The price of juicy eyes...

Okay, for those of you who aren't aware, I've been having eye problems for ... well, pretty much since my daughter was born. I have always been a contact wearer ... but all of a sudden, my poor eyes were getting all red, inflamed and painful whenever I tried to put the darn things in my eyes. Doing some online research of my own, I wondered if I had chronic dry eye, and found a pricey eyedrop called Restasis, which actually TEACHES your eyes to produce more tears. I took my information to a local doctor, who ignored my recommendation, and put me on steriods.
After 18 months, tons of money, three doctors, about five or six kinds of steroid drops ... plus having suffered through two or three iritis "attacks" which virtually left me blinded in daylight and in EXTREME pain ... I think I may have reached the end of my long road.
What do I have? A condition called Thygeson's. And the magic cure-all drug? You got it. Restasis. Hmmm... you don't say?? Golly gee, maybe I'm not as dumb as I thought I was. I nearly laughed when my current doc finally put me on the magic, juicy-eye drop.
The results aren't supposed to take effect for a couple weeks. I've been on it about three weeks ... and MAN ALIVE have I been crying! I know the drug doesn't mess with your hormones or emotions (at least I don't think it does...) but what happens is this ... everything that maybe made you get a tiny bit sad or even happy before ... is now accompanied with tears. Tears. And more tears.
I cry during commercials. I cry watching my kids give each other smooches. I cried like a bawling infant while reading a book last week. (This is new for me, books don't usually get to me like that.) I cried during the graduation scene of High School Musical Three yesterday (yikes). I cried during my morning ritual of reading CNN.com today. I cried last night when I messed up a pancake on the griddle while making dinner. I cry whenever the least little emotion comes my way, because my tear ducts are hyper-spastic, ready to leak at a moment's notice, all in the name of keeping my eyeballs moist and happy and, most importantly, non-red and pain-free.
And it's working! And it's worth it, I must say. (I HATE wearing my glasses). But it does take some getting used to. WOW. Yesterday I was sitting in the living room watching my husband play wii with Gabriel and realizing that the only time I've seen him flat out cry, was our wedding day. (He gets teary sometimes during sappy movies, but that doesn't count!) The man hasn't cried in 8 years. For someone like me, who now puddles up during heartwearming VISA commercials, or televised Michigan tourism promos, that is something incredible indeed!