It’s 2 days until I head to Moorfields for my corneal transplant. I called Mr Larkin’s secretary last week as I was not sure if I was having a partial or full thickness graft – I’m not very good at asking the right questions when I have my appointments! She said that it should be a partial thickness unless anything is found that means I have to have a full thickness, so now I know. I’ve also received in the post all the information from Moorfields about what time to arrive etc. I need to be at the hospital at 4:30pm on Friday and the surgery should be at around 6:30pm. Because it’s a General anaesthetic there’s no food after 12 noon on Wednesday and no water after 2pm. I’m not too nervous about the general as I’ve had a bit of an unlucky year heath wise so this will be my 3rd general in the last 7 months, and so I am getting used to them (not out of choice!). I’ll be staying in over night on Wednesday and then I’ll have a follow-up appointment on the ward on Thursday morning before Richard brings me home to Windsor.
I found this great link on the blog of another Keratoconus sufferer who had a corneal transplant, have a look at the pictures to see some examples of how us Keratoconus sufferers see – click here. I get a lot of these symptoms, ghosting, double vision, glare and problems with my vision at night. My night vision was what made me realise most that my sight had deteriorated, as I reached a point when night driving was not possible after a pretty terrifying drive from Hereford to Windsor.
I’m feeling a little bit nervous now, but I’m trying not to worry too much. My birthday was yesterday – the big 3-0 and I had a great party at home on Saturday. Being really busy with all of that has stopped me really thinking about the operation too much and it’s only today that I have really had a chance to think about it. I’m thinking about the donor and their family a lot at the moment and I’ve just called up the BHSBT – Organ Donation information line to check if it is possible to send a letter of thanks to the donors family. In their FAQs it says that this is possible but the person on the phone wasn’t sure so someone will be calling me back to let me know. I am hugely grateful already to this person, and I feel very humbled to be receiving this donation which will really help my vision. I also feel sad today for the donor’s family and friends, as I have read that it takes a number of days to process the donated cornea so I am thinking about their loss.
I’ll be updating this blog each day now and I’m hoping that it will help anyone who is going to be having the same operation to know what to expect. I’ve found blogs online very helpful in the run up to my op, so hopefully mine can help other people too. If you have any questions at all for me I have set up an email address emmascornealtransplant@gmail.com.
Emma's Corneal Transplant 
I am so glad your vision is better. This is the gift donors and their families hope for! My husband recently passed, and it was important to him to continue helping others, even after his death. Just received the letter today that his gift will help two donors. It means a lot.
So sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for your post – I am so grateful to my donor, I wrote to the family after my transplant and I hope they know how much I appreciate it. Emma x
Oops, I meant his gift will help two recipients. Always was bad at math!
Emma
Thank you for your blog. I was told I have to have a corneal transplant on both eyes after I went to visit the consultant about cataracts so it was a big shock to discover it was actually my corneas! I was told to go back when I could not see with my glasses and that’s all I know, I don’t even know what sort of cornea problem it is, only that I will need a transplant and that my vision will not be as good as it is now (and it’s not very good at present). I have had no follow up or anything so I am left wondering just how bad my eyesight has to get before I receive any help via NHS. Your blog helped me understand that things are not as bad as I imagined. Hope Magnes is fine! Best wishes Marie x