Home » The Archives » Chapter 5 » Learning to Live in Paradise
| Re: Learning to Live in Paradise [message #1340 is a reply to message #1339] |
Thu, 26 July 2012 19:54   |
artisticrainey
Messages: 1228
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
Karma:
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Field Commander
Switzerland |
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Wednesday 11 April, 09.30am, Tracy Island.
Living without glasses was something that Dominic had done before. He could handle it -- for about half an hour, because then he usually found the stupid things. But this was different. He was bereft of his sight, almost blind, totally dependent upon his ability not to trip over every bump in the floor -- which was questionable at times -- and it was killing him. The pain meds had stopped the discomfort and nausea, but feeling helpless, on top of only seeing a round, pink blur when he looked at his son's face, made him depressed.
Joshua was in the capable hands of Cherie, who had valiantly given up her morning to keep an eye on Joshua -- Because I sure can't do that now, can I? -- while he went to see Dr Tracy to organise a trip to the mainland. He suspected that she didn't trust him to get by on his own. He wasn't a total invalid....
"Just here, Dominic," Cherie said when he almost walked past the sickroom door.
"Thanks, pet." He groaned inwardly. So much for that, then.
He could make out Dianne as she stood up, even if she was only a blur, and allowed her to help him to a seat. He allowed the touch; a broken tail bone would not be a good thing.
"How're you feeling today? Any headache, nausea, dizziness?"
"I'm doing all right. No pain," he said quietly, squinting in vain.
"I've been thinking a little about what we're going to do about your eyes. Contacts might not be the best option. On the bridge, from what you've described, the force of the impact might have jarred them out, and you'd be in the same predicament that you are now."
Dominic nodded, though he wasn't quite sure where this was going.
"I was thinking, how would you feel about corrective surgery?"
He paused for a moment. Surgery was dangerous... But then, what had he got to lose? "At this moment, I think I'd try anything. I would never have considered it before. But isn't it risky?"
Dianne shook her head. He imagined she was smiling. "Not anymore. LASIK surgery was perfected years ago. There are rarely any complications. I was reading up on it," she reached for a few pages on the desk beside her, "and it says here that the procedure now takes as little as ten minutes for each eye, and after a few hours, your vision will be as good as twenty-twenty. What do you think?"
Dominic couldn't stop a wide grin. "Twenty-twenty? I've been almost blind since I was twelve. Let's do it!"
He got the impression Dianne was taken aback at the sudden change of heart, and he winked. "Hey, isn't the IR motto, 'Not to give up at any cost?' I don't want to have to leave. I love this job. I'll do anything."
Dianne clapped his shoulder lightly. "Excellent! I'll talk to Jeff about getting an appointment. I'm sure he'll be able to pull some strings and get you in at the Tracy Industries hospital back in Kansas ASAP."
"Sounds good. Hey, I could call in on Tommy-boy and show off my new eyes." Dominic stopped for a moment and shrank back into his seat. "There's one thing we're forgetting: the cost. I was barely going to be able to afford contacts. I haven't the money for surgery."
Dianne chuckled. "Don't be silly, Dom," she said. "Jeff will take care of everything. If it makes you feel better, say it comes under the IR health plan."
Dominic let out a breath, and smiled. "Thanks, Doc," he said. "Seems like things are looking up, right?"
Post by ArtisticRainey on 14/05/2005
  
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