Monday, May 30
For May 29 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 4 hrs 55 min with AHI=3.05. Events: 6 CSR, 14 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 13 L/min).
Changed back to the old mask and it did not seem to affect the high AHI. Oximetry was OK and that is really the only reason I am on the CPAP machine.
Morning came with sunshine and no winds. Three cats were on the front porch awaiting food. One is a new stray, and we do not know the gender. It appears to have 3 colors, so possibly is a female, yet our Mackerel tabby male, Rascal, also has 3 colors.
With no notes, I don’t remember what we did all day before afternoon arrived.
Around 4:00 Anne and Glenn Engels arrived for some pallets for “raised” garden beds. At 5:00, they left with four. She hadn’t decided on a design and, thus, we await the completion of whatever.
My upper body is aching–shoulders and upper arms, from attempts at physical therapy exercises.
Nice casserole for supper. John’s the best chef in the west (probably the world). [John: I cook. I don’t chef.]
Spun wheels all day doing chores and finishing few. We did get out the blog, so I guess that is significant.
During WTA’s recent training days, Anna Roth (orange hat – assistant crew leader) visited the various and widely spread work sites. She took photos, a few of which are below. These are from 12 miles east of North Bend, WA on a trail called the CCC trail. Link
A: Gear ready for carrying. Saw teeth are covered to protect them – and the person doing the carrying.
B:Rick found a log, Doug’s got the saw – now with handles. Someone said something funny. Directive #2 of WTA is to have fun.
C: Safety is Directive #1. John, with a small saw, is cutting stubs of limbs off the log. When the cut piece drops these broken limbs can dig into the ground, break and fly off, or if the log rolls they can catch on something and change its direction of motion. None of these are good.
D: The “D” is on the left arm of our chief sawyer for the day. He is explaining the technique of “under bucking” a log that will pinch in on the top (note the notch). Knowing the log has “top bind” that will stop the saw, the majority of the cut will be finished from the underside, and the cut will open and allow free movement of the saw in the kerf. Thus, we are under-bucking. [Below the sign-out for this post, John has a bit about the term bucking.]
Tuesday, May 31
For May 30 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 10 min with AHI=1.14. Events: 0 CSR, 7 H, 19 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 13 L/min).
Oximetry: just fine.
At 1:00, I had a physical therapist appointment and got worked over pretty well. My friend Joanie says PT stands for Physical Torture. I totally agree. I know – no pain, no gain, but it is going to be a long trip to avoid the shoulder surgery and fix the adhesions. I will try hard. (It has been very difficult; I am writing this parenthetical comment late in the week). I went to Jazzercise directly from there, and I probably will not do that again. On future Tuesdays, I am going to PT after Jazzercise, so maybe I will be warmed up, or maybe that will not work either. I only have two Jazzercise days in June and then our teacher is gone for a month on a trip to Europe. Today’s was a wait-listed appointment, so I didn’t have a choice in the timing, as it was the only thing available this week, and I’m supposed to go be manipulated twice a week for 45-minute sessions. The first 10 minutes of my time was spent on a recumbent bicycle that pulled my arms up and out and back as I pushed the pedals. The left arm support was set different from the right. I think I averaged 32 steps, but did not understand the gauges, what they were measuring, and what my goal, if any, was.
2:00 Jazzercise. While doing Jazzercise (only two of us there), a gal who lives in Kittitas near a house we almost bought in 1989 (and I’m glad we didn’t), brought a load of baby things to me for my growing gently used clothing, blankets, etc. for baby showers I have to attend. (One couple asked for gently used baby stuff). Majority of this received today consists from newborn socks to hats, little shoes and boots, dresses, bibs, with blankets and changing or smaller ones for burp pads (I guess). Most of these are for baby girls. I have another bunch meant for boys. So, now I have to figure how to present it – wrapped, bagged, boxed or what. I was also given some gift bags, but I have more things than will fit even in a very large gift bag. I am leaning toward using a large plastic container with a lid. We’ve checked for a few of these items on the web and discovered that cats, dogs, and horses are cheaper to keep and care for than kids. Later in the week, at a Geography party, we saw a baby tent – on Amazon they are $90.
I drove to Kittitas to pick up some other things; one a package of little boy’s shoes for a gal on the Buy Nothing site who is my neighbor. We both are 10 miles away from the source. I went to another place but she forgot it was Tuesday, the planned day of pickup, so I will go again Thursday, when I also have to meet another person to whom I need to deliver some stuff, and to pick up from another. I picked up two hooded bath towels (on the hood, one has a cat and the other has a dog). What will they think of next? Here’s a photo for those of you who have no clue (as I). These seem to cost from $10 to $20.
Wednesday, June 1
For May 31 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 5 hrs 42 min with AHI=1.05. Events: 0 CSR, 6 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 16 L/min).
Oximetry: Looks okay, except for jags when changing fingers on Oximeter.
I left before 11:00 to pick up Gloria, and on my way, I stopped around the corner from her house to call my foot doctor’s assistant in Yakima about the medication that was ordered from a lab in Texas for me March 15 but never delivered. I have called the doctor’s office a couple of times, to no avail. I was supposed to receive it and start application of the cream daily for 3 months to kill a bacteria and fungus determined by a DNA test on a piece of my toenail.
This morning, I reached Brittany, Dr. Cardon’s medical assistant, who gave me a phone number to call tomorrow morning to give my permission to receive the shipment and to verify my address. Why did this procedure take so long? The medical assistant claims the lab is supposed to call me for the information, but I was never called, and no message was left for me to call their number.
I picked up Gloria and we went to the Food Bank for music.
I intended to drop off a seed packet at the courthouse for a friend from Thorp, but she was not at work today because of being ill.
After we finished at the food bank, we went to SAIL exercise. We only had a few people there today, maybe 7. From there we went to the hospital for me to get blood drawn for my INR. It was back to normal. I imagine all my asparagus (high in Vitamin K) eating a couple weeks ago, lowered it. The garden still yields and John took some for lunch on a WTA trip.
John worked on outside projects all day. We both took 1.5 hr naps this afternoon. I was still wiped out from yesterday’s PT.
John has been harvesting strawberries daily. At the moment we can eat all he gets but the crop is about ready to expand exponentially as serious sunshine and warmth approach. This link is worth checking. Too bad all these strawberries are being wasted in Arlington, WA.
Thursday, June 2
For June 1 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on was only 2 hrs 59 min with AHI=1.00. Events: 0 CSR, 3 H, 4 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 17 L/min). I looked at the clock when I awoke, thought it was 4:00 but it was 1:45! Needed to go to the bathroom, so unhooked my CPAP, and when I realized the actual time, I did not set it back up again. I was in pain all night and morning. I waited until 5:54 to take Tylenol. Oximetry: all right for the short time it was on.
This morning, I phoned a pharmacist (Rob) at the lab in Texas, named Trinity Pharmacy (844 213 5670). I must have the answer before noon tomorrow, or I will cancel until I hear from Cardiologist Kim about the possible conflict with my medications. After finding my cardiologist is not in the office today or tomorrow, but is with his critical patient in the ICU, I put the request on hold until I hear next week from him. He is also the ICU’s hospitalist the entire week.
The Texas lab, using DNA analysis, creates the compound produced to eradicate the specific bacteria and fungus on my toenails. I have to apply it daily for 3 months.
I need to know before I pay $65 for it if it conflicts with my meds and heart situation. The Compound required for me will be made of an Antifungal, Traconazole and an Antibiotic, Vancomycin that are put into DMSO for making it a liquid to apply as fingernail polish.
My insurance does not cover the cost of compounds, and this bottle lasts for only 2 months. I am required by Dr. Cardon to apply daily for 3 months. While it’s similar to a nail polish, it is supposed to be applied to the skin (½ in. or so) near the cuticle as well as the nail, and I was warned it would stain the area, brown.
It was to have been shipped FedEx from Trinity Pharmaceutical Labs in Texas. This was diagnosed March 15 but now I just found out, the Dr.’s office has not been communicating with the correct FAX number. [John: Why is a medical facility still using facsimile technology, or FAX? The idea was first used in 1843 and the modern version in 1924.]
Turns out medical assistant, Brittany, at Cascade Foot and Ankle there in Yakima must have called after my call to her, yesterday, to check, because they only received the FAX request after my phone call to her. Again, why this never happened with my other three previous inquiries is beyond me.
John took me to the Rehab for music, went to fill his car with gas for tomorrow’s trip to Mt. Rainier and do some shopping. Besides his time, we surely do donate a lot of gasoline costs and Subaru wear and tear. Too bad that is not a tax-deductible expense. But he gets to muck around in the White River and do things that would get the average visitor arrested.
We had 7 people providing music at the nursing facility, and John came back to help me out with my stuff. We managed to make it to three stops in Kittitas, with John driving. I delivered a bag of clothes to a thrift shop, unexpectedly met a friend and her children out front, picked up baby things from two different people, so it was a successful trip.
Friday, June 3
For Jun 2 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 41 min with AHI=0.00. Events: 1 CSR, 0 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 7 L/min).
Oximetry: excellent.
My haircut at 11:00 today was cancelled for emergency medical reasons, unfortunately after I had showered, cleaned my hair, and dressed for the trip.
John spent the day at the base of Mt. Rainier. On his way over he saw a beautiful view of the mountain with an interesting cloud, but he didn’t have his camera. He tried using the camera on his cell phone, but it did not get the whole scene in the frame. We looked at it when he got home. The next day, posted on Facebook, I saw a photo taken today of the mountain with the lenticular cloud. The photographer, my friend, has just moved from Ellensburg to rural Puyallup, WA. I captured it for John to see and got her permission to publish it here. John’s view was from the East, looking west, and the cloud was bigger and mushroom shaped. Tendrils of cloud were streaming down the outer edge.
The picture below is from Google Earth, centered on the White River, but with North to the right. Coordinates: 46.901042, -121.642552 Zoom in and out to see where this is – about 6.5 miles from the peak and 57 miles from home, but twice that far by road. There is an S (south), an M (middle), and on the right side an N (north). These mark log bridges for hikers on the Wonderland Trail. About every 3 to 5 years the logs get moved or smashed by the river, or the water channels move and leave a dry place under the log – and a new channel with no crossing.
The logs are usually 50 to 60 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds. These all have posts and hand rails. The image below (from the web) is similar to what one will find on many trails. The log and railings are (when available) de-barked Yellow Cedar because it is slow to deteriorate compared to other trees, such as a Fir. Now for the truth: John spent all but an hour of his work time in the nearby forest (shady), and not more than 200 feet from the parking area.
Saturday, June 4
For June 3 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 5 hrs 11 min with AHI=3.28. Events: 3 CSR, 17 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 16 L/min).
Oximetry: surprisingly fine.
John’s off Saturday to Cowiche Canyon getting to Ellensburg to ride with a co-worker, leaving at 7:30a.m. Bill Weir is an Orange Hat too (Assistant Crew Leader).
Lisa Black (right) was the crew leader; John, as one of the assistant crew leaders, explained the use of the McLeod tool – a large rake & hoe.
Betsy Bloomfield, one of my former students at CWU in the 1990s in the Resource Management graduate program is now the Executive Director of the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy. She was along on the work party as well. Ed Stover was along for the WTA trip, and he took most of the pictures shown, but then Lisa grabbed a photo of Ed with Betsy and Becky. The flowering shrub in the center photo is a Mock Orange native Mock Orange, Philadelphus lewisii.
John made it home in time to get cleaned up a little for going to the End of the Year Geography Awards and Potluck about 10 miles from our home.
We carried a frosted cake, cookies, and donut holes for the dessert table, not recalling they had invested in a cake for the graduating students last year. Again, this year was a beautiful half-chocolate and half-white cake with the initials of all the graduating geography majors and minors and resource management folks.
The graduates are from several undergraduate (BA, BS) degree programs and an MS in the graduate Cultural and Environmental Resource Management program.
John and I donate money for two student scholarships each year to honor “distinguished service” to the department, university, and community.
Here is a video I took of this year’s presentation of our award.
Hultquist Geography Award for Distinguished Service 2016
https://youtu.be/mMW6xu_1Y-A
Sunday, May 29
For May 28 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 5 hrs 52 min with AHI=1.54. Events: 2 CSR, 9 H, 13 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 13 L/min).
Oximetry: good all night.
John did a bunch of early morning watering before the temperature went up. Now at 3:00 p.m. it is 98. He has been napping and I have been working on various projects, not the least of which is putting in medications for the week, alternately working on the blog, uploading videos from yesterday’s party, cleaning strawberries and dishes, working on the job announcement s list I manage, trying to do shoulder-breaking exercises every 3 hours for my shoulder’s adhesive capsulitis, amid the painfulness. I haven’t succeeded well today. It is still 98 outside but thankfully only 77 in our house.
We just celebrated with a piece of leftover cake from yesterday’s party. John got a nice nap, but I slept in a little this morning.
We intend to go grocery shopping later when it cools down.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan
Crosscut saw bucking
If you have a better idea about the term “bucking” – let us know.
The term for cutting a log into pieces is “bucking.”
Searching for the source (etymology) of this usage has turned up a gaggle of misdirections, or so I think. However, here’s my best guess.
There is a word in Dutch that can mean trestle, namely bok.
Look at the photo, below, and focus on the thing that holds the piece of tree trunk, let’s call it a sawhorse.
That structure looks a lot like a trestle, thus, bok (Dutch), and thus buck (in English). Heating homes or other buildings in eastern North America (think Maine to Pennsylvania) during the settlement period involved the felling and cutting (across the trunk or grain) of a gazillion logs. Cutting a log laying on the ground is awkward and tiring, not to mention the issue of the teeth of the saw getting dulled by hitting soil or rocks.
Putting the log up on something is a really smart thought. A leap of linguistic imagination could swiftly lead from bok to boking, and then, bucking. Consider a man saying to his sons, “Boys, let’s go out and lift logs onto the trestle and cut them logs across into lengths suitable for the fireplace.” Probably that is not what the old man would say. But, he might say, “Boys, let’s go buck some logs.”
Works for me. Dry Side John, June 2016.
[sawhorse is found in American usage in 1778; bok in the sense here from 1817. Both were likely used much earlier.]