Shameless Plug: Oro Valley Eye Care

A month or so before the end of the year, Nicco's school had optometrists come in and screen the kiddos for potential vision problems. Considering his genes, I was not optimistic about Nicco's chances of coming out of the screening without potential vision problems.

When I had my own exam, the doctor said that since Patrice is far sighted and I am near sighted, maybe Nicco's genes will cancel out and he'll be fine. But sure enough, a week or so after the screening we got a note sent home from school saying that Nicco could probably use a more thorough exam. (What, more thorough than the 5 minute training session the screeners had before being bombarded with rambunctious 5 and 6 year olds? Nah...)

I took Nicco to see Dr. Mitchell of Oro Valley Eye care (full disclosure, he's a friend.) Dr. Mitchell and his staff were absolutely fantastic with my boy. He was nervous and discouraged and very much in the anti-glasses camp. We were a little early so I had Nicco try on frames for fun, overplaying my enthusiasm. After a while he decided glasses might not be so bad.

Then one of the assistants pointed out the other wall, the one with all the fun colors. Nicco chose bright orange frames. I tried to gently convince him of the coolness of some other frames, but the boy was hooked on orange. Fine, I told myself. If orange frames will encourage him to wear his corrective lenses, orange frames it is.

Dr. Mitchell took Nicco back to the exam room and made him feel very much at ease and encouraged at the prospects of seeing better. By the time we left, Nicco was asking how long it would be before he got his new glasses. When the daddy got home from work, Nicco told him all about the  appointment and the awesome orange frames he liked. Patrice looked at me and said, "I never want my boy to think he can't be different." I agreed, and thought once more, orange frames it is.

Patrice stole the boy away that evening for a boys' night out, stopping by the eye doctor to check out the frames. When they got home, I was informed that they ordered Nicco's glasses. I asked if they were the orange ones. No way! Patrice said. Nicco can be different, but he can't look...retarded! (We're totally P.C. in my family.) So instead of the orange frames with the adjustable ear-hooky-things (it's a technical term), they chose cool blue Nike frames.

We picked them up today. They were presented to Nicco on a silver platter with his special box, cleaning cloths and cleaning solution, and a gift card to a local restaurant.

Nicco put them on and looked around and pointed out all the lines he could see on the mountains and trees.

I realize I'm advertising to a very limited audience here in AZ,  but spread the word... (I'm talking to you, Crystal!) for pediatric eye care (or grown-up eye care for that matter), you can't do better than Dr. Mitchell of Oro Valley Eye Care.

Their motto is true: "We care. You'll see."