My Eyes! My Eyes!

It has recently come to my attention that I can't see. Well, it wasn't really recently that I noticed this, and it isn't really something that I have noticed so much as it is something that is blatantly obvious. I am completely nonfunctional in the morning before I put on my glasses and I am totally screwed if I take my contacts out at night before finding my glasses. I'm a -5.5 in my left eye and a -6.0 in my right. I'm so nearsighted that I am nearly blind. Luckily, Mark finds it endearing when he has to stop what he is doing and hand me something that is literally right in front of my face.
The real problem is that my eyelids have developed an allergic reaction to the protein that builds up on your contact lenses. If I wear my contacts for more than a couple of hours my eyes start to burn. Sure, this can be helped by diligently cleaning my contacts (which I don't really do), but I have been told that there may come a day when I won't be able to wear contacts at all.
Well, I am happy to report that as of October 1 this will no longer be a problem. We are selling our house on September 26 (suckers!, just kidding, Bo) and therefore coming in to a little bit of money. So, I have elected to have a powerful laser scrape off the top layer of my cornea. I am having PRK, a form of laser eye surgery on October 1st. I went in for a consultation yesterday and found out that I am not a candidate for lasik surgery because my cornea is too thin so I have to have PRK.
Basically, PRK uses a laser to shave off bits of your cornea, reshaping it and allowing your eye to focus better. I'll go in on the morning of surgery and they will give me a valium to calm me down. Then, they will take me into the surgery room where they will put in a topical anesthetic. Mark will be allowed to be in surgery with me. The actual procedure should only take about 5 minutes per eye. Once he is finished the doctor will apply some medicine and then a contact lens bandage which I will have to wear for 6 days. Unlike Lasik, which has instantaneous results, it may take several weeks or months to achieve my best vision result. I was told that I won't really be able to see at all for about 5 days while the abrasions the laser made heal. This means that I will spend almost a week as if I couldn't find my glasses. (I should be able to see well enough to drive in about a week.) I'll have Tylenol3 in pill form, and two different pain relievers that come in drop form. I'll also have an antibiotic drop and a steroid drop to put in my eyes. I'm supposed to experience "mild discomfort," which includes dryness, tearing, burning, and sensitivity to light. Mark is probably going to take the week off to take care of me and help with the kids.
So, that's it. I'm going to be able to see! I'm pretty excited!