Adelie's Days: BIG deal day at the ocularist

Adelie's Days

BIG deal day at the ocularist

Adelie had a big deal appointment today at the ocularist in Indianapolis. (Kathy Hetzler, Hetzler Ocular Prosthetics in Indianapolis, IN - she's wonderful with children!!!!!) Tom, Adelie and I went to this "consultation" to see if she's a candidate for a prosthetic eye over her little eye, rather than having surgery to remove the little eye when she's 7 and then get a prosthetic. We left the appointment with a clear shell in Adelie's eye. She'll keep this in for 4 weeks (bathe in it, swim in it, sleep in it). I can take it out and put it back in, but it's fine if it just stays in there for 4 weeks. Then we go back and get another slightly larger clear shell, keep it in for 4 weeks, then back for yet another slightly larger clear shell. These don't hurt - today it feels a little weird, but not painful. Then when she goes back 4 weeks after that, it's a week or so before Christmas and she'll get her custom painted "matching" eye!

We got to Indianapolis a couple hours early, had lunch at a yummy Chinese buffet and then played at a playground for 30 minutes until it was appointment time. She was apprehensive about the appointment, but did very well. She really didn't like the 15-30 seconds that she was held to insert the shell (I tried to not let her see my tears), but other than that she managed very well. She seems so comfortable with the shell now that I can imagine this working well.

In the photo here you can see a clear shell. It's like what Adelie has, however Adelie's current shell isn't hearly as thick or tall. It seems flatter - it helps her eye get used to something being in there and will help her eye lid allow space for the gradual bigger prosthetics. Adelie liked checking these eyes out.