20/20

Sweet Jack. I remember last year, in kindergarten, one of his classmates got glasses. Jack wanted glasses too. He tried to convice us that he NEEDED glasses. He did not need glasses. The subject was dropped...or so we thought. His school vision exam in the fall revealed no problems. But, later in the fall semester, I recall going up to have lunch with him and he again asserted that he couldn't see far away. I made him read the various signs posted on the cafeteria walls - no problems. Then we had the injury to his cheek, hospitalization for infection etc. and as spring started and stopped about a dozen times, allergies ran amuck on the poor boy. Which leads us to Tues. morning when he woke up with gunky eyes. We did switch to Zyrtec a couple of weeks ago and have seen good results, but I, in my frugality, left the windows open that night and I guess it was too much for him. They cleared up as the morning went on, but when Ella-Kathryn, Will, and I headed up to meet Jack at school for lunch on Wed, his teacher said he had been complaining of not being able to see again. He assured me that it wasn't the allergy stuff, he simply had blurry vision. I admit I was worried - was this residual effects from the infection? We never confirmed the exact bacteria that caused the infection to begin, so maybe it was still lurking in his eyes, making my poor baby go slowly blind!!! The horror! I marched him straight into the school nurse and asked if she could do another eye check - no time that day, so it was set for Thurs. She found 20/40 in both eyes, with the left perhaps being a bit worse. Oh my! I scrambled to get him seen as soon as possible and wrangled an early AM appt at the eye dr in Sams - supposedly on our vision plan. This morning, get there, no, sorry, the vision center that fits you for glasses etc. is covered, but not the actual Dr.. What in the world??? But, knowing that I often have to wait weeks to get an appt. for myself, I decide to just fork over the cash and have him checked then and there. He did great - didn't even flinch when they blow that puff of air at your eye. Then on to the exam. dr. asks him can he not see far away or close up. Umm, Uhh, both, Jack says. OK. Sets him up to that huge eye exam thingermerbobber and starts asking him to read the lines - I can see the line backwards reflected on the wall and note that he starts at the 40. Jack struggles, mixing up the F with an H and then fumbles on a couple of others. MOve to 30 - same thing. Makes some adjustments. asks to read some more. Then pulls out of the drawer two round lenses, holds them up to Jack's eyes moves it to 20 and asks him to read it - no problems. Does this with another set of lenses then Dr. says ok, we finished. "Hey Jack, why don't you go with my assistant and get a picture taken of your eyes." Dr. closes the door behind Jack. my heart is pounding. Is my child going blind? Will he know what his newest baby brother even looks like? How will he match his clothes in college? THe Dr. turns to me and says, "his vision is fine. He doesn't need glasses." WHAT????? OK. He then explains that some kids just get caught up on one line of the exam, really want glasses and then go from there. Yes, my kid did this to me. Who in their right mind wants glasses? I've had to wear them since I was ten - it stinks. Dr. says, it's not that he was lying per se, it's just that he wanted the glasses enough to make himself not say the letters right. I am laughing at this point, but also wondering how will we deal with this because, really, he did lie. He was capable of reading the eye chart perfectly, but decided to not. Yikes. Heart issue here people. His desire for some thing overrode his willingness to be truthful. Got to nip this one in the bud - maybe tomorrow. Oh, and as I'm paying the bill, the asst. informs me that Jack asked him how much money he made? The guy was quick, and shot back, " how much do you think I make?" Jack says, "at least 1,000 a week!" We all laughed but I'm thinking the doc probably does! Anyway, when I related the story to Jeff later, Jack says, "I asked him because they must make alot getting to use all that cool equipment" I really expected him to bark like Tim the ToolMan. That's my boy!