What are the odds that after doing something for 25 years without a problem, the first time I decide to not put on my safety goggles, something happens?
1:1 Yep, me, who never wins anything, hits it big time.
I was out of town for my son's housewarming with the family and didn't get back until evening. Then I decided to do some yard work although it was almost too dark.
Needless, to say it was a stupid decision. I usually put chlorine (liquid) in the waterfall pond at night so it has time to burn off a little before the cats and birds come around. I was in a hurry, didn't have safety goggles on, and some chlorine splashed in my eye. I yelled (because it BURNS!) and ran in the house to pour water on my eyes and face. It was bright red, burning, and well.. even though I kept putting water on my eye, I decided I better check with the Dr. I never use my insurance and this seemed like a good time to actually use what I pay $413 a month to have (in case of emergency).
Of course, it's a holiday weekend, nothing open, and my friggin insurance (that I pay $413 a month to have
) made it damn near impossible to find a phone number to actually talk with anyone. I called the hospital even! I hate those messages that tell you to push "1" for English, "2" for Espanol, then ask you to imput your insurance card number (which I COULDN'T SEE!)
Anyway, after a half hour, of taking turns of splashing water on my eye and trying to contact someone, I gave up and looked for the hospital number on the internet... I still got put through to the push number whatever thing, but finally got poison control. Mind you, I was trying to read the laptop and the phone with a big magnifying glass as I COULDN'T SEE out of my eye! Stupid insurance!
Anyway as my rant continues.... They told me I had to come in to have my eye flushed for another 10 minutes and to have someone drive me in (the hospital is in the next town). Of course, no one is home on a holiday weekend! They told me to take a taxi (right, I'm going to wait a hour and pay a hundred bucks for THAT!) I just drove myself in on the back roads. Hey, it's a holiday weekend, it's finally warm, and no one but me is on the road.
When they showed me what they were going to use, I said to just write that I refused treatment and I would go home now. (There was NO WAY I was going to have that plastic suction cup with a hose put on my eye -- like a contact!)
I always thought I could just get up and go, since I'm an adult and we get to make those decisions.
Apparently not once you are in their clutches..
The two very nice (not at the time
) doctors held me down to force open my eye to put the cup on my eyeball! Then I had to hold still (Their very helpful threats about what would happen if I moved, helped
)
The cold IV water did not make it a pleasant experience. Me, my clothes, the table, and about a million towels were soaked. Once, the water stops that little suction cup on my eye hurts! I'm pushing my little button to get someone in there to TAKE IT OFF! Of course, when they come in, they say they have to start ANOTHER bag of water! I have no choice as no one will take it off until it is done.
It's finally done, I'm soaked, and now I have to wait for the Dr. to find the black light to check my eye for "craters" or "scratches". Of course, everyone is looking all over, asking everyone, and opening drawers. No one knows where it is and 30 minutes later someone brings one up. Of course now it needs a new bulb.
A very nice nurse finally asks me if I would like to take my clothes off and put on a gown. I'm freezing and my clothes are plastered to me, OF COURSE I want to take them off!
Getting wet stretch jeans off is not an easy thing to do. Finally, I get the gown on and a very nice male nurse tells me that the gown is on backwards. Of course it is on backwards! I'd rather hold it together in the front than have it flap open in the back!
Oh, yeah, the pharmacy. Why is the pharmacy always on the farthest side from where you are? I had to walk through the whole hospital (In a hospital gown - wearing my black knee high 4 inch heal boots) to get my antibiotic eye drops! I had a few interesting looks.
Almost 5 hours after it all started I finally get home, after paying $160, and I just know that in 2 months I'll get the rest of the bill.
(I wore the hospital gown home.)
So, now I have a cute little eye patch, and cheap dollar store reading glasses to help me see better out of my right eye until the swelling goes down on my eyes.
Oh yeah, It's a holiday weekend, no one is home, and I planned on reading without interruption. Of course, that's not possible for a day or two, as I'm suppose to let my eye "rest" and not use it too much.
Moral of the story? I've learned it's expensive to be stupid.
(Whew, I feel better now. I just have to get up the courage to let my family know what I did.
)