Red Cells and White Cells and Platelets, Oh My!

It has been an eventful week. Part of the fallout from my chemotherapy is that there is damage to the corneas of my eyes. It's not threatening to blind me, but it has caused problems with my vision. I got new glasses, which helped quite a bit, but the ophthalmologist says the cataracts in my lenses have also increased to the point where she is recommending cataract surgery.  But first, she needs to deal with that corneal damage. So, Monday I had a superficial keratectomy, aka a "Super K," procedure on my right eye. This amounts to having the surface of the cornea "scraped" (makes my knees weak just thinking about that) to remove the irregularities. Then the surgery site was covered with a contact lens, and now I am on a regimen of four different kinds of eye drops each instilled into my eyes four times a day. Hey, at least I have something to do every day!! At my post op appointment yesterday. Dr. Osterholzer (Dr. O for short) said everything is looking good!! N

When I was a kid, it was customary, on the first day of May, to surreptitiously deliver a tiny basket with a few flowers in it to neighbors. We typically hung them on the door knob and left, hoping we hadn't been discovered. It was fun for us kids, but as I reflect on the practice, I realize it is rooted in love. Jesus told His followers: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you..." (Matthew 6:1-4) Now, I don't think many of the people that we ble