Wednesday, August 24, 2005

So This Is What It's Like to Be a Mugger...

I have never mugged anybody, but I now know what pepper spray feels like. Last night, I was chopping a thai chili pepper and then made the mistake of trying to take out my contacts. Can you say...dumbass?

I had washed my hands before I attempted this, but I guess some chili residue was still on my fingers. As soon as I touched my eye, I felt excruciating pain. I backed away from my sink and tried to pry my eye open, but it was clamped shut. My eye and nose were soon stinging and felt like they were on fire that water would not dissipate. I bent over the sink and furiously splashed water in my eye to get rid of the horrifying agony. Finally, the pain and stinging subsided. My t-shirt was soaked and there was water all over my bathroom sink counter. My face was all red, and I was exhausted.

The only other time I have ever felt eye pain like this was when a couple years ago, I used expired contact lens solution, which actually I never knew expired, and as a result got an ulcer in my eye. I came into work, and people were like "Dude, what's with your eye?" because it looked like I had pink eye. I had to put in drops every 20 minutes and ointment every hour and couldn't face any light since the light hurt my eye so much. So I had a fun evening sitting at home that night in the dark, listening to the radio (couldn't turn on the TV because of the light) with my drops in hand.

Well, now this chili incident has educated me further. Before now, I hadn't fully given up the possibility of leading a life of crime, but this episode has sure set me straight. Klutzy moves like this are probably the reason why I don't get invited to fancy parties.

3 comments:

Jon said...

Yeah, you have to be careful wtih chillis--- it's the oil that's the problem, and hand washing doesn't help much, as oil and water don't mix. Glad we won't be seeing you on America's Most Wanted ^_^

Anonymous said...

I teared up just thinking about the chili episode.
Hope all is well eye-wise.
I was stunned to read that expired contact solution could do something like that! I wouold think it would fade out to H20.
Must pass that info on to people I know wear contacts.
Hope to soon read that you've hit the boardwalk at Coney Island.
(hugs)

Xtine said...

I just woke up (after a night of sleeping with my contact lenses still in my eyes--big no no), and now after reading the words eye "ulcer" I think its time to embrace eye glasses. poor you.