Word: doctor
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Chronic pain is generally defined as persistent pain, like daily migraines, or pain that continues after an injury heals or fails to heal. Everyday aches and pains don't count. "A patient's complaint of 'Oh, doctor, my aching back!' isn't enough to just pull out the prescription pad and write for conventional narcotic meds," says Dr. Russell Portenoy of New York City's Beth Israel Medical Center, president of the American Pain Society, a professional group. Instead, he urges a comprehensive assessment of the pain's characteristics, including its causes and impact on the patient's activity...
Then lasers came on the scene, with little but rosy reports. I began to think it was time. I went to three doctors to be sure I was a good candidate. I called every friend-of-a-friend who'd been through it; all were elated, except one worrisome soul who developed a scary condition called "Sands of Sahara." But my doctor, a respected and decent guy, soothed me, told me I'd be fine. He pulled out the charts of his many delighted patients, saying he'd sent more than 200 to have it done. The LASIK surgeon...
...over in 10 minutes. It was worse for my husband, who watched close up on a TV monitor and said it was almost as bad as watching my caesarean. I went home, took a nap, woke up--and could see the clock across the room. At the doctor's the next day, I was seeing 20/20 with my left eye, 20/40 with my right...
...instead of getting better, as my doctor predicted, my vision worsened. I was told my corneas were extremely dry, and I should apply artificial tears every couple of hours. Then the surgeon was called in; he suggested I use the drops more often, about every 15 minutes. This wasn't especially practical for a journalist--no interviews longer than a quarter-hour and never mind the eye makeup, among other things--but I tried to stick to the schedule. It didn't do the trick...
...that's where things stand now. It has been two months since the surgery. My doctors keep saying they're confident my eyes will improve with time--but they also say my experience is extremely unusual (one of them says he's never seen this problem in anyone else), so I'm not sure they know what will happen. A third doctor I consulted said there was nothing wrong surgically, and he too thinks my condition will get better...