I'm trying to be good

by wearing slippers instead of going barefoot in the house tonight. I mentioned the plantar fasciitis as an impediment to walking more/losing weight to my sleep doctor. He reiterated what a podiatrist had told me in the past, to not go barefoot, but he explained just how much damage is done to the fascia of the foot when a person does go barefoot, suggested I use slippers at home, especially on hard floors, and even use flip-flops in the shower. So even though I hate shoes on my feet and find slippers to be hot, I'm walking around with cushiony baby blue terry cloth slippers I got somewhere years ago, and they do seem to be helping.

My appointment went well, except I registered, got up there, and realised I'd left the CPAP machine in the trunk of my car, so I had to go back down and across a large parking lot to get it. I'm using it about 10 hours a day on average, which he said was very good. I do need to lose some more weight of course, and could go off the machine completely if I can. In the meantime, he's going to put in an order for new supplies (hoses, nasal pillows, etc.)

At work they were giving away some used children's books, and I found an old one that brought instant memories of my childhood to mind. It's called Georgie and the Robbers:



There's a whole series of Georgie books. This one is from 1963 and is darling. There's a little scribble on the cover and the name 'Sara' inside, but otherwise it's in good shape.

After work I went and got my allergy shot, then turned a book in to the library (it's right next door to my allergist) and got some more books to take home. I'm going over to YKWIA's and watch 'iZombie' with him later tonight, but I came home to get some food and work on some things. I have a lead on another job to apply for, with a closing date of Sunday (weird timing, hmmm?) I've been listening to the radio and eating. Time to do something else. Good night if I don't write any more tonight.

Getting ready to try my new CPAP machine and see if I can sleep with it

I did put it together earlier after unpacking it and it's super quiet and the masque fits ever so much better than my old one with the did. The old one required a chin strap to keep it stable, and as a result, moved around when that loosened. This new-fangled machine replaces my fifteen-year-old one, which will now be a back up just in case (and will go to live in the trunk of the car in case I get stranded anywhere over the winter, along with the air mattress and foot pump). Features of this one that are nifty are as follows. It:

1. is smaller than my old one, which rather looked like a 70s hair dryer, but heavy enough not to move around and generally seems well-made
2. has a chip that keeps data on it for some time that can be used by the doctors to determine if it's working well
3. starts at a minimum pressure that my old machine has, but can automatically adjust up to a higher pressure after sensing a need for it, which can help with some of the daytime sleepiness I've had
4. has an internal humidifier that nevertheless can disconnect from the other part of the machine in case I want to run it without the water
5. has a humidifier cartridge that easily comes apart for cleaning, something that was a real problem with the one that attached to my old machine, as the container did not come apart on that one, and so you just had to swish the water around
6. has programmable menus
7. is easy to adjust the dial for the humidifier also acts as a big button to turn on
8. actually senses if you put the masque on and starts it without you having to hit the button
9. has a filter that can be rinsed instead of having to order more
10. has headgear that doesn't need a chin strap, is easily adjustable, and has soft cushions to go over he silicon straps, which hopefully means no more lines on my face in the morning

Thank you, my insurance company, for buying this machine when I would not otherwise be able to afford it. Also, I talked to the specialist at the medical supply company and if, in the future, I do not have health insurance (such as after the library gig is over in a couple of years), there are charity programmes that help patients without insurance get supplies and machines, which is important, as it could very well save a life. I knew someone who died due to sleep apnea, and it was very sad that it might have been preventable. Sleep apnea can cause many problems, from damage to the heart to poor work performance to early death. Hopefully this machine will help me stay healthy.

By the way

I'm good to go for another year in terms of the sleep apnea. The results of the study had me having nearly 30 arousals per hour (doesn't that sound sexy?) on the lower ramping settings (including where my machine had been on 11), and then from 15-20 it improved. So they have me at the minimum setting for improvement, and if I continue having sleepiness not caused by my lack of sleep becasue of all these various busy projects, then I'm to call back and they'll adjust it again. Also, if my machine quits I'm to call and they'll put in an order for a newer self-adjusting machine.

By the way, have I ever mentioned that my favourite form of empty calories is Magic Shell ice cream topping? I know it's mostly oil, but I love the whole freezing topping thing, especially chocolate fudge over German chocolate cake ice cream. 'Night.

I didn't blog last night because

I did errands after work and then went straight to my sleep study at St Joseph East. I had to be there by 8 pm although they didn't hook me up to all the electrodes until about 10, so I got to watch CSI and Forensic Files for awhile. (I don't have cable, so it was a special treat.) I was afraid I'd fall asleep before they hooked me up--I'd been sleepy when I got there and had not taken a nap; then of course I was already comfy in my sleepshirt and was a little cold so went ahead and got in the bed. But I managed to stick it out.

The worst thing about a sleep study is the goop they put in your hair to get the electrodes on your head. It took two shampooings this morning and I still had bits of it in my hair today.

The other thing is sleeping with all the wires. And I hadn't slept in a bed since I got my new masque (I was waiting for the humidifier that came the day before yesterday; I'd been sleeping in a recliner when my masque and hose were so leaky.) Since I sleep sort of half on my side and half on my stomach, this can be a problem. But I don't think it would have been without the wires limiting my movement a little. I lost one electrode at the beginning and they had to snap it back on my leg. I also apparently had my masque come off in the middle of the night. I woke to dim lights on and someone looming over me, adjusting my masque. She like to scared the bejeesus out of me. I woke up really stiff, but when I went home (at about 6 am) I went to the recliner for a couple of hours before work and that helped. Then, of course, I had a normal 10-hour shift to do plus two hours' worth of notes. Whew!

Tonight I've made up the bed and am going to go back to sleeping in it. I think Cerys is happy. She settled down as soon as I put the sheets on the bed. And since I have to be there to get ready for the game at 8 am tomorrow, I think I'll head there now. Goodnight.

PS June 15th was the sixteenth anniversary of the Biggest Mistake of my life. So glad I got away without too much baggage. But hey, the honeymoon was fun. Where else can you experience raging thunderstorms that nearly blow away your camp, strange men trying to read their watches with lightning buts whilst carrying a big sword waiting for a cab, nearly being squashed by a semi, incursions by the KKK, and a circle of your friends chanting 'Lisa's got to pee' in front of a Georgia State Trooper? Good times.

Today I got to sleep in

because I was off work at the hospital so I could go to the sleep centre over at Eagle Creek and make an 11:30 appointment, my best shot at getting one rather than waiting awhile. I need a new masque for my CPAP but especially a new hose, as my other snapped in two and is only being held together with packing tape at the moment. I met my new doctor, who seems quite competent and nice. He set me up with orders for the masque, hose, filters, and a humidifier that hooks up to the machine. I've been on the same machine for five years now; it's probably near the end of its life, but we'll wait to replace it until it starts to go. The only thing is since the masque needs to be fitted, it would be best to wait until my cold is over. I'm feeling much better today (I found some meds that worked), so I'm hoping Monday would be good. In the meantime, I'm sleeping in the recliner.

As to the afternoon sleepiness I'm having, he doesn't think it's related to blood sugar because it's happening every day. So we're going to do a sleep study on June 15th to see if my machine needs to be recalibrated to a higher pressure.

After my appointment I stopped at the gas station for my paycheque then deposited it and went to Subway for lunch. Then I went to Walgreens and found said cold medicine and cough drops, alcohol prep for all the lanceting I do to check my blood sugar, some cleaner and a cleaning wand, some menstrual pads, and a thank you card for someone who did something very nice for me.

Then it was back home where I cleaned my toilet and straighten up around the house (I need to scrub the tub, too, as I had some pomegranate seed scrub that really adhered, making it slippery--hence the scrubby cleaning wand).

I was relaxing after that when a neighbour, a police officer, knocked on my door. He thought he may have bumped the back of my car with his cruiser, but we checked and there wasn't any damage. It's possible he went into the curb instead. We talked for quite awhile and then I went in and took a brief nap and headed to the gas station for work, which turned out to be full of drama that I managed to stay out of by working for an hour-and-a-half in the cooler getting it ready for the truck. We were all assembled, eating pizza, when the truck was supposed to be there, and yet there was no truck. My boss said something about the fact that it was late for them not to show or call, and then it hit me. Monday was Memorial Day. I pointed this out and they all had a similar Eureka! moment. Whenever there's a holiday the truck comes a day later. So I went on home and will come back for a couple of hours tomorrow for the real truck night. But hey, I got a free meal, and about 3 hours of work that won't have to be done tomorrow in.

After resting for just a bit and relaxing quiet time to transition from the store, I went over to visit a friend. Then I worked on the game notes for awhile. Then I picked another friend up from work, made a Kroger run, did some paperwork, and now I'm here, eating a bit before bed and definitely feeling sleepy. On that note, I wish you a good night.

According to Wikipedia

the common cold usually lasts from 3-5 days.

I'm on day three, and the mucous is running high.

Not that I expect you really care about my mucous, but it is the most immediate thing going on in my life. It is not a dire colour at least, only plentiful. My only consolation is that the dratted virus is being flushed out in waves of glorious mucous.

My nose hates me, though, and my currently happily active immune system. I am going through tissues, napkins, toilet paper, and even paper towels at an alarming rate. And still it flows.

Through it all I soldiered through first one job and then the other, plus two hours of game notes. I am now very tired. And snotty.

Fortunately I get a bit of a rest tomorrow as I took off from the hosptial to go to a sleep doctor about getting new attachments for my CPAP machine so that I can go back to sleeping in bed, and hopefully won't be as tired as I've been during the day. They may be able to recalibrate it slightly there in the office, too, although if they think it needs to be, they'll probably send me through another sleep study. My appointment isn't until 11:30, so I get an extra hour or so to rest. Then it's off to the gas station (it's trunk night tomorrow). But I'm off from the station on Friday, although I'll be back at the hospital (celebrating jeans day, as it's the first Friday of a new month).

Oh, I hope I'm better by then. And I'm working 10 hours straight on Saturday. Definitely by then, I hope.

All right, enough of my complaining.

By the way, I actually have a copy of the book for which I wrote a chapter (okay, it's a short chapter, but it's still publishing). I received it today. I think I'll have to return it; I got a defective copy that came unglued after being opened five times. But it's still good to see my name in print, and the other entries sound interesting, too.

Okay, enough for tonight...I hope you liked Cookie Monster. I'm going to bed now. I leave you with something random--clouds and water from Koyaanisqatsi...



...and the pre-credit sequence from Powaqqatsi. If you've never seen the trilogy to which they belong, you should. They are essentially art films looking at the juxtaposition of elements. The first title means 'life out of balance', the second 'life in transformation' and the third (Naqoyqatsi)'life as war'. They are all Hopi terms. This scene shows gold miners in Brazil digging and bringing up dirt. It reminds me of an ant colony, yet it seems so fruitless.

I feel snotty, oh so snotty

Sorry I haven't posted. I've been turning in early because I've been fighting a cold (and losing). Memorial Day I was in bed (or more accurately, in chair, by 9 pm). I've been sleeping in the recliner with the CPAP machine because I've been able to breathe better upright. I need a new masque and hose, so some air is leaking. Plus my machine may need to be recalibrated--it's been several years. Today I need to make an appointment with the sleep centre to see if I can take care of that. Wouldn't want to die quietly in my sleep, you know.

Saturday it was like having part of the day off, since I only worked six hours (I'm back to the normal ten this week). Sunday was the game, fortunately with no explosions this time but we did all get satellite cell phone hookups which was great. They're supposed to be global, which will help in the Antarctic adventure. It helps to have a few wealthy characters in the game, as they're about $2000 a piece.

Monday I went home to visit my mom and grandmother (who turned 83 yesterday). I brought my grandmother some calla lillies for her birthday. It took me nearly an hour just to check all the car fluids (trying to avoid killing another engine like I did last year). It took awhile to figure out where the transmission fluid dipstick was, since it was hidden behind and down from the engine. Fortunately I still have my manual. It needed antifreeze, oil, and a smidge of transmission fluid. I went ahead and got a phone card and then I was on my way.

It was a pleasant drive (thank goodness for cruise control, my personal anti-trooper deterrent--who needs radar guns if you're not speeding?) and a pleasant trip. My mom was between a 16-hour and 8-hour shift up in Lexington, so she couldn't stay long. I have my insurance card for the car now, too, so while hopefully I won't need it, I won't be without it should I be stopped. My grandmother loaned me her exercise bike, since she can't use it anymore. I haven't gotten it out of the car yet; I'll try that tonight.

After I got back, D and I went shopping with the gift card I'd received. I got 5 pairs of underwear, 1 bra, 1 nightgown, 3 blouses, a pair of sandals that are dressy enough for work, and a skirt, and basically only paid for the skirt. It took us a little over an hour to hunt things down, which amazed Dwana.

Yesterday it was back to work to both jobs with the cold in full swing. It's worse today--I'm just clammy and snotty and seriously wondering if I should call into work. But I'll preservere. Besides, I don't want my boss at the gas station to have to work a double because of me. But man, I feel like crap.

Cerys is itchy again, so I need to check into giving her another cortisone shot--I don't want to do that too often, it can trigger diabetes, but I don't want her miserable either. Plus she goes around the house rubbing against everything, pulling bookshelves down, and heading for a crescendo of the only real bark she does anymore, which isn't good in an apartment complex environment. She's calmed down this morning, thankfully. But I think a shot is in order.

Well, I guess that's all for now. It feels like Tuesday because of the holiday. Soon I'll be painting shelves and a bedroom between jobs, so I'm not sure how much time I'll get to blog--I hope to keep up pretty well, though. Hope you have a wonderful day.