Needle in the Eye
Posted by Stuart at 08:48 PM on February 16, 2005Last Friday, I developed a bit of an infection underneath my right eyelid. I wasn't going to write anything about it, because it was kind of gross and I wouldn't want anyone to try to picture my swolen, puss-filled eyelid.
Besides, it wasn't all that bad. It just was a little bit discolored and a bit itchy to be honest.
The very first night that I noticed it, I went to the emergency room right away to get some medicine. As I have mentioned before, a late night emergency room visit with medication in Bangkok runs around US$15, so it's well worth the trip.
After taking the medicine for a few days, my eyelid seemed to get better, but then today it got dramatically worse. So I headed back to the hospital, but this time I went during regular hours so that I could visit an eye doctor.
And here is where the newsworthy (or is it cringe-worthy?) part of the story comes. The doctor examined my eye and told me that I had an infection and that he was going to poke my eye with a small needle to release the gunk inside it.
WHAT?! YOU'RE GOING TO STICK A NEEDLE IN MY EYE?!
"It's just a small one," he replied.
THAT SOUNDS PAINFUL!
To which he not so assuredly answered, "Yes, a little bit."
So I put my head back into the... not sure what to call it other than "head holder" while the sweet little female nurse put a VERY strong push on the back of my head to keep me in place. As the doctor reached in and grabbed my eyelid to pull it out, out of the corner of my eye I could see the needle coming in closer, closer, closer. I broke out in an immediate and unbelievable sweat. I was literally dripping wet in 5 seconds.
Poke... Stretch... Poke... Poke... AAAARRGGHHH!
"Ok, finished," the doctor told me as tears and sweat mixed and mingled on the way down my face.
"You'll be better in three days."
I certainly hope so, because I don't ever want to see that head holder and that sweet little Thai nurse again!
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Hi-
If I was the guy with the sty in my eye I would cry and probably die. Lucky you awoke and found some folk willing to poke and not make your ordeal into a joke.
If meds are cheap then damn, SEDATE ME FIRST!!!
EGAD! Did you cross your heart and hope to die before he did it? Just kidding.
It's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked out.
Well, get well soon, amigo.
Wow, I didn't realize there were so many eye-poking jokes out there :P By the way, I am doing much better now. It's pretty much all healed; just a few more days of meds and it will be all behind me.
- Stuart
I went ahead and subscribed to your updates, so I've deleted your URL from my Bookmarks. Hope this works.
Oh ... poor little you!!!! :-( If it had to be done ... it had to be done. I hope you are feeling better in three days. Kisses your way to make it feel better!!!
Love you!!