eyes that hurt and a bomb threat, what more

Today began at 2am for me when Mike was in excruciating pain from his eyes. I continued to lay in bed for awhile, not exactly sure what I could do to help, while he went from the bathroom to the bedroom. It proceeded to get worse in a very short time where he actually couldn't open his eyes.

Mike had gone in for an eye exam on Wednesday and was given some drops to try at home to help with his itching eyes. We first thought maybe he was having an adverse reaction to the drops. I searched the internet and found the side effects to be very similar to the pain he was experiencing. Oddly, the pain didn't start when he started using the drops, so we were hesitant to assume that was the problem.

The pain worsened to the point where he wanted to pull his eyeballs out of the sockets. At that point, I started calling the hospital, except, the hospital didn't answer the phone. I hung up and tried again, no answer. We didn't know what to do next, so we looked up Dr. Jahn's home number. No answer. We tried again, but no answer. I called the hospital again, no answer.

At this point, Mike and I are speechless, and we're not sure what to do. He tells me to call Dr. Jahn's office to see if there is a number on the machine. I do and the number for him is the same one we've been calling. We decide to call Dr. Jones. 3am. We get a hold of her and Mike explains what is going on. Then I hear it.

Welding.

He had been around the guys at work who were welding and he glanced at it for less than a second. She said over the phone she was pretty sure he had burned his eyes and to put some Refresh PM Lubricant on his eyes and to come see her at 6:30am.

3:15am, I head to Wal-Mart. I try calling my mom because I don't know what to do about my job and about Mike's eyes. No answer. What is it with nobody answering the phone tonight is racing through my head. I get to Wal-Mart and there are about 10 really creepy looking kids/teens hanging outside the door. I was nervous to go in. By the time I get out of my car, the kids are gone. I found them inside. I get the ointment and head home.

Along the way, I see a racoon and 5 very chunky toddler racoons that were very cute. I also did not see any cars. What a change that is for HWY 14!

3:45am, I'm home and getting the ointment in Mike's eyes. I continue to research the welding burns to find out how long he will be in pain and what else could be done. I'm also curious as to the permant effects of this.

4:15am, I finally try to lay down, but I'm so nervous, scared, worried, and wound up that I can't sleep. Mike is snoring, so I feel better knowing he's at least able to sleep. I finally fall asleep for 30 minutes, then the alarm goes off at 5:15am and it's time to get up and get ready for the eye doctor and work.

I'm in the shower and realize to myself, if Mike cannot open his eyes, then he is not able to take care of the two kids. But I'm supposed to have a required training today in Madison. I figure I'll wait and see what the doctor says. I get out of the shower and wake him up. His eyes are red, swollen, very teary, scratchy, burning, but feeling a tiny bit better.

We drive to Brookings and get to see the eye doctor. She examines his eyes and determines he did burn his eyes. She prescribes some drops for him and tells him he should hopefully feel a bit better by evening and if he's not feeling better by tomorrow that she wants to see him back.

I go to work, knowing it's going to be a long day of training, especially with little sleep. Once I get to work and get to the training, I see the school has called and left a message. I assumed it was the lunch lady again wanting money, which I had sent today, so I didn't check voicemail immediately. At a brief break, I check it, and learn that there is a bomb threat in my little town at the post office, but the kids are at school and are ok.

Are you serious? A bomb threat in a town of 1200 people? Wow. By now I am thinking what else can possibly go wrong today? So now I'm worried about my husband and wondering what is going on at home.

Later in the day, we learn the bomb threat was a hoax, which we figured, but still. Crazy crazy.

Trainings are long. I'm tired. It's hard to stay awake, but I manage. I finally finish the day at 4pm and start driving home. Of course it would only be fitting to run into really slow traffic. After following them for 10 miles I finally decide I'm going to pass 3 cars. I get to the third car and they flip on their left blinker. Crap. So I slam on the breaks and slip in front of the other two cars.

The rest of my trip is the same way, I keep running into slow drivers. And I mean people going below the speed limit by at least 10 mph. It was very frustrating.

I know as I'm driving that I will be going straight through to Wal-Mart to buy a few groceries because I want nothing to do with that store this weekend. It's college move-in weekend for SDSU and that means Wal-Mart will be a madhouse!

Wouldn't you know, Wal-Mart is a madhouse today too! There were people everywhere. My few groceries turned into a cart full. I finally get out of the store and of course it's fitting that I get stuck behind slower drivers again.

But I manage, I get home at 6pm. I make supper. I know when I finally sit down and relax, I'll probably crash. It's been a long day for me and a long day for Mike, but he is doing much much better tonight.

I hope tonight is uneventful and that everyone can get a good nights sleep. Assuming I will after being up since 2am.