A bionic bird

"A hundred years ago, it was not just that the life expectancy was so much less than today, it was also the quality of life as one aged.We are blessed, very blessed, to have the medical technology we have today." 

"We can rebuild him. We can make him better!" Who my age, could ever forget those famous lines from Lee Majors in "The Six Million Dollar Man". For those who not remember, it is the story of a man who was almost fatally injured in a crash, and then rebuilt using many artificial parts. It all made for good TV at the time. Little did we know that the science fiction in that show would start becoming science reality sooner than we thought. 

Many of us either know of people, or might have had this experience themselves. A knee or a hip gives out, and surgery is required. An artificial part is then inserted, usually made out of titanium. It is better than the original bone which nature supplied us with. Or a pacemaker, to help one's heart. The list could go on and on.

Like many, many my age, I had my first articular implant yesterday. A new cataract. The way the doctor explained it to me before the surgery, the one that I was born with, was not very efficient. And over time, it picked up some "rust on the fenders". Pretty soon, I started losing some of my eyesight. During my surgery yesterday, the old inefficient cataract was removed, and replaced with a newer and better, model. Different shape, different material, different outcome. 

Before my surgery, I started thinking about what people a hundred years ago did when stuff wore out. Before cataract surgery, you just eventually went blind. Before pacemakers and artificial heart valves, you just died of heart failure. Without artificial joints, you just became crippled up for the rest of your life. A hundred years ago, it was not just that the life expectancy was so much less than today, it was also the diminished quality of life as one aged. We are blessed, very blessed, to have the medical technology we have today. 

Today, it is back to the doc for a post op visit. Then home for more recuperation time and drops, drops and more drops. But it is all good. Already I am noticing a big difference in the vision in my "bionic" eye.

It is all good. Why is that? I need to keep a "bird's eye" view on what is going on so I can keep this blog somewhat up to date - especially in St. Paul and Washington!