Cataracts

I think ole Merle is probably spinning in his grave what with all the craziness going on in this country.

Going along with these uncertain times, I got the .22 out the other day to see how well I could aim prior to going to the eye doctor. Not too bad with a scope but iron sights are fuzzy. The eye doc said it's time to consider having the cataracts removed. The right eye has gotten pretty bad but I can still see OK with the left one as long as I've got the glasses on for my distance vision. Near vision is either use the bi-focals or just take the glasses off like I normally do for TIG welding. He took the time to explain the options for surgery. I'll have to choose either corrected near or far vision - apparently you can't have both - so I've got something to think about there as well as deciding when I want to have it done. I'm assuming I'll need to have the Missus drive me home from the surgery, so I'll have to make sure she's comfortable with going out into the world.

The eye doc also gave me some insight about the cooties. He said there are mainly two groups that are dying from the virus: old people who would under normal circumstances would be dying soon anyway and those who are morbidly obese and have other health conditions. There are exceptions for those who get what he referred to as glass lung. He also mentioned that masks are pretty much useless but he had read that cigarettes actually helped protect the lungs, odd as that may be. He said, only somewhat facetiously, that they should be handing out smokes instead of masks. Learned quite a bit from the eye exam. I also got a pair of the disposable sunglasses for the trip home. I'm going to put those in one of the saddle bags of the Himalayan. I don't normally wear sunglasses but if I had, might not be in need of cataract surgery. 

I got a postcard from the hospice group about their annual bicycle ride. I was surprised to see they were having it but when I went online to check it out, it's a virtual ride. Basically, you sign up for $35.00 and ride whatever course or distance you feel like. I could easily do that without paying the money but they are having a drawing with some nice prizes, it's for a good cause and I could ride it on my 70th birthday. My mother-in-law had hospice care before she passed and it's a blessing for both the person dying and their caregivers, which in her case was my wife. I haven't been riding much but I think I'll sign up and get out on the bike and celebrate my birthday with a bike ride. We celebrated the Missuses birthday last week with a salad from Subway. Damn cooties!