Accidental Corneal Tear From Hugging A Baby
So on Sunday night, I finished singing BSparl her bedtime song and leaned in to tuck her into her crib. But because she was giggling and reaching for me, I leaned in to give her an extra hug.
NEVER GO IN FOR THE EXTRA HUG.
Or at least that’s what someone should have whispered in my ear.
Because when I leaned it, she happened to reach up at the same time and her thumb met my eye with such force that it knocked me to my knees. Apparently, her thumb nail scraped off a section of my cornea (or, as my eye doctor said, “You know when you eat string cheese and you pull a section of the cheese off?” Thanks, Dr. S. I will never, ever eat string cheese again. Ever.) and severely damaged my eye.
“Oooh, okay bedtime now! Night night, I love you!” I said, and crawled out of her room. I immediately went and called my NurseBestFriend and left her the most rambly, tear-filled message: “I’m fine, the baby is totally fine, but she just scraped my eye mad and it’s wicked painful. Should I go to the ER?” I also called my mother and filled her in: “Ma, the baby just tagged me in the eye and I’m in a lot of pain. I may need you to take me to the eye doctor in the morning.” (Now is a good time to mention that Chris has been in CA for the last few days and isn’t expected home for a few more.)
That night, I didn’t sleep more then 45 minutes because it felt like my eyeball was on FIRE. Every time I blinked, it was like razors were being dragged across my eye. I didn’t know such a teeny area could produce such pain! Every time I was able to fall asleep, I must have moved my eye while sleeping, and it would wake me up in tears. I texted my mother at 3 am with a cryptic: ‘Haven’t slept yet. Eye is terrible. Please come by in the morning if you can.”
I spent a sleepless night tossing and turning (I will mention that BSparl woke up for a rare 2 am screamfest, and then my pump site pulled out at 4:15 am, making it almost the perfect evening), and eventually fell asleep for about 30 minutes. When I woke up to the sound of BSparl calling for “Mama” at 6:45 am, my eye was the size of a baseball and my whole body was freaking out. Making her bottle and testing my blood sugar, I was like a blind mad scientist experimenting in my kitchen. I have no idea how she and I both ended up fed and dressed before my mother arrived.
Long story condensed so that I can tell it before my eye starts to fade on me tonight, the my wonderful local eye doctor confirmed that it was a “helluva scratch” and that it would take several days to heal. “Several days of discomfort are on tap, but I want to see you every day this week to make sure that you’re healing okay.”
So for the last 48 hours, I’ve been flanked by friends and family, who have been staying here around the clock to take care of BSparl and to help me read my meter, dose my insulin, and take care of other diabetes tasks. And the cast of caretakers continues to amaze me, making plans to be here 24/7 until Chris returns. (My family rocks.)
In the meantime, the best way to heal this corneal abrasion is to rest my eye. Like lay in bed and keep my eyes closed. (See also: OMG boring and also very painful) I have eye drops and antibiotics to prevent infection, and tonight is the first time I’ve been able to open my computer without literally tearing up and bailing. But I’m a bit of a sight. If I’m not laying in bed with my sunglasses on (like a wounded starlet on the bender of a lifetime), I’m sporting my jaunty little eye patch and some bedhead.
Exhibit A:
I can’t wait for this crap to heal. Because eventually, I will run out of Photoshop ideas.
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
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