Wednesday, August 4, 2010

He has my eyes


When they tell him to open his eyes wide and look at their light, his eyelids tightly refuse.

I notice that my eyes open wider and wider as they patronizingly petition him to please open his. I silently laugh that I am trying to do it for him.


I know it's hard.

Every instruction they give him, I notice my eyes obeying. As if somehow, in some way, it could make the process a little bit easier. As if my eyes were his and his eyes were mine.

Because I am his mom, and I just do it. And they did always say he has my eyes.

"Look at my nose"

"Look at the tv screen at the end of the room"

"Open up little buddy. Open"

He's no dummy. He knows if he opens wide a bright light will violate his vision.

I softly tell him it's going to be okay. The quicker he opens, the quicker we will be out of there.

So he does this little blinking thing and they rush at his hazel eyes, so much like my own, with their lights and magnifiers and clipboards.

Scrawling notes, talking to each other in jargon that I can't quite follow. He recoils and quickly closes them, and all of their equipment, out again.

They are nice enough. They are very knowledgeable. The best of the best in pediatric eye care. He needs them.

They talk about his risk for retina detachment. They mention the scars from the laser eye surgery he had 7 years ago. They tell me that without his glasses he will always be "grasping at walls to find his way". And then they tell me that the glasses prescription they have given him is as good as they can do. And they seem duly impressed that with his glasses on he can read almost all of the letters they project across the room.

One more year, one more eye exam, one more reason to be thankful, so thankful for all they have been able to do for our boy. His sight will never be perfect, but it is no stretch to say that all of the medical care that we were blessed with immediately after K's early birth saved his vision. God placed us in the right hands at the right time, and he can see.

Thank you Lord that my little boy can see.

7 comments:

BaronessBlack said...

Poor Love! Doesn't he look like his Daddy in that photo?

Rachel said...

I love the way you care for and love your little boy - I know you'd go through this stuff for him if you could. You are a wonderful mom and I love learning from you. There are so many things we take for granted in life - especially major things like seeing. This reminds me of all I have to be thankful for!

Tori said...

And I complain so much about the little things...Father forgive my ungratefulness for Your faithfulness. He is good. All the time. Thanks Wendi :)

Stacey said...

Awesome post!!!

You and your little boy (and family) are amazing!

Amy@My Front Porch said...

I was thinking just what Tori said -- I complain so much about the little things -- how often do I take it for granted that I have a healthy child with no physical limitations? Thanks for always giving me perspective!

Unknown said...

What a beautiful post and a great reminder to us all that we have so many blessings surrounding us, such as our sight and we need to be thankful for them.

Penny said...

K is so lucky that God placed him with such a loving and devoted mother. You really are precious, Wendi, just like K and your other children.