Feels like …

… Still not 100% but heading there
… Fall has come
… the rain won’t stop
fill in your own feels like

Monday, Oct 24

For Oct 23 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.68. Events: 3 CSR, 6H, 10 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 47 min with (max= 19 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 one blip to low 86, only 10 below 88 with avg., 90.9% (lower than should be because Oximeter recorded a spurious low of 61 that doesn’t show on the graphs. Must have been when moving off the system. No clue.

Yesterday, we posted our weekly blog late afternoon.

Today, I’m staying home one more day before I hit the ground running.

I am still working on reviewing the thesis.

Got a call in for Brad & Burke to service our Trane Heat Pump. (they will schedule us in, in the next few days). Kelly will call today. She called about noon and we set up 10:00 a.m. next Wed. Now we have to clean a path to the air-handler in our den. It’s the first room after the entryway, and where we drop everything that gets carried in, or the resting place for things that need carried out.

John fixed a nice breakfast (sausage, hash browns, egg, and toast).
I spent too much time on too many projects the rest of the afternoon and until 11:30 tonight. We took time to have lunch leftovers from yesterday.

Tuesday, Oct 25

For Oct 24 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 1.27. Events: 1 CSR, 7 H, 4 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 31 min with (max= 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 blip to low 82, with avg., 90.5%. Lowering on CPAP, but more so off CPAP.

Wow..it’s been 10 days since I left the house and drove to town.

We left today at 12:30 and didn’t get home until 4:00 p.m. Too long a day for not feeling well, even though I’m better than I have been. First stop was to a CWU acquaintance for 3 boxes of his red delicious apples. We had a longer visit than originally intended, but we enjoyed it. Barney’s solution to exercise cramps is a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of cold water, as soon as the pain happens. John sometimes gets cramps after being in the car for 2 hours after being on a day-long work trip in the mountains. I’ll have to be ready when John drives in the driveway, and he’ll need to warn me from down the road he’s nearing. [John says: This, and other suggestions, has very little credibility from medical, chemical, or mental research and may unbalance one’s electrolytes. There are many such suggestions and sometimes the explanation for the effect varies. What’s yours?]

From there we went to the hospital just two blocks from his house for my blood draw. I had to wait longer than normal for them to locate the standing order in the paper filing system (for my INR to check my blood for planning the dosage)… ??? why the delay ??? It’s been there for the entire year, is renewed annually, and I have gone there now for six years. Personally, John and I think it should be in the medical records on their computer able to be brought up immediately. What a horrid way to do medical business, in a hospital, no less.

Trip included Bi-Mart for Fisherman’s Friend and Ricola cough drops, Anne’s for mail pickup plus taking sorted mail to her sofa, and watering plants. Someone else is doing the cat chores this year.

They did finally take my blood draw, and we left for the Adult Activity Center. It was just to deliver two boxes of apples: one of Galas and Honeycrisp and one of Red Delicious we’d just gotten. We’ll keep the rest for our use, likely for making applesauce (nice red colored). I did not stay for Jazzercise at the recommendation of my teacher. We did ask if they could use a large pumpkin with cutting and decoration materials packet, and they would love it. We returned to Anne’s house to take an offering off her front porch to donate to the AAC for their Halloween Party on Friday. It had been put on her porch by a local realtor, Coldwell Banker, as a Happy Halloween gift and request for considering using or recommending their realtor business help in the future. I should have photographed it. It was probably at least a 20# pumpkin. I first contacted the two lady donators (the Clerfs) and asked them to come retrieve it for someone else, but when they said they might not have time, I asked if I could donate it to the senior center.

We stopped at Hospice Friends to pick up pads for a friend (I get them every other month for 2 people) and a few Ensure drinks for me to mix with yogurt, when I’m not up to eating a meal. It’s a nice community offering and well worth my occasional monetary donations (not required). If anyone needs a medical equipment, they can borrow it or have it. For example, when I had a large-wheeled walker, I donated it back to them for them to loan out. They also provide transportation as far as Yakima for people in need of doctor visits.

We stopped by Safeway for my Telemisartan med, where I can pay cash, not use my insurance, and get it for 1/3 the cost it would be from my own pharmacy (after insurance). However, I was supposed to get 90, but for some reason they were only sent one bottle (30). They reordered and said I could get them tomorrow at 1:00. Wrong. They weren’t in until the weekend!

Have I mentioned my displeasure with the medical care system and costs? We just found out our monthly cost for Group Health (supplemental to Medicare) is going up in 2017 by $90/month.

We had a nice encounter at Grocery outlet on our way home, meeting an EMT teacher at CWU in the waiting line (J E Pierce). He and John visited and exchanged information about John’s wish for better medical training than one gets in the Red Cross First Aid class. We need to follow-up on that opportunity. Found out he knows and worked with our friend, Jeff Sandman, in the Fire Department on the west side.

On our way home, we stopped for a free donation of a bag of English-type walnuts from an acquaintance. John has dried them (a large cookie sheet full) and we will have some to add to our cooking with the ones we got from our own trees this year.

Came home to a report from the Coumadin Clinic Nurse in Cle Elum that my INR was exceptionally high, 4.6. That’s the highest I have had in 6 years. We went through all sorts of questions. I knew that alcohol would increase it, and I have not had a drop. We later found out that diarrhea increases an INR reading, and that has been associated with the bug that invaded my system. So anytime the reading is high or low there is an adjustment in dosage needed and then another test. If the INR is in the correct range, then the tests are less frequent and my arm/vein has time to heal.

Wednesday, Oct 26

For Oct 25 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.35. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 2 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 46 min with (max= 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 only 2 blips below 88, but removing oximeter caused a spurious low of 62 that messed up the avg., 91.3%.

John roasted a pork tenderloin to take to a 5:00 p.m. Kittitas potluck/practice session of our music group. He also cooked a pan full of red delicious apples halved with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in the middle along with two pecan halves. Boy, they were scrumptious with the pork roast. Others brought food, and it was all good.

I finished the notes about the upcoming Thursday night meeting on the Manastash Trails and sent to Alan (WTA) and Bill (a WTA volunteer, here in EBRG). Alan and John went to the meeting, but Bill had a conflict. John and I have a conflict with the next meeting, planned for December 1.

We enjoyed the Wednesday night at Evie’s house in Kittitas. John and I took separate cars so I could stay for 2 hours for the music practice session. We made good progress on fixing timing problems, some notes, and I actually was able to change the key on one problematic song with tough chords for the guitars.

Amy brought a bunch of cut up Nanaimo Bars she made. Oh how rich and wonderful.
nanaimo-bars
Nanaimo_bar

Nanaimo, a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, claims this treat originated in Nanaimo. Where else? However, the cocoa, almonds, and coconut in the list of ingredients could lead one to think the residents are too full of themselves.
I only had one small piece but I could/should have eaten more. I halved one of John’s already halved apples to share with John, had a slight bit of Crockpot ham & beans, slaw, passed on the melon, had some rice and chicken casserole, and a fantastic Artichoke dip with long chips.

Tonight, we learned of a cougar sighting on Thomas Rd ½-mile from us (closer through the woods). It was posted on Facebook, and someone who knows where I live tagged me. I called or notified as many as I knew, including Frank Bacon (whose family, parents, and brother Andy live by the Leather/saddle Shop). They had not been notified.

This was the message: “Angela saw a cougar on Thomas Rd near Don’s Leather this evening. Share if you know people in the area.” The person writing (her husband) and she live at the west end of the road, which is near Wilson Cr. road. At the luncheon I attended this Friday, someone told me about another sighting on Wilson Cr. Road. All know, or should know, that the Cougars are in this area. Reported sightings are not common. They see more of us than we of them.

Thursday, Oct 27

For Oct 26 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.43. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 1 PP, 1 RERA. Time on 4 hrs 38 min with (max= 9 L/min). Continued resting for 4 more hours without recorders. Oximetry for: SpO2 to low 87, 5 times, avg., 91.9%.

Today, I ran off copies of the new key for “In My Merry Oldsmobile” music and took with me to the five people who were able to be there today. We had a nice time with the folks there. I’m sorry I didn’t have my camera. Our little mascot, 3.5 yr old Haley, was there all dressed up as an evil witch, but she handed out candy from a black bucket. They love her. Amy was kind enough to send me a photo of her in her costume near their house. I cropped it to share here.
0-haleyin2016costumewithpotHaley with her pot of goodies. Looks like a sweet witch, not an evil queen.

Friday, Oct 28

For Oct 27 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.00. Events: 2 RERA. Time on 2 hrs 32 min with (max= 10 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 blip to low 83 (spurious at end), several below 88 even on CPAP with avg., 90.2%.

I went first for an INR, following up on the very high one recorded on Tuesday. Today it was back down, to 2.1, but I have to return next Thursday for a retest. Then I was off for a scholarship luncheon – chili, cornbread, salad, and apple pie. From there I went in my pumpkin garb to an Oktoberfest Spooktacular party at the AAC. I missed the lunch there, but heard mine at school was better. I got there late for games, but I managed to win enough play $$s to be able to bid for gifts donated by the community businesses. I succeeded in getting a couple of things we really don’t need.

Here are some photos from the afternoon.
1-aac-10-28-16halloweenspooktacular-nancyonhaybaleI guess I should have held the sign on my other side, and higher!
2-collageauctionwinsnancyLeft, my first win of the day, camouflage gloves in a Knudson Lumber coffee mug. Right, the last win of the day at 2:00 p.m., a matching coffee mug with candy. I’m sitting in front of Frank, who back in 2010 had a stroke, and we were together in physical therapy at the local Rehabilitation Center (acute care home).

Saturday, October 29

For Oct 28 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 2.17. Events: 9 H, 5 RERA. Time on 4 hrs 9 min with (max=13 L/min). I was miserable and the machine was causing me to cough. I removed it and slept for 4 more hrs. Oximetry: SpO2 spurious blip to 62 throwing off avgs., with overall avg., 92.1%, and overall looks good with only 2 below 88, low of 87.

I went to Ada Perry’s 90th birthday celebration at Briarwood, taking Gloria Swanson along with me. We also ran errands.
3-90thbirthdaypartyforadaperrymomofmichaelbuchananBoth out of focus because people don’t push the button half way down to focus before taking, and I did not have the flash turned on, which really helps in low light. Left photo: Ada, Nancy, and Gloria (Gloria will be 91 on Veterans’ Day). Right: Michael Buchanan, Ada’s son, who was my student in two classes in 1993. He invited me to the party, and is always complimentary about my being the best teacher he had. He went on to be a successful urban planner and now is a software developer / engineer. Gloria and I knew Ada from our SAIL exercise class at the AAC. He and Norma came over to Briarwood to visit a year or so ago on a 3rd Saturday of the month, when our music group goes there to entertain. Imagine my surprise, when I saw him in the audience. I said something such as, “I know you!” I never knew until then that Ada was his mom. Small world.

Michael’s wife, Norma, made a huge frosted carrot cake (the yummiest I have ever had), and brought it over from Moses Lake to the Open House at Briarwood (went from 1:00 to 4:00), with all the large family coming in for the celebration from as far away as Texas.
4-lovelycarrotcakebynormabuchananinritpixHere is the cake & raspberry punchbowl. On the right is Norma. I guess I should have used a flash, because I took these photos and cannot blame anyone else for their being out of focus.

Finally, while there, I sat and visited with Katie Patterson, one of the Briarwood residents, who always is at our music Saturday there. She was admiring my shirt, and went out to her car and brought me back a ceramic pumpkin for my neck and gave it to me. It was meant to be part of a wind chime. She teaches ceramics at Briarwood. Here is a collage of the gift. I will enjoy it next year when I get all dolled up for my Halloween gigs.
5-collageceramicpumpkinggiftfromkatiepattersonbriarwoodOn the bar stool seat, left, it lacks scale. On a standard sized paper napkin, right, its size is better shown.

Sunday, Oct 30

For Oct 29 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.16. Events: 1 H, 11 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 12 min with (max= 20 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 spurious report low 54, but I don’t see it on the graph produced. Low avg. < 88% is 86.5%, but I see only 2 blips to 85, with avg., 91.3%. I have no clue about the report. I took off both machines at 6:00 a.m. and slept another couple hours.

John has been winterizing and trying to complete a few lingering projects, but came in for a snack for lunch. It was probably not the most nutritious, but it hit the spot. We each had two oatmeal/chocolate chip granola bars. We both agreed we like Snickers bars better. One cat got fed early, and Sue just appeared for a late breakfast. We haven’t seen Woody yet. Now we’ve had Woody come back and Sue is here too at 4:20 p.m.

I have continued with dishes and working on the blog, and will switch to reviewing the last chapter of the thesis soon; well, I may file first and thereby clean up a mess or two before the heat pump repairman on Wednesday.

Today, after 2 weeks of cold symptoms not including a runny nose, it started today, early morning and has bothered me all day, with sneezing.

Finally, some 2016 Halloween Humor for tomorrow’s special day.
6-collagehalloweenhumor2016

Left comes to me from my cousin who lives on Sullivan’s Island, SC of a lawn display there this year. Right comes from our friend, Tanya Myers, on the other side of our valley, of Zombie Fingers she made for son Michael to eat. Recipe is from the food.com network, but she added red coloring to the almond fingernails and fingers. She says they are quite tasty.

Supper was good: chicken, coconut shrimp, and baked apples. Last night we had butternut squash as a side.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan