Sunday, July 12
For July 11 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 4 min with AHI=0.12 Events: 1 H, 1 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=6 L/min); oximeter on, 8 hrs 11 min, AHI = 0.12
We enjoyed a quiet day at home.
Monday, July 13
For July 12 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 49 min with AHI=0.59 Events: 4 H, 2 CSR, No major mask leaks (max=16 L/min.)
Off early to the Emeriti Geographers meeting at Hearthstone, with our homemade cookies, I made last night, and you saw in last week’s blog, also published on a Sunday.
I have become the self-appointed photographer for special events when the AAC staff is too busy to take photos. I delivered pictures today from the past two weeks activities, and in turn, they gave me some they took July 2, on their camera.
I worked on chores inside the house and John worked outside. Both are continuing efforts.
Tuesday, July 14
For July 13 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 32 min with AHI=0.66 Events: 5 H, 2 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=21 L/min); oximeter on, 8 hrs 25 min AHI = 0.59
What a crazy day of much waiting. We left for Subaru service, got there but had to wait to fill out the registration for a loaner car (a 2015 Forester). They were going to do an oil change and lube and we were to return about 12:30 to retrieve it. We made it to the doctor’s office 10 minutes in advance of my appointment. I filled out all the paperwork, and was told my doctor was running an hour behind schedule. First, we decided to wait and I walked to the entrance to the waiting room to call my acquaintance in Wisconsin on my cell phone. It sadly was almost out of battery, so I went back inside to talk to John about leaving to get lunch instead. We decided to go a couple of blocks to the nearest Jack in the Box. Had no coupons along, so I got a Junior Jack with value fries we shared, John got a big cheeseburger, and I used a free coupon for him for 2 tacos. We ordered with 4 people behind us. They all were served before us, and there was nothing special about our order to cause that. They finally brought it out with an apology, and asked if we would like a free drink. We thanked them, requested a Coke, and they gave us an extra large drink. We shared it for lunch, and then refilled to take back to the doctor’s office. Back there, we checked in and the woman at the front desk forgot to call back to say we were there, but by accident my doctor’s assistant came out to refill her ice water, saw us, and took us in. She was able to give me the ECG I needed and take all the other vital information.
We were with my cardiologist for 1.5 hours. He has upped the dosage on Metoprolol from 37.5 mg daily to 50 mg, to see how I do on it. I am to be on the lookout for lowered blood pressure, lowered pulse, and shortness of breath. This is a trial run to see if he can actually raise it to 75mg with it working all right for me. The significance is pharmaceutical tests for the appropriate dosage to decrease mortality. They found that 75mg worked as well as 150, but other lower dosages were not part of the testing, which somewhat annoys me.
I arranged for a dinner pickup from The Palace in Ellensburg, which gives complimentary dinners on one’s birthday and as well, for an anniversary (only one dinner). I arranged to pick it up after I played music. I pick the Chicken Alfredo because it is easily large enough for two people.
I went to Hearthstone for music with The Connections. We play the second Tuesday evening of the month, from 6:30 to 7:20.
On my way home, I stopped to pick up the meal. When I got home, John added fried red peppers, mushrooms, and cheese to our belated anniversary dinner, Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine (with garlic bread). We each took 1/4 of the tray for tonight. The next night we ate the rest, so it was a nice deal getting 4 meals from only one that cost a generous tip to the server for take-out.
Wednesday, July 15
For July 14 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 42 min with AHI=0.30 Events: 2 H. No major mask leaks (max=13 L/min); oximeter on, 8 hrs 24 min AHI = 0.24
One of life’s little mysteries. My CPAP was off for 45 min. (from just after 1:00 a.m. until just before 2:00 a.m. — with my having no memory of turning it off and on (the only way it could happen).
Something must have happened today, but I don’t have any notes. Shall squeeze some in here now 4 days later. It would have been a food bank play date. We had 4 people participating. They fed us afterwards a pasta with meatballs (but too much garlic for me), a nice green salad, cucumbers & tomatoes in vinegar (I had a few cherry tomatoes, but I cannot eat cukes), and for dessert was a very large homemade cookie with chocolate morsels, and there were many leftovers that I was able to bring home to share with John. From there to SAIL and the YOGA afterwards was cancelled until September. Normally, I go to Royal Vista and joining the accordion player/singer, Karen E., for entertaining. That’s been postponed until next week.
Thursday, July 16
For July 15 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 29 min with AHI=0.12 Events: 1 H. No major mask leaks (max=19 L/min)
I took time this morning to get a correct count for musicians for chairs. The maintenance person transfers them down the hall from their “Coca-Cola Soda Fountain break room.” Most of our players need chairs without arms. I also had to make some corrections and printouts of two songs for the players.
I managed to complete yet another letter of recommendation for financial aid for an international student to enter a university in New Zealand. Recently was the letter for admission. Now he needed another letter to a different government entity for a scholarship.
We had a good brunch, left the broiler on, but were happy to find it before leaving the house. John went with me to do some shopping, get gasoline, and then pick me up for home.
It was a good day at Dry Creek with a nice crowd and 8 players, one with a new instrument to most of us, a Q chord.
Today John brought in a box of our own little potatoes, volunteered from last year’s garden. The original planting was with potatoes that sprouted in the garage. I guess this evens things out.
Friday, July 17
For July 16 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 50 min with AHI=1.92 Events: 15 H, 6 CSR, 3 VS. No major mask leaks (max=19 L/min); oximeter on, 8 hrs 36 min AHI = 1.74
Time all today was spent with cleaning the den and kitchen, and with John working outside.
Someone wrote about the probable (someday) earthquake and massive waves (tsunami) at the Washington State coast. John says he likes her writing style. Grab a drink – it is long.
We are all doomed!
Meghan, our oldest dog (15) was having problems yesterday such that we thought she might have had a small stroke. Today, however she was much better. Here she is in her favorite resting place, on our love seat in the den, to where we had to lift her past couple of days. Now she is able to launch herself up again. She never quit eating, so that is encouraging.
Saturday, July 18
For July 17 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 7 min with AHI=0.49 Events: 3 H, 3 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=13 L/min); oximeter on, 8 hrs 44 min, AHI = 0.34
John and I did not sleep wonderfully last night. We heard all manner of noises, the worst of which was a barking dog across the creek and through the woods. The magpies and other birds were extremely noisy this morning very early, after 4:00 a.m. He managed to get his breakfast and his lunch and beverages packed and was out of here for Icicle Creek at 6:20 a.m.. He won’t be home until 6:00, so I am in charge. He could be home earlier but would miss out on an ice cream float.
I decided to set timer and switch among boxes and other things. I would move to the kitchen and back to the den, to another room, and back to the den for another box. The strategy did not work completely because I had several interrupting phone calls or emails, all medically related to/with friends of mine.
I mixed more chores of feeding cats, eating breakfast, taking off the data from my CPAP machine and oximeter, fed the dogs, loaded the dishwasher and ran it.
I decided I need to summarize something for Dr. Kumar’s visit next week, but haven’t yet decided what to present. Maybe I’ll just ask questions about what causes hypopneas and CSRs. Why does my AHI range so strangely? Very low for a long while, then a couple days of higher (still not as high as friends I share information with). I have made a few illustrative graphs to show him.
I started with the box closest to me by sorting into appropriate places. Mixed in making an AHI graph for 90 days to show Dr. Kumar. Set up oximetry data for both places on my computer. I’m also gathering change from around the house (but mostly from the box beside my chair), and putting it in another collection place. One of these days, we need to gather it altogether and take to the bank, where they have fast counters and can create rolls of each denomination. If we do that they will just open it and count it again. We did this a few years ago and that was the procedure then. The bank has been bought by a larger one, so we don’t know what will happen now.
I should have written the time I started on sifting through paperwork for recycling into a box and filing some. While working, I was off the computer and on the phone with two people … both involving medical / long-term care concerns.
I am going to have a late lunch now at 2:00 p.m. I’ve got cherry and yellow pear tomatoes that John picked last night for me, leftover Panko-fried chicken, warmed yellow squash/mushrooms, and a piece of sharp cheddar cheese.
John made it home about 5:30 and has decided to go back to the same general location tomorrow. They actually will be re-building a 13 ft. puncheon-bridge over a small tributary of Icicle Creek. We had dinner of salmon from Icicle Creek, given to us by our neighbor up the Naneum. It was very nice with no bones, around the part where the fins are. I wish I’d taken a photo of the piece in the iron skillet. So tasty, but also quite picturesque.
Sunday, July 19
For July 18 CPAP. Reported figures. 5hrs 29 min with AHI=0.00 Events: 0 H. No major mask leaks (max=9 L/min); oximeter on 6 hrs 12 min, AHI = 0.00
John left for another day on the trail, getting out of here at 6:30. He will likely call me on his trip home from Leavenworth about 4:00, when he gets reception. I got up with him at 5:00 and stayed up. I could not get comfortable when I lay back down to rest. Probably will need to take an afternoon nap. (I did for an hour).
On to finishing this blog so that it is ready for him when he arrives and after all the evening feeding chores. He already watered a bunch of things before he left this morning. It’s going to be another warm day. I’ll just stay inside and work on things around the house. It got to 99 here, and only the high 70s where he worked.
For the end of today, I will recap the Buy Nothing Ellensburg activity of the week. Actually, we will end with pictures by John and the description of his day on trail work.
I succeeded in giving away several things on the site, represented in the collage below. Now all I have to do is coordinate with people to deliver the goods, probably starting tomorrow afternoon when we drive to town to deliver about 20# of yellow squash.
Included were a container of plastic eggs, an Almond Roca container, a nice horsey Aztec jacket, and a blanket that folds into a bleachers’ seat pillow.
The real find of yesterday evening was 3 more containers of CANON printer cartridges a giveaway worth about $150 total. What happened was sad, last April when we accidentally clicked on a previously ordered set of color cartridges for the printer no longer working on our old XP machine. We had replaced with an Epson in a different room, closer to John’s new computer, and my recliner across from him & it, where I use my laptop. We should have ordered Epson not Canon. I found a person with a printer that would be able to utilize the cartridges. Once that was done, we thought we had a couple of single blacks in the backroom for the old printer; in fact, we had 3 boxes with various ones, and a complete color box as mistakenly bought. Now we had 10 cartridges to share with this person.
Above left & middle is the final giveaway. Middle & top right is the list of possible printers that could use it. To be entered in the drawing, I requested a picture of the person’s printer so I knew I was giving to someone who would use them and not turn around and sell them on one of the other websites in the county. It ended up going to a friend of one of my friends. Small world.
The trail work involved an easy hike except for carrying large planks — seen as the near-white new wood in the photos below. After 25 years of so wood structures have issues. This one had a hole in the plank and because horses are allowed, someone stuffed a large rock in that hole.
{Open these in a new window for a large view.}
The railings (bull rails) were shot, and so got replaced with new yellow cedar.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan