1 week follow-up

Seems the CPAP machine is working its wonders. DH's breathing interruptions have gone down to 3/hour! His blood gases are all in the acceptable range. They are somewhat amazed at his recovery time after such a severe case of sleep apnea. I think we were doing all the right things in diet and attitude.

There are still some issues with sleeping throughout the night with the mask on and not slipping off when DH rolls over. You definitely know when the mask is crooked...emits a high pitch whistle as the air escapes...but this lessens every night.

The grandchildren are visiting this weekend and we will have a show & tell with them. We don't want them to be frightened should they see Papa sleeping with this strange looking contraption. They are quite accepting of eye glasses and DH's hearing aids. The kids call those Papa's bionic ears!

After this, we are in the home stretch for the wedding...will post details after the fact with photos. After that, I'll be stitching like a mad woman, catching up!

Close call

We finally got all the numbers and the explanation...DH could easily have had an heart attack from his sleep apnea! The stress of trying to get oxygen into his body could easily have set off an unfortunate chain of events with life altering consequences. To date the machine has made a significant difference - Joe's energy levels have increased and he seems a lot happier. I've had a few restless nights as he tries to get used to the face mask but each night seems to be better than the previous one.

I finally found some wedding shoes...yeah, lots of time NOT! Now to get everything ready for the road trip. Last year we forgot our wedding clothes in our haste to get the cake finished and delivered! We aren't doing the cake but we still have all the tablecloths etc to pack up along with our clothes, camera and the paperwork for DH's tux rental. We dropped off all the table decorations and favours last trip south. DH seems to think this is the only wedding happening this summer in all of Canada. Some days I tend to agree with him.

Something Good to Know....instead of using a commercial anti itch after b*te ...try dabbing a bit of mint toothpaste (gel won't work) on the bite. Doesn't run like the ammonia based sticks and a lot more kid friendly!

Note to self....DO NOT garden without gloves! You have a wedding to attend!!!!

It's Official!

Joe got the call from his sleep test...apparently the doctor who reads and interprets the information requested that Joe get a machine ASAP. Joe's oxygen levels went as low as 60% with him not breathing on average of 59 times per hour. That's a lot of air not going to the brain & body.

So, this morning Joe picked up a machine and he has it on a free 1 month trial. He's quite excited about it all once the technician explained that his metabolism and energy levels should pick up significantly in the not so distant future. It may be like turning back the hands of time...more energy, sharper mind and a healthier body. There should be less stress on the heart IE lower high blood pressure, which in turn should be better news for the kidneys. Bonus...the excess weight should return to a more normal level.

When I think back on all this, the high blood pressure and the news of Berger Disease all seems to have happened around the time that Joe had his nose surgery and then laser treatment on his throat. Coincidence perhaps. But I'm very excited to see how this all plays out. First step, I'll let Joe back into the bedroom! He went to sleep down the hall so I could get some sleep because I was struggling through my days after sleepless nights next to my champion snorer.


Thanks Joe for finally getting this checked out...for all of us!

I think I'll make it!

Only 17 days until the wedding, I still don't have shoes...but... still have time, right?

Today I'm exhausted with a cause. For years I've been pestering to no avail for DH to get tested for sleep apnea. Well he did finally have it done last week. What changed his mind...separate bedrooms! He snores so loud, I wasn't getting any sleep. As it is, I still wake up through the night by his racket down the hall. Today he got the r4esults back and he has a severe case! He picks up his CPAP machine tomorrow for a 1 month free trial. I am so looking forward to this upcoming month!

I've found my allergies have swung into high gear after our trip south on Saturday. Lots of dust, prairie grass and +36'C temps. Sunday wasn't much cooler but we had the A/C on in the vehicle on our drive home. Home was +33.6'C on Monday...and we spent most of our time outside. What are the signs of heat stroke?

Tuesday was Canada Day and we did a project we had been procrastinating over - we are happy with the results. But the days have taken their toll, I'm so tired...and there's still so much of summer I want to enjoy! I'm stitching summer in Four Season Chairs...Margaret is also doing summer, but she brought up a great point...Bliss in in the southern hemisphere, so is she working on winter? Oh well, it's all good.

I must close this and go for a nap...my eyes are very very heavy....take care all...

Congratulations to the Happy Couple

The day couldn't have been nicer, bright sunshine, +36'C, blue skies and lots of happy family and friends gathered around to see this happy couple pledge their vows to one another.

It was just a short year ago, when Gary was wondering which direction his life would take him...and then he met a former school friend and the rest is going to be history! Karen seems to be the perfect balance that Gary was looking for...they compliment each other with the biggest grins you could imagine.

All the Best Karen & Gary
Love Auntie Berta & Uncle Joe