An anniversary of sorts

We celebrate all kinds of things. When the years pass, we often call them anniversaries. I have such an anniversary to celebrate.
Three years ago I was legally blind. Couldn't see to drive, much less to stitch. I had cataracts on both eyes. Simple enough, you say, just fix them. Well due to some medical problems, including a clotting disorder, I couldn't find a doctor to do surgery.
My husband of just less than a year took away my car keys. Something about me driving at night into a field thinking it was a road and not being able to find my way out. Just a little problem.
I gave away most of my stitching stash. No need for it. I couldn't see to stitch even with magnifying glasses.
Then I found this wonderful doctor. Actually, I had known him for years. He had done the cataract surgery on my grandmother several years before that (a really funny story about my grandmother in another post!).
He said he could do the surgery. We would do this, do that, change this, fix this and then I would be able to see.
January, 2006 he did my right eye, followed by my left eye in March, 2006. I now have perfect vision at a distance. Need no glasses to drive, work on the computer, etc. I just need "cheaters" when I stitch and read up close.
When I started to see again, I started stitching again. My DH had seen examples of my work, but didn't know that I "stitched!". So when I first started stitching non-stop, he thought something was wrong. I didn't just sit and watch TV with him and talk. I was busy stitching. I had to explain to him that I still loved him and wasn't ignoring him, I was just working on something that gave me joy.
So, while others are going on a stash diet, I am just beginning. I had every color of DMC once upon a time and lots of other threads and such. Now I am building it back up.
When I was young, I never imagined that at 44 I would be facing the possibility of never driving again, never doing some of the things that brought me pure joy.
Never, ever, take your health, even the health of your eyes for granted. We never know what is around the corner.
Now what did I do with that needle?...