Safety glasses.
What comes to mind when one hears those words? Stylish accessories? Products made by Gucci? The thing to help you get lucky on a hot date?
No of course not. Safety glasses are one of those things that you know are good for you, like brussel sprouts or not finishing the second bottle of wine by yourself, yet we tend to avoid. Maybe it’s because we think we are too cool. Or maybe that we are way coordinated and experienced and safety equipment is only for beginners. Or maybe you have invested in a chic pair of safety glasses that look like tortoise shell sunglasses as to look cool in the neighborhood while being safe, but have forgotten one vital thing.
If they are sitting on the top of your head they do not work.
They will offer you no protection whatsoever from the flying shrapnel caused when prying trim off your house. They will not help you when at the last minute you realize you cannot blink fast enough to stop the large piece of decades old wood from entering your eye. It’s one of those times that happens too fast to do anything yet is also happening in slow motion. I can remember the exact shape of the piece that came flying at me and also the shock that it had actually made contact.
You see I had been wearing my sunglasses/safety glasses right before the incident. I was working on the porch on a sunny day and since I was in the shade put the glasses on the top of my head to get a closer look at something. I then continued on with the work of removing the old rotted trim with a pry bar without replacing the aforementioned glasses. Soon enough I am running inside the house to wash the debris out with some saline and to make sure I was OK.
** A funny thing I noticed later on about this moment was TheBoyfriend didn’t get up to see what the commotion was at first. I realized that I am apparently quite dramatic and injury prone from time to time. He is so used to me yelling “Ow” and then going about my business that he waited to see if I really meant it before getting up from his desk. When I started yelling “I can’t see!!!” he came running.
So washing it out didn’t fix the pain and I was worried there might be something still in there. TB called the eye doctor to say we were rushing over. I walked into the office a mess in my paint and dust covered outfit with one eye closed. He took a look and says that just looking at my eye without staining or anything fancy he can see I have a badly scratched cornea. The stain he put in my eye only helped to show that I had a scratch that resembled Australia on a globe. ( I tried to get a copy of the picture he took but no dice.)
His comment that he couldn’t believe I wasn’t in a lot more pain did nothing to help me relax. What followed were two kinds of drops (antibiotic and pain) and ointment (antibiotic) and pain. Since he dilated my eye – for those who have never had the experience this means you cannot focus on anything and you hate light like a vampire – I was useless. The rest of the day consisted of me wearing sunglasses in a dark room while TB gave me drops every 4 hours and I listened to the TV. Literally. I couldn’t open my eyes. He had to read me what shows were on and change the channel.
I am now on the mend and almost at 100%. I am still on the drops and I go back Friday for the follow up. TB has been awesome taking care of me (he picked up a bottle of wine when he went for the prescriptions!). I wish I had gory photos to scare you as a warning. I am very lucky that it wasn’t more serious. The fact that I lost two working days of 60 degree weather in November isn’t as important as having my eyesight back.
So please – please – even if you feel like a dork, wear the safety glasses!
