Easton's Eye - Part 6

March 2011
A year ago... wow!

In so many ways
we have grown
with the Eye

but
in so many ways
it is still
so very hard.

By this time
all drops
to heal Easton's Eye
were done.
the weekly eye exams
were done.
I think we were
still doing the blue
drop for glaucoma
but our PO
let us go
for a good 6 weeks
before our next visit.

So I was left
with time
and it was time
time for me
to really learn
how to put a contact
in an infant's eye.

I watched
I asked
I researched
I practiced
I improved
but
I wanted
an easy way
and I found
there was
no easy way.

The biggest hurdle
was getting over
the fear.
I literally had to
desensitize myself
from opening
his Eye.
Once I got past
the fear
the shaking
the holding my breath
the task
started to feel
normal?

Then it was about
creating a routine
and staying
consistent
even though
Easton was still
asleep
while doing all this
I knew
he knew
and having the routine
helped.


April 11, 2011
Ahhh Spring

finally some fresh air
that I could
breathe
it had been
a long
cold
winter
that's for sure.

So yes, another eye exam
nothing major
I think this was
around when
the drops
finally stopped.

Of course
I was happy
but still
I was nervous
the glaucoma was gone
but was it gonna
stay gone?
so she rescheduled
us to come back
in another 6 weeks.

I do remember though
it was at this visit
that I finally felt
strong enough
willingly not desperately
I asked
do you have any
suggestions
resources
support groups
anything?!
considering the rarity
of Easton's Eye
she didn't have
many local contacts
but she did
direct me to
some online resources.

And so it began...

April 13
I left my first
online comment
on the blog
Jack's Journey.
I found it
from the website
Children's Eye Foundation
he was the cutest
Little Ambassador.

I can not
even begin to
describe the feeling
of having found
this blog
someone had a story
that was like
mine.

All this time
time spent feeling
alone
when there were
others
others with stories
like ours.

I just couldn't
believe it
of all things
a computer screen
and a keyboard
linked me into
a world
a world I knew
a world I didn't
want to know
but did
and it felt
so incredibly
comforting
validating
to know that
the journey
my family
was on
was not one
we had to take
alone.

The first thing
that came to mind
was my husband
I had to share
this blog
with him.
No one
but him
us, we
truly knew
what it was like
to live like
this
and I wanted
to share
my discovery
with him.

The second thing
that came to mind
was gratitude.
I was so grateful
that this family
this fellow Eye Mom
took the time
to tell
to share
her story
Jack's Journey.

And from there
my world
expanded
her followers
her commenters
they too
were all in this
together.
It was like
being reunited
with long lost
friends
friends who
no matter the time
no matter the distance
were there
and they just
understood.

To this day
I still tear up
from the overwhelming
sense of gratitude
I have in finding
my online
Eye Moms
families
who I will
most likely
never meet
but have such
an incredible
LOVE
for.

Thank you
to everyone
who shares
their stories
their strength
their courage
to walk this
journey
publicly
openly
online.

Thank You.
Thank God!