Preparing for CrossLinking 

Post - Op activities

Shut your eyes, sit in the dark and wear sunglasses I would be lying if I said this wasn't a common course of action. For the first 24 hours after CrossLinking this may seem like quite an appealing option but I like to combine it with the following bullet where possible (and a hug).

 

Ask someone to read to you Some books have a story-per-chapter. They're often aimed at young readers but contain jokes for adults - these are ideal for people who are feeling fragile and for readers who don't want to read an entire novel aloud.

 

Listen to audiobooks Make sure you download these before the CrossLinking

 

Listen to TV  documentaries. A lot of programs are just a series of pictures with an audio track played over the top, most history documentaries for instance. These can still be very interesting without looking at the screen (I'd recommend turning your face away so as not to stress your eyes trying) and are especially good if you have a friend watching with you who can commentate on any crucial visual cues with unmissable details like "the dog is very ugly" 

 

Go to the spa This is one particularly for the ladies, because your usual beauty regime is going to be disrupted by the fact that you can't see simple things properly such as your own eyebrows!!  Now is a good time to treat yourself; let someone else take care of these details and pamper you at the same time. Despite my opening sentence, I doubt many men would say 'no' to a massage either.

 

Simple art and craft It's very therapeutic to make things. Possibly this is the satisfaction of doing something under your own steam at a time you may be feeling pretty useless. I'd recommend sitting with a pile of old christmas/birthday cards, arm yourself with scissors, and turn them into present tags for next time. I always enjoy this and will not be running out of present tags for years now! 

 

Go for a walk give the duty of map reading/sign spotting to someone else!

 

Play 'name the song' After hearing a 3 second clip can you guess what song you've heard? If you can persuade someone to help you operate the computer 'Sporkle' have got the interactive game online.

 

Cooking This is intended to be fun and not a chore; as such I love to potter in the kitchen and make things I wouldn't usually have time to. I very rarely make anything useful like a meal, but prefer to experiment with new recipes to see if I can make things like fish burgers or chocolate truffles. Happily, the household has so far enjoyed these experiments and I haven't yet poisoned anyone. Don't be afraid to cook more cakes than you can eat - just give them away to anyone who comes to visit

 

Writing Putting pen to paper becomes viable before typing (as paper doesn't emit light like a computer screen). So if there's a story you've always wanted to write, christmas cards to send, or website content to draft, now is a good time to do it. This may be better done in stints at first.

 

Invite friends over One at a time will be best at first as you may find you are easily tired. Ask them to visit you to save you the trouble of tackling public transport (since you won't be driving for a few weeks)

 

Exercise In my experience anything that gets you out of breath for about half an hour will also give you enough endorphins to make you feel good about whatever you do for the rest of the day. This is particularly easy if you aren't fit to begin with and the smallest effort will get you huffing and puffing. It is especially important for morale at a time when you might otherwise feel like you're not achieving much with your days. You can do almost any form of exercise following CrossLinking as long as it's not going to get your eye dirty, I'd recommend the gym as a clean environment (most gyms let you pay as you go) and in order to make it enjoyable join in some classes or listen to your current audiobook.

 

Visit local pubs if there's ever a good time to compare the quality of the pumps at every bar in your locality, now is that time. Your appreciation for a nice tipple will not have diminished and alcohol is a natural painkiller, you're winning here on every front

 

Volunteer When you start to look you may be surprised at how many organisations there are doing good work in your community - I certainly was. Chances are they'll be grateful of your help and very accommodating to any limitations you currently have. If you can't find any good causes then there's nothing to stop you starting your own movement. Since my first CrossLinking I've helped to fill the shelves of a food bank, done bread making with 'vulnerable women', and helped restore a bungalow. The possibilities are endless!

 

DIY This may sound surprising, but when you think about it DIY doesn't usually require any fine eyesight, just a bit of time and effort. This can be a good social activity too especially if, like me, you require some sort of supervision in order to get it right. A word of warning though: avoid dust and muck as your eyes will be very prone to infection at the moment. Gardening is a good idea, paint stripping a ceiling is not

 

Dining in the dark A novel experience which will set you on a level playing field with everyone else for once. Restaurants in the pitch black mean no menus for us to squint at! You may want to save this one for when you're feeling a bit better.

 

Comedy in the dark The theatre and cinema may not be ideal forms of entertainment for us at the best of times, especially not now, but it turns out that there are alternative types of performance where no one expects you to be able to read the facial expression of someone on stage. Having been to a comedy gig in the pitch black soon after my 3rd CrossLinking operation I can highly recommend it.