Post-Op with Dr. Sal Lettieri

 

THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015

Post-Op with Dr. Sal Lettieri

This past week has been challenging, not because of the pain from the surgery. Staying home and not being able to drive has been difficult. Today, I had my post-op appointment with Dr. Lettieri. Sonya was so sweet to take me to Mayo. I don't like anyone to go with me because it is not a fun way to spend time. This time, I was forced to ask for help; Eric could not go because my appointment time was changed at the last minute. I wondered what she would think of Dr. Lettieri and hoped she would love him as much as I do. I warned her as soon as I introduced her as my sister Sonya, he would have an intelligent comeback about Monya-Sonya. I was right, and he asked why. "I said it was the '60s."  He laughed and asked if we had another sister named Tonya, and of course, I said, "Oh no, that would be too easy. Her name is Kris.
Today, he had a young resident with him, Dr. Deep, charming and incredibly young. Immediately, Dr. Lettieri announced he was not happy with the eye surgery. We will wait until all the swelling goes down, and then he will decide how to proceed with more surgery. My eyes started to open yesterday, dripping more than ever. He said it would get worse and wished he had been a little more aggressive with the bottom lid; it's drooping more than Dr. L wanted it to be.
Dr. Lettieri was pleased about my nerve cross graft he did in February; it is even better than he had expected. I plan to wait for eye surgery and have him do that simultaneously with the nerve surgery. I didn't mention that to him today; I will see him again soon.
Heather took out the rest of the stitches in my eye while Dr. Deep and Dr. Lettieri talked doctor talk-way over my head.
Today was good news about the nerve but surprising news about my eye. I could tell he was disappointed. I told him, "It's OK," and he said, "Not for me."  I assumed he was being hard on himself because he's a perfectionist. He said, "No, that has nothing to do with it. I just want you to have it working at the best it can, and I know it won't, so I want to fix it." He continued telling me I would have more drainage than I had before if I didn't take care of it.
Many people have questioned my choices; guess what? That's OK. I realize you are not living my life. You are not the one who has to kneel and ask what to do. I feel entirely comfortable with the decisions I have made. Many have given me natural path choices and questioned my choice to go medicinal; it's OK, too. Everyone has a different thought process; these choices were made by relying on the Lord to answer me and lead me to the right places. I only doubted a decision when I went to Cleveland Clinic. I felt rushed to make an answer, and Dr. Lettieri was out of the country when this all happened a year ago. We made a fast reactive choice, based on the fact we were told with a nerve we only had a small gateway--because I didn't know a "small" gateway didn't mean I needed it taken care of within a week or two. I could have waited for Dr. Lettieri. I don't look at things that way; my mind doesn't process them that way. If I hadn't gone to Cleveland Clinic, I would not appreciate and love Dr. Lettieri like I do; I wouldn't appreciate Mayo Clinic like I do. So, to those skeptics who like to give me their opinions, I will not apologize for following my heart, listening to the spirit, and doing what we thought was best at the time.