Because Childhood is Not Traumatic Enough...

"Dr. Mia" prepares for surgery with a smile.

Since her early birth in November of 2003, Mia has suffered from a condition known to medical science as "the wonky eye." Basically, everyone but me could see that her right eye--her weaker eye--would drift off from whatever she was looking at, especially when she was tired. Occasionally, even I could see in some photograph that it was especially difficult to know just what Mia was focused on. The problem with this nefarious "wonky eye" disease is that, if your eyes do not see the same image, the smarty-pants brain tends to ignore the image sent by the weaker eye. Through time, the weak eye will atrophy and literally shrivel up and drop out.

Because we would prefer it if Mia had the chance to use both eyes for her 80 plus years on this planet, we finally scheduled a "procedure."

So, Wednesday morning we showed up to the hospital for Mia to experience eye surgery. It was not a terribly difficult operation for the doctor, Dr. Hunter, to perform; basically, he detached and reattached the lateral rectus muscles (the outer muscles that rotate her eyeballs). The procedure is supposed to be relatively painless, and Mia has not complained one bit about pain in her eyes.

She was called "Dr. Mia" by the nurse there, and she had visitors! Mr. Paul and Miss Cyndi came to see her and stayed to pray with us in the waiting room, and Nana (a.k.a. "Grammy Nana") came and stayed through the surgery and then came to the house later and stayed for some of the fun times there. Dr. Baker also came by--Mia loves him and gets excited each time she sees him at church--but he had to leave before the surgery was over. He left Mia a cute black teddy bear and drew her a bunny.

As is common with her, the anesthesia made her very sick, so she was basically unable to eat all day yesterday. Other interesting side effects: now she is visibly cross eyed and she sees things at a distance in twos. She says she can see two daddies, etc., which is a little disconcerting (though common after this surgery).

Mia just a little drunk after enjoying "silly juice" pre surgery

She is fine and happy today, although a bit more temperamental than usual--she is usually a sweet angel, of course! :o)

We will keep her at home through the weekend, and possibly through the beginning of next week to lessen the chance of infection. Even after she is released to return to school, she will not be allowed onto the playground for about a month, which, if I recall correctly, is about a year in kiddom.