"I don't want to burst your bubble..."

Well, there are seven words you don't want to hear at a doctor's appointment.  Bubbles burst. 

When we first came through Jack's initial surgeries, almost 4 1/2 years ago, we were led to believe that there would eventually be an end in sight.  Maybe we did it to ourselves, but we truly thought that when Jack was 4, he would have the IOLs (implants) put in, eyes would be fixed and glasses/cataracts would all be a history.  It's what got us through. 

Fast forward those 4 1/2 years and that's not exaaaaaaaaaactly how it's turning out.  For one, Jack's prescription is still changing too frequently for our doctor to feel comfortable putting the IOLs in, especially because there is really no other reason to do it.  (A lot of times doctors have to do it because of contact intolerances, problems with glasses, etc.)  Jack is fine.  He wears his glasses, and he sees almost perfectly with them.

The other issue is his left eye.  We have never had any outlying issues besides the cataracts, so it knocked us down a peg when we were instructed to patch Jack's eye for 2 hours a day.  I know I'm his mom, but seriously, Jack is the sweetest, kindest, most well behaved kid I have ever met.  To stick that thing on his face every day makes me cry, but boy has he taken it like a champ.  (And I must say, he looks adorable with it on.)

There's another black cloud hanging over me: kindergarten.  I know that sounds silly, but for the last almost 5 years, it was in my head that this would all be taken care of by the time Jack started kindergarten.  I envisioned his little glasses-free face getting on the bus, meeting a whole new group of kids that had no idea what he had been through in his little life.  This is where my bubble was burst.  I made a comment about having this taken care of before he started kindergarten, and the doctor's exact words were, "I don't want to burst your bubble, but he's going to be dealing with this for life."  I love our doctor, I really do.  I don't mean to make her sound like a monster, and to be honest, it's probably the slap in the face I needed.  But ugh. 

So at the end of the day, we still consider ourselves very lucky.  Patching 2 hours a day is nothing compared to what some people have gone through, but I have a whole new appreciation for you all!  We coasted for awhile and this is just a little bump in the road.  My next mission is to find some "kindergarten-friendly" glasses!