Eye Exam, MS, Cataracts, Lenscrafters.

Believe it or not, after years of kvetching on my blog about my not having "new glasses," I finally got into an optometric physician's office last week. I know you are all relieved to stop hearing my hard luck story about the Dr. who said he was able to give me the exam while I stayed seated in my power chair, only to arrive, find out that was not true, got a one dollar exam that gave me an inaccurate prescription, that got nasty with me threatening to sue, then connecting transportation with appointments went array, then I found one place in Seattle where I could stay in my power chair, but by that time my insurance no longer covered them.

My great-aunt Vi suffered in her final decade (probably longer) because she didn't heed the advice of her eye doctor--she was all but blind at the end. My mother had cataracts, so did Aunt Vi; I had severe optic neuritis, courtesy of MS in my first year, sooo, a good eye exam is important. Plus, I AM A WRITER. My quality of life was decreasing. I found out that arrogant eye doctor who did me wrong was covered under my insurance. $315 for the exam. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN! Now, when I was working, that would have been no big deal. In fact, I got the best lens money could buy. But now...I am a Social Security survivor who needs lots of money thanks to MS. "Cheap" is my middle name. No complaints, I had my day in the money sun. Never took it for granted. I am now in the, "I'll look for a lower price," game.

Lenscrafters fit the bill, $125 for a full exam. It is nearby, at the mall. I'd call a cab. My private caregiver said she could make the date. It was ON!

First I had to get past the taxi dispatchers. I am NOT a crier. I am NOT a "moody" woman. But, I almost gave up and cried after talking to one very rude dispatcher. She needed the address, she couldn't fine the address (my pressing that it was THE MALL, made no difference), she couldn't find the phone number, I was wrong, she was right, period. "Give me the name of a business next to it."

"I haven't been to the mall in a decade. I have no idea." I felt defeated and angry at myself for feeling that way. Dealing with call center people was my forte! Buck up, Diane!

I called back, got another nasty dispatcher, asked to speak to a supervisor---I pulled myself together and made it to the Lenscrafters (When I phoned Lenscrafters for info to give the taxi co., I was told that taxis drop people off every day and I was just being jerked around. Hearing that comforted me, my God, am I becoming needy? Ugh.) although I was ten minutes late, but the employees there were so nice about it.

The first difficult part was getting close enough to the glaucoma testing machine. My caregiver had to hold me up AND push my head into the machine. She is truly remarkable.

Then she had to transfer me into the exam chair in tight quarters, a chair with arms like a tyrannosaurus rex---tiny. We were both so proud that we did it, even after my foot got stuck, mid-transfer, into the wheel of my power chair!

Dr. Nevett was terrific, very thorough, and he was the first eye doctor who didn't freak out by my pale ON (optic neuritis) footprint on my eye. In fact he said my eyes were in great health. YEA! "Are you sure I don't have cataracts?"

He laughed. You see, a woman here at my retirement joint just had cataract surgery and nowadays you can get an implant that makes it so you no longer need glasses!!

"People used to beg me to wait on the surgery, now they beg me to do it right away," he chuckled as we shared our stories about the new advances.

Sooo, after less than 30 minutes and a $5 co-pay, I now have all the prescriptions I need. I'm using my own frames and in about ten days I'll be seeing again! Woo Hoo

What fun to see all my typos. the bald spot on my head (which I swear Copaxone gave me), and oh the dust in my apt.!! YEA!!!!