeshields and wiping my eyes...I can now say that I am able to see without my contacts or glasses!!!!! =)

I'll be healing for a bit, but I'm able to get on with life for the moment. No swimming or boxing or anything, but the bf was surprised that it was an outpatient type of thing.

So, folks, that's my story...for now. =)

Hope to see you all soon!!!

=)

Slicage of the eyeballs...

I'm getting lasik...how freaky is that???

Yesterday I went for my consultation. They measured my eye...did the whole, "which one is clear-er...number 1...or number 2???" They numbed my eyeball...TWICE...so they could poke and prod.

I don't know about you, but I've never had my eyeballs numbed before, and let me tell you, it is a really weird feeling! Then they dialated me so of course the whole focusing on things in close proximity just wasn't working.

All in all, it was a very odd afternoon. And next Friday, I'm going in for the procedures! I'm pretty darn blind with pretty bad stigmatism, so who knows what's going to happen (like I have to go back in for an adjustment).

I'll be sure to let you know!

Cat Lovers...and haters

Maybe I've been working too long, but this site amused me so...check it out... Cats that look like Hitler!

Weekend!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'm actually have a very nice weekend! Friday night was a long practice for singing on Sabbath, but it was all worth it.

Saturday afternoon we went canoeing and ended up at Wekiva Springs before canoeing back. It was definitely a scorcher of a day...i honestly felt as if the sun was literally trying to BAKE us! Anyways, I forgot my camera at home so I'm sad I didn't get to take pictures of all the people who made it out there. We brought seven of our own canoes hoping that we would have enough for three to a canoe, and lo and behold...we ended up having to rent 14 more canoes!!! What an awesome turn out.

Needless to say, I missed out on a lot of good pictures...like the alligators, the drunk canoers...and just a bunch of friends hanging out and getting splashed while maneuvering their canoes around fallen trees. I think the bf and I got stuck on at least four or five trees that had fallen in the water so you could only see two small branches sticking out of the water.

But as much as I wish I had my camera, I'm pretty darn sure it was a good thing to leave it at home. The bf had borrowed my phone to call a friend and forgot he had it in his pocket...therefore him jumping in the river resulted in Valerie being left cell phone-less. That's okay because I lost his glasses somewhere either at the springs or on the ground somewhere. Who knows what would've happened to the camera!

So...we're even =)

If you want to contact me, email me! or call the bf. I'll post when I get a new phone. =)

Hope everyone had a good weekend!!!

Fun with friends

This last Saturday night, a couple of us got together for Roy's birthday...little did we know that we would be hearing an engagement announcement! That made Saturday night's dinner extra-special.

So...to the happy couple, Roy & Catherine...we are sooo very happy for you both!!! :)


Here are a couple more pictures of dinner at Cheesecake Factory:


Question: What do the following two pictures have in common? Any guesses???


Answer: This is Sean & Eliasib's interpretation of the avocado eggroll: asian on the outside and latin on the inside (like guacamole)...get it??? get it???

Okay, guess you had to be there.

4th of July

Considering that it is 7:45 am in the morning on this 4th of July...I can honestly say that this was already one of my favorite 4th of July holidays yet.

Sunday evening, our church social committee planned a 4th of July party which started out at 6:30 pm. Needless to say, the nightmare of party planners happened. 7:00 pm...and barely anyone had shown up! We were kinda disappointed...but oh, well.

Then..wouldn't you know it! Little by little...people started coming in. We were able to have our hotdog eating contest (the winner being the only girl sitting at the table which was soo awesome!), play our game...and, well...get on with the activity of the evening...FIREWORKS! Here are a couple pictures of the evening:

Sean being beat by a girl in an eating contest. Personally, I think he threw the competition in order to be able to eat more dessert. But ya know...who am I to know the complex mind of a competitive eater??? =)

Here's everyone playing a game at one of the six tables.

Ah yes...here are some of the fireworks. Man...you think you know some people from church... then give them some fireworks and a match and watch them transform.

Everyone had a really good time...especially at the end when "somebody" brought a couple illegal fireworks - the kinda that shoot off into the air and fan out looking all pretty.

That was July 2nd. On July 3rd, last night...we decided to get a couple people together for some grill-age of the hot dogs, burgers, and 'kabobs. Then, to pass the time away, we decided to do a couple fireworks. Yeah, the small Costco pack may seem small...but it isn't! We ended up doing fireworks for about an hour. There were some small sparks...loud bangs...and needless to say...some rogue shooters. Kristen may never be the same around fireworks again.

Here are some pictures:

Annette & Kristen - awww...don't they look all cute?!?!?!

Amy, Elizabeth & Ethan


Pretty fireworks...though I truly wasn't meaning for all my little pyro friends to do it on my LAWN! I'll check it this morning to make sure I don't have any bare spots. Oh, and if you were wondering...that's a nice flamable cardboard box they're setting these things off of.

Ah yes...the whole ONLY boyfriend (who has accident-prone qualities) and the fire thing didn't sit well in my stomach. I didn't know whether to watch just in case it was the last time I saw him...whole...or to not watch and keep whatever pictures of him I have in my mind...but ya know...what could you do?

A view from the OTHER side of the lawn so you could see the viewing area. I believe this was one I took before the rogue crazy-flying-firecracker came at us...mainly Kristen. That was one of the funniest moments of the evening...
Like mother like son!!!
Sean & Oreo Villar. Now...I blame the largeness of my cat mainly on Isaac. You can quote me on that! Isn't he cute, though??? I LOVE my cat!!!
All in all, although Amy's face doesn't show it...everyone had fun, and I'm sooooo glad we were all able to get together.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!!!

Robin & Brian's Wedding

Although its already been a couple weeks, I still wanted to post about Robin's wedding. Here are a couple pictures of the happy couple.

This picture was of them eating yummy food at the rehearsal dinner.

Here's a picture of the couple busy at work pulling things together. Considering Robin had to plan this wedding from across the country ...well...just wanted to tell them both how well it turned out.

Here's the couple...happy!

Maybe because they were both happy they didn't get smashed in the face with cake. And thank goodness, too, since that was quite the yummy cake.

This is Robin's bouquet. The colors and the flowers she chose were soo pretty.



Dulce & Russ. You can't see the print on the name cards, but Dulce's boyfriend was supposed to come...and Russ wasn't. Needless to say, Russ was deemed Dulce's date of the day.

I'm sooo happy I was able to see Dulce twice in one year. And Russ! I haven't seen him since I left good ol' PUC!

Here's Dulce and Russ looking at the scrapbook Robin put together detailing their relationship. I know how much time and effort Robin put into making that book...and everyone really enjoyed it.








Here's a picture of the wedding site after everyone left for the receiption area. Isn't the views awesome???












Gift table.

Here's a picture of the bride, bridesmaids, flowergirls and the ring bearer. Doesn't everyone look just snazzy???



Stacey & Valerie. Robin had those cute little necklaces made for us 'maids. It was sooo awesome to be able to see Stacey TWICE in one year! 2006 already is awesome because of that.

Another picture of Stacey & me at the very bright MBA beach.



















Here's a picture of me and the bride. Doesn't Robin look absolutely stunning??? I'm sooo happy I was able to be a part of Robin & Brian's special day.










I had to take a picture of one of the wedding favors the couple gave out. Brian had the great idea of replacing all the water labels with personalized labels. Each label showed a picture and short paragraph describing a different body of water that meant something to the couple. I think there were five different bottles. Brian did an awesome job and everyone was very impressed.





Everytime I go back to the highschool I graduated from, I just can't help but revel in its beauty. You truly and honestly don't know what you have until its gone.

All in all, it was such an awesome wedding. Robin did a fabulous job planning such a wedding from across the country. I wish the newlyweds tons of happiness as they start out life together.