Happy Birthday and Healing

Sunday, Aug 28

For Aug 27. CPAP not on until this coming Saturday because of potential-conflict with healing implant abutments protruding through gum, and my desire not to break the clots. I am continuing my Oximetry separately all week. It was good all night, with only one blip to 89%. All the rest of 8 hours displayed the majority above 90% in the mid 90s. I am capturing the graphs and reports to show my doctors. Again, the sole reason I use a CPAP machine is to elevate my SpO2 while I sleep. (Blood oxygen % saturation level to keep it flowing to my vital organs, in the 90s. My average overnight without CPAP has been averaging 92%.

Had my first non-liquid lunch, a piece of Key Lime pie completely covered with strawberries.

I cut and froze into ~> 1/2# packages all the rest of the nectarines. John made it home a little before 6:00 p.m. We are still eating peaches and they need attention.

I spent time on the computer on records this morning, after it finally came on and stayed. With our sporadic Internet connection, it is not wise to contact me wanting an answer soon on email or Facebook. Call our landline home number. If no answer, you can try my cell phone, but realize it gets NO reception at our house; however, it will accept Voicemail messages and ring a bell to alert me.

Yesterday afternoon I ordered John a replacement cell phone for his lost one. Turns out it is a nicer phone than he lost. The cost was $10.80 (originally $30) because it was returned. Not bad, with free shipping to arrive on my birthday. Nice present for me because he has driven all over the state since he lost the last one, and I am not in touch after he leaves at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. until he returns. When Mt. Rainier is the destination it is ~ 6-to-6. This will decrease my stress level considerably.

John made it home just before 5:00.

Here is a photo of John at Talapus Lake trail work today.
0-JohnTalapusLakeTrail8-28-16John has an iron bar (aka the rock bar) behind a rock that needs moved. This is a re-route of an old trail that followed a logging road from years ago. It took about 4 years of planning, layout, environmental review, paper work, and meetings to get the “go ahead” for this project. WTA volunteers will do about 15 days of work on this before fall, then continue next summer after the snow melts and the tread dries out. (3,000 ft. elevation)

Monday, Aug 29

For Aug 28. CPAP not turned on. Oximetry continued separately, however: SpO2 mostly ~92% all night, with a few blips below 88, and a low of 86.

Wrote check for David Hazlett for trimming Myst, and he completed her feet about noon. Our long-time farrier is slowing down, age, and they just paid off their 30 year mortgage. He is only doing about half the number of horses as 5 years ago. He doesn’t schedule anything after 1 P.M. anymore. He is just 65 but he, and most people that work on large animals, get various physical aliments (and injuries). John claims that those in Washington, D. C. (District of Criminals) who advocate that folks work until 70 or 72, have never actually worked.

I am pulling out of activities in order to recuperate better and had e-mails and calls to make that happen. Wednesday Noon at the Food Bank was one such thing that got cut. I plan to make it Thursday to play with the music group, and we will have an additional fiddler from my past, joining us.
I worked on a sympathy note to Amanda and Alex Taub for the loss of their dad, Jack. Amanda is a student of many years ago with a job based in Wenatchee, though they live in the pseudo-Bavarian village of Leavenworth.
Leavenworth web captureLate afternoon I received several X-rays and photographs of my procedure planning and culmination of the two dental implants for teeth #19 & 18 in my mouth. The photos must be sent in an encrypted computer file (medical record security), and it took me until the next day to figure out how to obtain them.

Because of people reading this blog who do not like to see blood, I shall not include the ones taken during the surgery, but I am happy to have them to see what I was hearing, watching, and feeling. Instead, here I will show a collage below of the results of an earlier 3D scan of my entire mouth so they would have all the details to make the correct mouth mold and take the measurements needed for doing the surgery 8/26 that I already described for you in last week’s blog.
1-CollageMoldPlanningFinaleImplants8-26-16nancyHLeft to right: (1) the ceramic mold of my teeth, with the plastic guide on the bottom teeth. (2) another view to the bottom jaw with placement. The two metal spots are holes for access of the drill to the correct spot, and they had to line up the correct angle and size of drill bit to make the hole in my bone. (3) the plastic guide out of the mouth mold showing the marks for the insertion of both places for an implant “screw.” (4) the final X-ray, shows when two implants had been screwed into the bone and the abutments for the future crown had been attached.

In the same mail, I received more photos of 3-D scans that were completed and shared with John and me before the surgery occurred. Now that it is over, I am happy I went through the process. Stitches come out this coming Tuesday. I have to wait at least 12 weeks to be sure the bone has surrounded the screw implant properly. During this implant insertion procedure, they put more of my blood platelets into the bone structure surrounding the implants to assist in the grafting process that began 5 months ago in the first surgery when they removed my old infected root canal tooth. I cannot chew on that side until the crowns are installed and that might be Jan or Feb, 2017. It’s fine; I have lots of practice.

This evening I had another large shake tonight for dinner made of Ensure, half a peach, and a heaping tablespoon of New Zealand Whey protein powder, made in Canada. Later in the week, I learned I could add 4 ounces of yogurt and make it even larger and thicker.

Tuesday, Aug 30

For Aug 29. CPAP not planning to turn on until this coming Saturday-conflict with healing implant abutments protruding through gum, and desire not to break the clots. Oximetry continued separately, however. Last night was smooth sailing all night, with only one low of 85%, Avg. low, 88%, and overall average ~ 92%

From a give on the Buy Nothing Ellensburg site, I picked up vases from Renee Moore and took her tomatoes to the parking lot behind her place of work at Argonaut Peak Physical Therapy. I found out she is Peggy Coble’s daughter, whom I know from the Food Bank. I will be using one of the vases later this week to take flowers to a friend’s 90th birthday party.

From there, I went down the street to the KVH lab, for checking my INR, post surgery. Found when I got home it was only 1.6, but I will have it checked again next Tuesday, after I go have my stitches removed. The low value was actually expected because I had been off Coumadin for 2.5 days, and only back for 2.5 tabs.

From there, I went to Hospice Friends to pick up some supplies for another 90 yr old friend. While there, I wrote a check for a donation. They provide such a wonderful service to those in need of medical supplies, without any questions of income or insurance. I borrowed a walker there when I was needing one, and donated it back when Medicare paid for a new one for me at the end of my rehabilitation stay. I borrowed a high toilet seat with handles, until I could get up on my own. I borrowed a seat for the bathtub when I could not get up and down from the tub. I recently borrowed a wooden cane for use of my physical therapy exercises for my shoulder. The organization also provides free trips for those who cannot drive, to places such as Yakima. I have never needed that service, but I have recommended several people to call there about it. Back to today. I carried in a pie plate full of cherry tomatoes with a few Early Girls included. The gal in charge lives in town but her cherry tomatoes are still all green.
We have started to get some of the small Yellow Pear type:
Yellow Pear tomatoesFrom there, I went to the senior center. I had no intention to go through Jazzercise, so close to my surgery, but I carried 3 large gladioli stems with different colored blooms: orange, red, and a beautiful variegated red & white. I should have taken a picture because I can’t find one on the web that is the same. No one had ever seen such a nifty arrangement.
The Senior Center is closing to have a place at the fair for people to rest, have snacks, and coffee, manned by volunteers from the pc-named Adult Activity Center. While there, I also picked up the instructions for helping another friend, Anne, who will be gone with her son for 2 months back east and south. I am in charge of the mail and watering the plants. A young gal, friend of their family, will be coming every other day to take care of the cat that I took care of last year.

I went by Bi-Mart to check my number and the price on Ensure, forgot to buy potato chips on sale for John that he likes, but will be able to get them Thursday (actually, any time before 9/11, and will need to go back for the sale on cat food by that date as well).

While in town, I dropped by Grocery Outlet for more pies. In addition, I came home by way of my friend’s to drop off her supplies I picked up at Hospice Friends. We had a nice little visit, and I made it home later than planned.

Once home, I ate a piece of key lime cream pie covered with half a fresh peach, peeled, and cut. Late afternoon, I had a spiked blueberry yogurt with protein powder whey filled with the other half of the peach from earlier. Protein is supposed to help me heal but is lacking in the soft food diet.

I helped fix the food for outside cats, waiting for darkness to send away the bees. I also made two calls to catch up on neighbors and my older (music) friend with whom I check every night.

John fixed his own dinner and I started working on the strawberries he picked this morning. After they were washed and drained, he came over to help me cut them. We probably had at least a quart of berries, maybe more, kept some for later, and John froze the rest. We will expand this patch of day-neutral plants next year.

Wednesday, Aug 31

For Aug 30. CPAP not turned on. Oximetry continued separately, however: Avg SpO2 was 92.1%, 3 jumps below 88%, but low was 85%, with avg low of 89.2%.

I am staying home today to recuperate. So, no food bank soup kitchen music or food (could not eat it today, anyway).

I called Clare Panattoni to see when her 90th birthday party is on Sunday. She had invited me last Thursday when we were playing music at Hearthstone. It will be 2:00 to 4:00, drop in for cake and punch. I will take Gloria (also 90), who knows Clare from our SAIL exercise class at the senior center. I will take John’s gladioli and a little tiara for her that was given to me on my birthday in 2015.

Boy, today was filled with medical issues. I am sorry I missed going to the Food Bank, but happy I stayed home to try to sort out some of this still unfinished business.

John’s phone arrived this afternoon at 3:25 in our mailbox, after starting in Portland, and going through Spokane to get to us.
Now to open, and activate, and add some phone numbers to his address book. At least he will have it for his late (near end of season) volunteer trips. He has 3 scheduled, but might add another.

Thursday, Sept 1 (My birthday!)

For Aug 31. CPAP not turned on. Oximetry continued separately, however: Several blips of SpO2 below 88, but nothing serious, and only one minimum of 82.

Awoke to many birthday wishes on email and Facebook. Actually an amazing number. They are still coming in late afternoon. My first one of the morning was an email from John:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

And this link: The Science of Color in Autumn Leaves

I received emails all day and cards came in the postal mail through Saturday.

We called and talked to Helen Burgoon in PA, John’s 91 yr old cousin who shares my birthday. She is as amazing as her 97-year old sister, Ethel, also in PA. Helen, and lots of other family, live near Bradford, PA. John says it is the coldest place in all the World. He says they couldn’t have Seals in the local zoo ’cause the seals would attract Polar Bears – if they had a zoo.

Now to eat breakfast and work on getting John’s replacement cell phone initiated for this weekend’s use.

I will go to the Rehab where I was for 7 weeks in the beginning of 2010, to play music. We should have at least eight players there.

Not doing anything for my birthday until next week, when we go to our annual fun event (harvest festival) over at the winery and vineyard where John helps prune. It will be held Friday, Sept 9, and you’ll hear more about that in next week’s blog.

On the way home, we stopped off at Joanie and Ken’s to pick up my birthday present she knitted. They are called “muffatees” and they are an authentic revolutionary war pattern, “allowing you to shoot and poop without taking your mitts off.” – Joanie further said there was a lady selling homespun wool and things she had knitted and crocheted – (hers were all real wool, to be period appropriate – yours are acrylic and machine washable). She knitted them for me last June, while attending the Pacific Primitive Rendezvous in Seneca, OR (they have a website). Last year she and her hubby, Ken, treated me on my birthday to a tuna melt and will later this year, with John, after I am back totally on a solid food diet. Here is a photo of her gift:
2-SeattleSeahawkColorsKnittedMuffateesShe used Seattle Seahawk colors, so I placed them in the photo with my special cap. It was a challenge taking left-handed with a flash that pops up on the left holding side and needing to focus and shoot while leaving my mittened right hand in the picture with my vintage Seattle Seahawks hat. I will be right in style at next year’s Sportzpalooza at the senior center. (Last year’s blog showed John and me there on Jan 29, 2015, with my hat and colors on. John wore a red/white/blue Phillies jacket, yard sale edition. Next year I’ll have him add his Bronco T shirt (free with a beer purchase, or something) and wear my Chicago Cubs baseball hat. We’ll be all decked out. [John says, explain that: “adorn” (as in deck the halls), c.1500, from M.Du. dekken “to cover,” from the same P.Gmc. root as deck (n.).]

We got home in time before the downpour to take my photo in my western attire I wore to play music. This was the first day of the Fair and everyone was in the mood. We began with the western cowboy songs we had done at the Rodeo/Fair kick off breakfast on Aug 20. Today, we had a good turnout and a lot of fun. At the end of the playtime, I started Happy Birthday in G, and the audience and players played and sang to me.

Before the photo below are some of my memories I shared with my music group after we played today:

Thanks everyone who made my birthday celebration complete yesterday, 9/1. Our afternoon at the Rehab was the best memory in my experience at that place. A few of you know the previous best time was sitting in that room in my wheelchair, barely playing and singing with the group (Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends) in 2010, and watching Charlie smile at having me back with the group. I spent 7 weeks there Jan-Feb that year learning to use ALL my muscles after they atrophied being in the ICU for 55 days leading up to, including the heart valve replacement surgery, and getting out for physical therapy and care at Rehab. Mae Opperman (now a resident there) was in the room today. She was my roommate in the room next door, when I arrived. I always called her my sunshine and inspiration for encouraging me by letting me know I would be back on my feet and able to walk again, as she was. Now, it hurts me to see her health declining.

We all (and the audience) were really on a roll and had a blast. Thanks, Minerva, Maury, Sharon, Manord, Charlie, Evie, and Trinity for making my 73rd birthday memorable. Having our fan club there was special too. Trinity, we appreciated your joining us, and hope you’ll have another chance in the future. Safe travels on your trip back from Spokane and the best wishes to your mom, Muriel (whom I have known almost 25 years from Bobbie Pearce’s Intermediate Fiddling class in Kittitas, WA at the WA Old Time Fiddler’s summer workshop).

Here I am in front of one of our Carpathian walnut trees, check the photo to the left of my hat brim for 3 walnuts (English type) still encased on the tree.
3- Sept 1-2016 Birthday 73 Nancy, Sept 1, 2016, on 73rd birthday

John made me a nice moist birthday cake tonight – lemon, filled with fresh peaches cut into small pieces. I frosted it with cream cheese frosting.
4-Collage-Nancy's73rdBirthdayCake2016Cake (Lemon/Peach) with frosting added (cream cheese)

It started raining after we got home and we hope it is over sooner than expected, before John leaves in the morning for Talapus Lake for trail work. He does not want to work all day in the rain.

Friday, Sept 2

For Sept 1. CPAP still not turned on, oximetry only: Avg SpO2 was 92.1%, 3 jumps below 88%, but low was 85%, with avg low of 89.2%

John fed two of the cats before leaving and the sun is shining. The main precipitation activity is still over near the Juan de Fuca Strait and Victoria. He has along his new backpack cover to protect from rain if it happens. He wore his new waterproof camouflage (Mossy Oak!) boots. He drops me off, goes and buys stuff, and comes back to pick me up. He’s heard the music and says he’s too young for that stuff. He and the crew were fortunate with only some sprinkles and the rain didn’t start until they were leaving the trail. About the time he got to I-90 it was raining hard and the first afternoon of a holiday weekend. The traffic was crazy slow because all the folks heading east out of Puget Sound area on 3 to 4 lanes have to choke down to 2 lanes just east of Snoqualmie Pass.

He also has his new phone, and called me from the trailhead in the morning, about 9. Today, my work is cut out for me – thanking people for my birthday greetings yesterday, and trying to get the blog ready for John to help edit tomorrow while he is back home.

I spent this morning communicating on email with Colleen (my cardiologist’s nurse at the Yakima Heart Center) about some of the protein powder supplement I have been using with the Ensure and yogurt. I was concerned about raising my potassium level because of being on a medication (Spironolact), which provides enough potassium to override the diuretic that I have to take every other day. I had been taken off potassium tablets. She assured me I was within the range in May, and didn’t really need to supplement further.

John was caught in horrible traffic on I-90 at the pass that had delayed people for an hour most of the afternoon. Get out of the lane, off, and back on I-90 seemed foolish – so he didn’t, and didn’t call. I was watching on the web cams and reading the travel alerts. Finally he called from the gas station in Ellensburg. He stopped by for ice cream and salsa so we could have nachos for supper tonight. I’m looking forward to that after getting very tired of the liquid diet.

I never got to my thank you notes for my birthday, and the messages keep arriving all day, including more cards in the mail. John’s sister Peggy called for a nice long phone conversation this morning. My Facebook account continues to have birthday wishes expressed in many ways – homemade illustrations (here’s a collage of Dave Covert’s photographs he sends one every year – with the one on the left he sent this year, but with others taken the same day (Aug 27, ’16), my mom’s birthday.
CollageDavidCovertPhotography-2016The flower on the left he sent to my Facebook account. It is a dinnerplate Hibiscus. The middle tub of birds is neat, and the one on the right is Crocus.

Others sent cute stories and memories. I think that is the best part of Facebook. I try to acknowledge all my FB friends and relatives on their birthdays too (we are notified the day of their birthday to write a note on their timeline, which means all our contacts are reminded each time someone writes). As of Saturday morning, I was up to 158 messages from all over the country and around the world (Cuzco, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (two in Nova Scotia, one a high school buddy) British Columbia, and Alberta). Gifts in different forms – for example, from my friend in Brittanys, for over 20 years, Karen Barrows, a message that her 3 yr old Brittany (lines go back to ours) won an Open Limited Gun Dog stake (19 starters) at the Oregon Brittany Club field trial in Madras, Oregon. For many years from the late 1970s, we traveled to those grounds and that trial. That win for “Cinder,” a tri-colored Brittany finished her field championship.

The first greeting of the morning on Facebook came from Anna & Paul Friesen in Wisconsin, who have two Brittanys from us, Tobie & Molly, who she reminded me would be 10 years old today, 9/2/16, a day after my birthday. I drove to Spokane to meet Paul who took them home inside the airplane with him, in 2006. They actually have had more Brittanys in their family from us, and they have passed across the rainbow bridge to happy hunting grounds there. Paul is an avid bird hunter and they are his buddies.

For memory’s sake:
CollageFriesenBrittanysTobie&MollyWithPaul&AnnaFriesenTobie & Molly (left – 2006) to adult members of the Friesen family

Saturday, Sept 3

For Sept 2 CPAP still not on. Oximetry: SpO2 avg was 91.8%. Low was 85%.

Today will be working on this blog to finish before John takes off tomorrow for Mt. Rainier.

This morning was the rodeo parade but we did not go. I watched some videos and photos of the parade on Facebook.

I hope the battery holds out on John’s new phone for the day. Yesterday, it was exhausted from being on all day and making two calls. That is one disadvantage of the phone reported by users. I’ll discourage him from taking any videos which I know are rapid eaters of battery life, and he will only turn it on when making a call, or taking a photo.

John just arrived for lunch after much work in the yard, moving a large downed cottonwood branch (no doubt from the recent high winds), cleaning up weeds around his planned loading platform (while waiting for a doe to move from her bed near the old pickup). He reported that we have very many little red and yellow tomatoes needing picked. Then he cut and buried some Burdock, Arctium minus.

Click on the little photos (if you go there) to see the larger images. Or, you can click on the pdf link. The other link to a weed management handbook did not open for me. Note this: “Marble sized burs are covered with many slender, hooked spines that gave rise to the idea for ‘Velcro’.”

I’m still working on the blog but getting ready to have my lunch of leftovers from nachos last night and tuna/egg salad from lunch yesterday. I finished with a piece of key lime pie covered with 1/2 a fresh peach.

Night found me going back to my combo of Ensure, yogurt, protein whey, and four of our yellow plums cut up for dinner, and John had a ham & cheese sandwich.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan