. . . rosin; owned since 4th grade.
Sunday, Oct 12
John left this morning for the Franklin Falls Trail — the last day of the season for WTA work on trails in the I-90 corridor – and, thus, his last such outing. He carried yellow pear and cherry tomatoes to the potluck lunch. Another ACL, our friend Jon N., will provide chicken soup for the crew. John also carried a box of apples and a few regular tomatoes for the 2 crew leaders, Ben and Greg. We are both hoping for no rain as the crew had to contend with yesterday. Update: The day started cool (see photo below) but became pleasant, and the photos are in, but nothing of the large group picnic table of food.
At about 9 AM John still wore a white t-shirt, a red long sleeve shirt, a black polar fleece vest, a purple shirt, and rubber surfaced thermal gloves.
As a start of my email day, I usually run a couple of malware programs to clean my system. For the past 3 days, my Spybot-Search & Destroy has not let me “run as an administrator,” thereby preventing me from immunizing my system files after downloading updates (that can be daily). I decided to uninstall my current version (from 2012) and download the newest one. It was a long process, but currently, the newly installed version is doing what I wanted with all my browsers, except it doesn’t list Google Chrome and that has me a bit worried. That is my choice of browsers. I only use Internet Explorer when some feature of settings on my cwu.edu account won’t work with anything but IE. Others I have on my system include Opera, Thunderbird, and Mozilla. I’m finally through most of the setup for Spybot S&D, and am waiting for it to finish scanning my computer so I can open my browser again and check emails. Meanwhile, I can work off line on Word to update this discussion for my blog.
After a few email exchanges, I was hungry. I decided to fix myself a maple bar with my friend Gloria’s plum preserves. It was a good brunch and very tasty.
Next item of concern is my nightly CPAP report. We were up entirely too late with finishing the blog because John would be gone all today. It was not until ~12:40 a.m. that we published it. I hope we got everything properly entered. I “installed” my CPAP mask about 12:50, figuring I would sleep well because I was very tired. I slept from 1:15 (probably) to 2:30, awoke, adjusted and hit the ramp button to reset it to 5. It gets back up to a forced air pressure of 8 within an hour and that might be the reason with the machine I’m usually sleeping in one-hour increments. Yet, this morning, I managed to sleep until 4:30, when I needed to pee very badly. Once up, I realized I had a stuffed-up nose and did not wish to return to the confinement. Also, I needed to take my acetaminophen, which is much more easily done without the mask connected. I went back to bed without the mask. I awoke briefly when John got up (earlier than the alarm); then I went back to sleep. I imagine he will be tired and need a nap when he returns, or to go to bed early tonight. I heard him leave the house before 7:00 and I continued sleeping until 9:12.
I also need to install the SleepyHead software but I cannot while this computer check is occurring. I’ve waited several days since my friend was checking my SD card and displaying my statistics, and I need to get set up so I can do my own, daily. I just checked and the scan of my system with the newly installed malware finder still has 41 minutes to go, so I will have to wait before returning to email. I need to make a phone call to Alaska to a fellow in Nome, Dan, who is looking for another Brittany from our lines. He has had two of our Brittanys and used to live in Fairbanks. We are no longer breeding, but we know some folks that have our dog’s blood-lines and occasionally have puppies. I managed to get the phone for him (I think it’s him) from off switchboard.com (a very fine resource for people with land lines; doesn’t work with cell phones, however). I hope he receives the message and gets back to me on email, preferably. (He did).
I have been expecting a phone call from John to say his workday is over and he’s on his way home, but maybe his battery ran down. I didn’t remember to check it last night. It does not hold a charge as well as my phone does. Mental telepathy; he just called at 3:42 from the side of the road near Snoqualmie Summit and in sight of a cell tower. He is about an hour from home. Everything went fine with his day, no rain, and mine went likewise. He made it home just before 5:00 and has been taking care of animal chores: dogs, horses, and cats. I’ve been alternately working on dishes in the kitchen and on installing my SleepyHead software, version SleepyHead v0.9.8-1 Testing.
Monday, Oct 13
Nat’l Holiday and my parents’ anniversary. [It is not a holiday for some, and not Columbus Day for all, . . . but that’s another story.]
This day would mark my parent’s 77th wedding anniversary. Considering my father was 16 years older than my mom, they’d have not even gotten close. In fact, he died young, 57 yrs ago.
Last night I had the CPAP SD Card reader software running, but now I cannot run the program again. Totally weird. Rehash of my CPAP experience last night — another one I wish to forget. We tried going to bed earlier because of our lack of sleep yesterday, especially John’s. I imagine I was in bed with mask in place by 10:30. I believe I dozed off soon. I awoke with a leaking mask at 12:30. It seemed to be loose on my head, but I readjusted and stayed in bed. Had to get up to pee at 2:30 and my nose was all stuffed up, eyes dry (added drops), sore muscles, tired, and the inside top of my right arm hurt. I took some Acetaminophen and removed the mask. I guess I had it on for 4 hours. I was unable to go back to sleep in the normal 1/2 hr or at most 1 hr. Things kept running through my thoughts. Last, I remember was 6:30 when I settled back down again, after reaching to turn off my chirping cell phone whose battery was too low and thought I ought to know. After that, I fell into a deep sleep until 9:25. I didn’t know John fixed toast and coffee with honey – the latter to dunk the toast in, but with the honey therein he manages to drink it. He goes to the computer and reads stuff and forgets the coffee when the toast is gone. Microwave oven reheats it.
John went out this morning to search for his missing hook from a broken chain he was using to drag a tree, and he took along the lawnmower to take down some of the weeds/grass. When he arrives back, he’ll fix some brunch. I need to go clean up more in the kitchen. We had BLTs from one of our huge Super-Fantastic tomatoes. John used the mower to clean the area where he had used to pull with and broke the chain (did not find the hook) and now is in the backyard mowing off weeds. He promised to come in about 4:00 so I can take a shower to make ready for tomorrow’s trip to Yakima to the Yakima Heart Center and the Medical Supply place to switch my mask.
We just finished a great dinner — stir fry (chicken, pineapple, grapes, cashews, on radiator-type pasta. It was going to be on brown rice, but when he poured that in the steamer pan, he saw a couple of tiny multi-leg bugs — so the birds will have a treat in the morning. He knows he should have used a glass or plastic container – the 3-layer paper bag had a small hole near the bottom. We don’t need different protein from that in the chicken. I cut up one of our nice medium-sized tomatoes and should have cut more. We could have used them in the very spicy sauce (Korean Chicken via Costco).
Tuesday, Oct 14 Medical visits in Yakima
Today was a visit after 6 months to my principal cardiologist, Dr. Anatole Kim, to whom I owe my life for his insistence to the team of doctors that I wasn’t going to last without the open-heart surgery to replace my mitral valve (even though it was a risky operation for someone in my condition). Mind you my health has been fine for the past 4 years, going on 5 the end of this December. My last visit with him in May resulted in a summer of events which were trying to determine why my heart was reportedly weaker on one side because of numbers created in an echocardiogram and a pulmonary function exam (lung volume capacity). Part of the plan was to examine the condition of my lungs to see if they were involved, possibility through the 4 year usage of Amiodarone for controlling atrial fibrillation. That required a Chest CT scan. He also requested I visit another nuclear cardiologist in the Yakima Heart Center to determine if the addition of another wire (and upgrade) to my ICD wouldn’t help my “situation.” Finally, he thought I should have a sleep apnea test overnight in the Sleep Center (same building but upper floor). All those issues and visits were scheduled and evaluated over the summer. Short version is I had the CT scan, first interpreted by one MD (radiologist), who listed all the potentially serious things I might be experiencing – or not. For a refined second opinion we went to a lung specialist (took 2 months to get an appointment), but we received a favorable report that there was no damage to my lungs and they were healthy. The doctor sat with us for about 20 minutes in front of a display of my lungs and explained all he could to us. Very impressive, he was. I also had the appointment and review of my situation with the nuclear cardiologist, who (2nd visit) still feels I would not benefit right now from an updated 2-wire ICD. He did encourage the plan to pursue the CPAP mask to prevent sleep-time low blood oxygen saturation. [My ICD battery at about 4.5 years still has over 20% capacity so maybe in a year or so all this will be reevaluated. In that short time the new ones are smaller and better – so says Toni, ICD checker par excellence.] She reads my computer chip every 3 months, with a fancy set up over my ICD, all hooked up to electrodes placed in a few places on my chest and legs. (That requires a trip to the recliner in her office in Yakima.)
Review of CPAP experience.
I had my first overnight at the sleep center in June, and at first, it seemed fine. I was not awakened to put on a CPAP mask, so I figured all was well and that I was done with the study. However, two days later, I was called back for another test, with using the mask from the start. I had very few apnea/hypopnea events, (a low AHI), but for a short time my blood oxygen level touched 79% (I was told). I cannot see it that low on the graphs with the report, I obtained. The second overnight test was 2 months later. That time (with mask) I had even fewer events, but I only slept for 3 hrs. 14 minutes, and my O2 level went down to 89%, but for only one minute. Still that was enough for my sleep doctor to recommend my going on a CPAP machine.
I first went to the Medical Supply place to be fitted (9/30). The first mask (an Eson) was a disaster, but I managed to persist for a week, and Oct 7, took my SD card into my sleep doctor to have it read (and summarized). It recorded 1.0 AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index). Most of my discussion with the sleep doctor (Kumar) was about the horrible mask and my experiences. He determined that I needed a more satisfactory mask, because keeping my blood oxygen saturation level up is important and without being comfortable I would likely quit. John had found some numbers on dropouts that seemed high but the doctor thought them reasonable. There is a qualification. The machine that was given to me came from a young woman that solved her snoring problem by dropping 50 pounds. That apparently shows up as “not using” in surveys. Anyway, the doctor prescribed a change to one of 3 possibilities. We picked one up on the way home. I picked the WISP one, because it seemed to have less head gear over my forehead and head. I used it for a week and was still unsatisfied with the feel and confinement. I was ready for one more change, but needed to see what the readings for the week preceding were. Next week, I will show a photo of me in the WISP, along side of the newest one mentioned below, the Swift Fx. The comparison will be useful for understanding my comments and complaints in my daily CPAP reports.
Thus, we have arrived at today’s meetings. My first stop was at the sleep center where I left my SD card to be read and reported on by their software (Encore). The report was an AHI of .5 (down 1/2 from the week before). Next was my visit with my cardiologist. First, we were sent away for lunch because he was running an hour behind on appointments. We returned and he reviewed with us all the things that had happened since May. I discussed my concern for knowing the oximeter results happening to me because the CPAP machine was not able to indicate that, and the sole reason for putting myself through the suffering was to raise my sleep O2 saturation level. I told him I had found there was a possibility to obtain an oximeter whose data could be synched into the software I have to read the SD card and present daily graphs and summary statistics. I showed him a couple derived (by my friend) from my own data of the previous 9 days. I printed each on a full 8 1/2 x 11 inch page and stood up and showed him the figures, pie chart, and graphs of 3 measured items overnight. He agreed and said it would be a good idea to consult with my sleep doctor and have him prescribe an oximeter to enhance the data summaries. He made a change in one of my meds, by requesting me to half it daily, and requested I have another echocardiogram. My last was in March. I’m going back down for that in two weeks.
Next stop Costco, but I will leave out those details (except to say, gasoline there was only $3.199/gal. On the way back we dropped by the medical supply place to exchange the WISP for a Swift Fx nasal pillow mask (with a lot fewer head and face and neck straps involved than the other two). When I walked in I took my old (free) ResMed nasal pillow mask and asked if I could get a fabric Velcro wrap for the exposed plastic piece that was bothering my neck. For the first time, I looked at the current version of the ResMed Swift Fx and realized it was nearly the same as my old pink one. I showed it to a customer service rep who called over a Respiratory Therapist (RT), (different from the one I first went through there), and he said, those are just as good as they always were. There is only a change to the head piece from plastic to two fabric ones. It has been a popular mask. One of the reps went back and found the Velcro pieces, and then I said something to the RT about the plastic strap under my skull hurting and needing covered. He realized that part should have been on top of my head, so I had been putting the mask on incorrectly. Once I got it on properly, it was much better … and they decided to change my nose piece from a M to a S. That was covered by my insurance because it was a different code (only meaningful to someone in the business), but it was meaningful to me not to have to fork out $29.99. I left the Velcro behind, deciding I would try wearing it the correct way for awhile before buying them. I imagine I will have to pay for them. Because I was able to use my own Swift Fx nasal pillow, I did not have to trade in the WISP. In 3 months, I can get a new mask, and I probably will switch to the newer ResMed Swift Fx. It supposedly has been improved. A couple of friends say it is good to switch back and forth between two, so as time goes on, I will have the option to go back to the WISP occasionally. Right now, I’m much happier with the nasal pillow, rather than the full nose cover.
While there, I asked the “new” RT whether they sold Oximeters. He said yes, and I asked if that was covered by insurance. Yes, but they need a prescription from the doctor. I asked him which doctor, the sleep one or my cardiologist (for whom the real reason for my using a CPAP is). He said the cardiologist. I am working on finding an appropriate one which will synch with the software that reads my SD card on my CPAP machine. We’ll work on getting the sleep and oxygen info together but it seems such a combo is not quite ready for prime time, or at least not automatic enough for the average user. That friend mentioned earlier is a bit of a computer geek so I have hope.
We came back home only for me to turn around and go back to town to Hearthstone Cottages for playing music and singing with The Connections group. It was a good thing I went, because we only had 3 singers (included me, while playing – good thing I don’t play a clarinet) and two instruments (piano and fiddle). I stopped off at Super One on my way there for inexpensive donuts (ones in the glass cabinet put out early morning). At the end of the day they package up an assortment of different ones by the dozen, and sell for $3.00 off the regular dozen price. I got there before the person started boxing them, and it was > 1.5 hrs after they normally do, so I wasn’t early. She asked me to pick what I wanted. Wow, that was nice. Once home, John had heated a meal we bought at Costco, and it was interesting… a ravioli lasagna … too spicy for me.
Wednesday, Oct 15
What a cool day! Started the morning by sleeping in, after a fairly good night with the new (old) CPAP mask with a smaller nose piece on a nasal pillow. I got ~6 hours of time on the Swift Fx mask last night. I might not have slept quite that long, awaking about 5:21 or something with a sort of drooling wetness on my chin. I talked via email with my friend in NM who uses a new ResMed Swift Fx mask. He has occasionally had the same thing happen, but controlled it by raising his head. I haven’t asked him yet or my “new” Respiratory Therapist what MIGHT cause that. It is much more comfortable than any of the others I have tried. I do sleep propped up, and he does too, for best results. I might have been situated a little flatter last night. I’ll try to pay more attention tonight.
I then slept in until 9:00 without the mask.
I left for the day’s activities at 11:00. First, was music at the Food Bank Soup Kitchen. We had a good couple of singers with the two of us (on banjo & fiddle), and a quite responsive and involved audience. For lunch, we were fed a feast. Main dish was barbecued beef made by a local restaurant who always donates the main dish for Wednesday’s lunch at the Food Bank Soup Kitchen. It was great, and reminded me of one similar recipe we used to make in our old Rival Crockpot bought over 45 years ago. I need to find the little recipe folder that came with it, where the recipe is printed. I imagine it is in our better homes and garden plaid covered cook book along with a ton of loose recipes. With the BBQ was an excellent coleslaw with carrots, a salad, mostly tomatoes, with some other additions of cheese, green onions, olives (that I gave to my banjo buddy), and a chocolate brownie type thing for dessert. Also, there was also a piece of focaccia bread, but I don’t like that.
As I was leaving I picked up my violin case and I had not zipped it closed so it dumped some stuff on the floor .. I caught my violin before it hit, but my rosin (since 4th grade) busted into many pieces. I am saddened by that. I picked up the largest pieces and the label (split) on the side of the resin cake, held in cork. I will scan it for my memories. And show you here.
My first violin came from Ned Jarrett & Son’s store in Atlanta, GA, on Ivy St. I still have that 3/4 size violin, but have been using a full size (from Germany, made in 1889), since the early 1990s. I am sure this 3/4 one was only purchased (as the rosin) from the downtown store, and that it was not one of the original ones made by the violin maker, Ned Jarrett. Yet, following this link to an old post is interesting. *Ned Jarret*
I handed out a few tomatoes to some friends at the Food Bank, and continued on to the Adult Activity center where I gave away more to several people in our SAIL exercise class. I was sore and hurting today for some reason, and not alone; maybe it is caused by the weather changes? I left there to drop by Grocery Outlet, because I need the cheaper cat food I used to buy there. It is very sporadically on their shelves – a strange store. None there again today, but I did find some dog food and loaded it into a wine bottle box.
Thursday, Oct 16
CPAP report for last night. I went from 11:50 until 4:20 (had to pee). It was pretty good, no drooling, not as dry eyes, and only a little breathing noise to try to ignore, but otherwise an overall good night. Some dryness in nostrils (more in the right), with a little chafing perhaps. I slept at a little higher angle than flatter. Had a little bit of neck pain.
Large group for music at Dry Creek. John dropped me off and went on for his fasting blood draw. Afterwards he grabbed some food for his lunch from McDonalds. We had the largest turnout of musicians in many months – 11 — included Minerva, Gerald, Charlie, Manord & Maury on guitar (last two had classical guitars), Evelyn on banjo, Bob (singer), Nancy on fiddle, Joanie on viola, Ellen on clarinet, Megan & Dave on Bass, and for much of the time, Dave on guitar or on ukulele. We had an enthusiastic crowd who joined in and let us know at the end how much they appreciated our coming. The last song, Westphalia Waltz, was really special. A fellow disconnected his oxygen, stood up from his wheelchair, and waltzed with the lady next to him. We played two times through the song, and they danced the entire time we played. At the end, they got a roaring applause by everyone including the musicians. John had returned and heard about 20 minutes of music. Then, in the parking lot, we handed out apples and/or tomatoes to all but 3 of the musicians.
Friday, Oct 17
CPAP review from last night. Started at 11:38. Early on, a little bit of forced air opened my mouth. I had a little problem at the first with my position and escaping air. It seemed related to my head direction (straight was better) and height. I awoke at 5:32 with not too many wake-up memories. My eyes, particularly the right one was very dry, needing Gel ointment. I planned to go back to sleep without the mask. It is so nice to have easy access to my nose, eyes, after the mask is positioned and also for on and off access.
I was writing these notes, and suddenly had to return to the potty with diarrhea. Wow. Wonder what I ate yesterday and hope that is the source rather than a virus. It’s John who needs to cleanse his system, not me. However, his “diet” doesn’t begin until tomorrow. I shall attempt to return to sleep. Oops, not yet. Back to the oval office. Maybe I will stay up awhile and work on the computer. I may have to cancel my haircut today. I do hope I didn’t pick up a virus somewhere. Still not settled and I can find nothing in the medicine cabinet to take. Perhaps in my suitcase? I need some Imodium. FOUND IT and took two caplets at 6:40. Its expiration date is 9-13, but I didn’t figure that would matter. Also, the package had never been opened and has been kept in the suitcase in a cool back room of the house. I went back to bed at 7:36, but didn’t get any restful sleep. I took another caplet at 10:30, according to the directions on the package. I finally got better after noon. John never experienced anything, and we had pretty much been eating the same food, at least on Thursday, so I’m not sure what was the cause.
Saturday, Oct 18
Reviewing last night’s CPAP stuff. I went to bed at 11:30 without adjusting my mask in the mirror and just put it on my head. I think it was crooked so I won’t do that again tonight. I will get it adjusted before reclining, and wait to plug in the mask to the tubing (normally what I have been doing). I could not get comfortable and get the mask fitting correctly and comfortably. I think the top plastic strap was not in the right place, and it was pinching my hair and pulling it, when I tried adjusting. (Maybe I do need the Velcro coverings). I tossed and turned for at least a hour, maybe longer before I managed to fall asleep. When I started, I had a very sore eye from the previous day’s happenings and dryness (I guess). I started with gel in my eyes for the night. I slept finally until 6:00 ish, but stayed with the mask until 6:50. My neck was hurting slightly, but okay, no more diarrhea, and decided to lay back down at 7:15. That was after I fed the cat, took some Acetaminophen, and put more gel ointment in my eyes.
I really must have been tired from all of yesterday’s happenings. I slept in until 9:20 !
I hadn’t been up too long, when I got a phone call from Jeri Conklin in CA with the news that Daisy had had a nice field trial run in an Open Derby stake, found and handled her bird well, and might be in the placements. She wouldn’t know until the banquet this evening when they announce all the placements of the day’s runs. I will hear back from her this evening.
I was better but still a little weak and not wanting to do more than I absolutely had to today. The most important thing was music at Briarwood, and I decided against going to the Grange tonight for a potluck and Bluegrass group concert. We only had Gerald (guitar), me (violin), Joanie (viola), Benj (violin), and his wife, Megan (bass fiddle). It was a great success and they fed us a magnificent meal. We had Split Green Pea soup with lots of ham, and cooked around a ham hock, two kinds of very large croissants, regular and whole wheat, a Caesar salad with homemade dressing, a pasta salad, cut up tomatoes from us, and tortilla chips. For dessert, a Trifle home made by Lee. It was made in layers in a large glass circular compote (best description I can come up with). It was made in layers in a large glass circular compote (best description I can come up with). Lee’s had layers of pumpkin pudding, pecans, gingerbread crumble crust as a layer or two, whipped cream, and I’m not sure what else. It was one of the yummiest desserts I have ever had. I wish I had had my camera along. Here is a link (with a photo) to something similar:
Pumpkin-Butterscotch Gingerbread Trifle Recipe
We also had cookies a couple of types, pumpkin bread, and an excellent cherry cobbler with whipped cream, and a platter of Asian pears. No, I did not need any dinner tonight.
Finally, I got home, and later tonight, I heard from Jeri the good news from the Southern San Joaquin Valley Brittany Club trial at Spanish Ranch, New Cuyama, CA. that our Daisy had won the Blue and received her Derby points (2), and she already had 1 Derby point in an Amateur Walking event. She also has her 2 Open Puppy points, and 2 Amateur Puppy points. So, she has 4 points toward her field championship (10 points), and the other 6 required must be in adult stakes that require more specialized preparation. Dogs are not allowed to break their point or at the flush. They must “back and honor” another dog on point, if the situation arises. They must stand on a stop to flush (if a bird goes up near them). Her picture with the winning Blue Ribbon will have to wait until next week’s blog. Interestingly, that trial awarded her great, great grandmother, DC/AFC/CC Sirius Sashay (Shay), her Derby Win, in 1979, and we still use a coffee mug with Benny Gatley’s Brittany Head on one side. Remember, Daisy is the third Shay in our lines.
Finally, for this day’s entry, a lovely photo by my friend Elise in New Jersey of a Fritillary, a bee, and an ant. The ant is in front of the butterfly and shows in the left corner of the second image.
Sunday, Oct.19
Last night our local internet provider must have been doing something and the connection was either slow or giving errors. Photos would not upload at all or took minutes. We went to bed. This morning, all seems to be well again.
When John looked out to the back patio door there were several members of the local deer herd browsing on the brush. A small buck was with a couple of does and their 2014 spring fawns, now well developed. The most we have seen at one time (across the road from the end of our driveway) is 15. So, here he is:
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan