Saturday, Aug 8
For Aug 7 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 23 min with AHI=1.76 Events: 13 H, 1 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=21 L/min).
Finished and published the blog.
Temperatures made it to 91° today.
Sunday, Aug 9
For Aug 8 CPAP. Reported figures. 5 hrs 1 min with AHI=1.99. Events: 8 H, 1 CA, 1 CSR, 1 OA. No major mask leaks (max=13 L/min); oximeter on 8 hrs 20 min AHI = 1.20
Morning found us picking little tomatoes (cherry, sun gold, and yellow pear) to share with neighbors. I went alone to two neighbors while John met a friend at our gate who was delivering two large containers for tight storage away from insects and mice. Thanks, Glenn E., for retrieving them for us from a Buy Nothing site member, and especially for driving them out to our gate! They are heavy cardboard with latchable tops, and quite old (~1980s?).
John was not feeling good all day, and got his gastrointestinal symptoms back. This is not good.
I tried working on cleanup/sorting/recycling and got very little done. About 4:00 p.m., I decided I should install the download of the new Windows 10. Five hours later, I stopped it, because all it was saying was WORKING ON IT and spinning a white dot in a circle within a fancy new Windows graphic. When John did his download and install, just a few minutes along brought a screen indicating percentages of 3 processes accumulating amounts done. My download never got that far.
Finally, about 5:30, I drove 4 miles to another rural neighbor to deliver a viola for a loan to her 12-year-old grandson, who lives with her. Unfortunately, it was not large enough for him. I took along some yellow squash and tomatoes and she gave me some BNE stuff she had picked up for me, and gave me a popcorn popper for the microwave. Now I have to buy an Orville Redenbacher bottom plate to make it pop better and not stick. Only thing wrong is to get one I have to go to Fred Meyer. I never enjoy going there.
Saw (without my camera) 4 very large antlered bucks a couple miles down the road from us. One doe was with them. Guess I need to carry my camera, especially when out in the evening; although the sun was behind them and I might not have been able to get a good photo anyway. I could have gotten one of the ones on the east of the road. Our hay shed buck just has a spike on one side and a short split on the other. He’d rank last on the status chart if he traveled with the group I just saw – they have been there for months now, in that area.
Both feral cats came home for tonight’s feeding. Wasps (yellow jackets) are a problem, seemingly knowing when to appear. Real cold (it hasn’t been) or near dark are best times to avoid them. It is helpful that daylight is not so long now, and that will get shorter-faster as this month ends.
Monday, Aug 10
For Aug 9 CPAP. Reported figures. 4 hrs 20 min with AHI=0.00 Events: 0 H. No major mask leaks (max=14 L/min); oximeter on 6 hrs 11 min AHI = 0.00
Neither of us is feeling energetic. I have done a few things, more so than yesterday. Cleaning dishes, clothes, some stuff on the computer and in the den. Much more to go though.
Trying to go to bed early tonight for an early rise.
Tonight we had 3 ferals come in for dinner! We waited until dark, or nearly so, to avoid the wasps. Problem is the cats’ timing hasn’t reset from when it was cooler and the wasps weren’t so numerous and aggressive.
Tuesday, Aug 11
For Aug 10 CPAP. Reported figures. 4 hrs 40 min with AHI=0.43 Events: 2 H. No major mask leaks (max=9 L/min); oximeter on 7 hrs 34 min AHI = 0.26
Nicole Linares (BNE site member, but granddaughter of one of my buddies at the Senior Center), met me at Hearthstone today to receive the Frosty Snowman and Rudolph stocking pictured in last week’s blog. I gave her some squash too.
Gave one to Macinkos. We had a good meeting of the retired geographers and were done at 10:15 a.m. I was happy to be able to deliver to Ken Hammond, a planning document for Grant County (east of us), written in 1970, that I found in my paperwork clean-up. It was a nice bound document with pictures. He did not have a copy of it and was thrilled. His son, Stuart, a hydro engineering supervisor works at Wanapum Dam – a Grant county project. That’s the dam on the Columbia River that sustained a serious crack last year, requiring lowering the reservoir level to remove pressure and fix it. That lowering seriously affected the recreation access use above the dam, quite a ways upstream, but the good news is they fixed it under budget in a timely manner.
I came home for lunch and then went back to town for my meds, and on to Jazzercise. I tried taking it easier than last week but it still was a lot of exercise for 50 minutes. I took in 4 squash and gave each to different folks there. From there to the bank, and on by our dentist for leaving five more nice squash for the staff. They await and appreciate our contributions every summer.
Now just back with less than an hour before leaving for the 5:00 p.m. BBQ at Royal Vista, Fête #1, held to say thanks to the volunteers and families of and some of the residents. John did not feel up to going along with me. That was a great meal and good chance meeting with our family physician.
Our family physician, since 1988, is Dr. Paul Schmitt, in Cle Elum. He was there being honored as having been the Medical Physician in charge of the facility since 1975. I said hi, and he asked where John was. I told him, and he said, “Get him up to see me.” Thank God for the chance meeting. I was there because of 3 different groups I sing/play with over the years at the facility. We were invited to say thanks for our volunteer service.
Here is a photo of my longtime (since the early 2000s) friend and former student, Glenn Engels, who attended with his mom, who is also a recent member of our music group, Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, which has entertained there since the 1950s. They are closing the assisted living facility after 65 years of service to the community. The building would require too much money to renovate it to proper standards.
Glenn took this photo as a selfie, on his cell phone. It was terribly hot, over 100, and tables were placed on an asphalt parking lot, but we managed to pull ours over into the small amount of shade of the building (only available for two tables). The food was fantastic, catered with salads (fruit was the best), tri-tip, chicken, sausage and the normal hamburgers and hot dogs (I only had the first 3). For dessert, we had a quality locally made ice cream by Winegar’s, a previous dairy on the northwest side of town, whose land is now filled with large houses in subdivided pastureland. It was still operational for many years after I arrived in town, and a few students in my Economic Geography class did term projects on the operation. Over the years, starting in 1988, I was able to learn a lot about the industries, businesses, and agricultural products of our valley and across WA State. Teaching it annually to 25 people until 2006, when someone else took it over, was a rewarding and educational experience.
Wednesday, Aug 12
For Aug 11 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 30 min with AHI=0.15 Events: 1 H. No major mask leaks (max=17 L/min).
Called at opening, 8:30 a.m., Dr. Schmitt’s office, knowing he does not work on Wednesdays, but made an appt. for John tomorrow at 10:15.
Today is Food Bank Soup Kitchen. It was a sad but special day. We learned that one of our clients who loved singing along, had died of lung cancer. The director asked if we would dedicate a few songs to his memory. We did the whole program of his favorites and appropriate songs, ending with I’ll Fly Away. We sang Amazing Grace, You are My Sunshine, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Do Lord, and others for ½ hour. Many people applauded and joined in singing, and told us how much it meant to them today. It was 103° when I left the building, on my way to SAIL. I stopped off at the P.O. and the bank. The bank was to deliver squash to our favorite banker. It was too hot to get gasoline in my car. By almost 3:00, we reached the high of 105° today. I will have 35 minutes between ending music tomorrow (assuming I get back in time), and going to a 4:00 meeting regarding my experiences at the local hospital. Is this what’s called a focus group?
Thursday, Aug 13
For Aug 12 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 50 min with AHI=0.29 Events: 2 H. No major mask leaks (max=16 L/min); oximeter on 7 hrs 30 min AHI = 0.27
We are seeing Dr. Schmitt today, although John is feeling better. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks John has been sick. Although at the middle of last week he felt better for a day – and then got worse. He did not eat for about 30 hours and then started with a tin of pears – ate a piece and waited awhile. Repeat. After the consultation Dr. Schmitt said he thought John would live. Doc gave us a kit to collect a stool sample, but – not eating = no stool – so we discussed the best sorts of foods to start with and those to avoid. He had us get a 2-day supply of Ondansetron (Zofran) [reduces nausea and vomiting]. John ate a few simple things and not much of those. We got a few bananas and oranges at the store. Looking forward to tomorrow and more regular food. [Weight: we don’t know what he weighed when he got sick. Last September’s weigh-in and today’s indicated a drop of 18 pounds. He claims all the WTA trail work might have lightened him some.]
Today the fiddlers and friends played at Rehab; several people from Royal Vista have already been relocated there. I did not make it because I went with John and then back to EBRG and the grocery store and pharmacy. The timing of things today seemed just too tight and I told others of the players that I might not be able to come.
Then late afternoon, 4:00 to 5:40, I participated in a forum with 11 others about our local hospital’s perception from community members. It was an interesting experience. My favorable experiences were in contrast to a few of the people at our table. The consulting team provided refreshments and an honorarium of $25 cash at the end of the 1.5 hr discussion. Around the table, I knew five participants.
On the way home, I filled my car with gasoline for the least I have paid in awhile, $2.739 / gallon. It was 102°, but thankfully I had shade. I was ready for the temperatures to go down Friday. I also was able to go by our pharmacy and pick up John’s prescription. It was first sent to the wrong pharmacy. No clue why. We have never gone to that pharmacy in town.
Friday, Aug 14
For Aug 13 CPAP. Reported figures. 4 hrs 6 min with AHI=0.24 Events: 1 H, 1 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=13 L/min); oximeter on 4 hrs 52 min AHI = 0.21
Wow, the winds in the past 4 hours have gusted to 31, 40, 45, 48, and topped at 49 mph at 2:00 p.m., and then for the next 4 hours, at 45, 41, 41, and 44. Whoa, Nellie. Glad I am not out in it. All the flying matter and trees blowing puzzled our two resident deer. They were in the parking area just outside our front yard and watched. The sounds were diverse and quite loud too. Trees battled with the wind and won. A cardboard box lost and ended far out in the pasture. The sun guard on the back patio window lost the battle too, but later, John reinforced it and it is still standing Saturday morning (when the wind has resumed).
The Puget Sound area had 650 lightning strikes today. Thunderstorm activity was predicted here. I hope not. With this winds and dryness, we are in a serious fire danger zone. Nothing much happened locally, and we had only a few drizzles of rainfall. The winds stopped before 10:00 p.m.
Fête #2: When John thought he was getting well he brought chicken (boneless thighs) from the freezer to the refrigerator. It took about 3 days to thaw but has now been there long enough. He baked it with a bed and covering of onions. He sliced a yellow squash and breaded (with egged pancake mix) and fried that. We also had red seedless grapes. He’s going to have about 2/3 s of a normal meal (for him).
Saturday, Aug 15
For Aug 14 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 3 min with AHI=0.00 Events: none. No major mask leaks (max=7 L/min)
John made it through the night in fine shape. Today I go to Briarwood and will deliver more squash and tomatoes. This is the venue (Fête #3) who feed us afterwards.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan