Sleep Study 2

I just got back from Sleep Study 2, man what a night. I started out learning what the first sleep study results were. I forget the numbers but there were three things I done on the first one and the sleep was divided up by REM sleep and the regular sleep. I got over an hour of REM sleep in the first study but had I think 54 times when I stopped breathing. During other sleep I had a lot of shallow breathing plus times when I stopped breathing and two events where the brain was involved. If I understood her correctly it was where the brain shuts off the breathing, maybe it was turns on, but I'm, pretty sure she said turns off. On the stopping breathing just during REM sleep I remember thinking it was something like about every 2 to 3 minutes on the average.  She said at 5.? one was qualified for Sleep Study with a Cpap, mine was 27.?, so I more than qualified. :)

  So last night they place all those electrodes on again, I'll probably be finding them the rest of the day, lol. I'm writing this waiting for Denise to call from work, she just left, then wash the junk out of my hair and my body. I'm not really tired though it has been a long night. The ladies there are nice and good, but man what a night. The first mask didn't seal well enough with my beard, so we tried another mask. That one didn't seal well either, so they used a nose mask. Unfortunately that one sealed.

  I remember them being in the room I think 4 times, I think adjusting, and once I had turned on my belly. I woke up a few times in pain, I felt pressure on my throat, lots of it. I opened my mouth to speak but air blew out it with a lot of force. This morning my throat hurts. Not the worse pain I've ever had, but it still hurts, like I've screamed all night. If only I had that capability. Good think I took my top dentures out of I think they'd have become a projectile, lol. She said I experienced events until they finally had full pressure on it all night. Even then I had some moments, so who knows. She said I would more than likely get a machine. All night I had a lot of phlegm that I could have spit out, but that damn thing gave no opportunity to to that. Thick junk. Who knows, probably what little brains I have left that thing was blowing out, lol. I managed to swallow it, and that was almost impossible, had to get in the rhythm to make sure I didn't aspirate on it.     

  As I understand it, and God knows I get things wrong sometimes, this thing, a trach, or a pine box is about the only three options left. I think another two surgeries where they do injections are still on the table, but the scaring damage is done. Sometimes the cure is as bad as the disease, and they ain't even sure about that, they are just looking for changes. So far all is stable, it ain't good, but it's stable so far.  A trach, even if temporary is out as far as I'm concerned. This machine I'll try but I think may close the throat off with the pressure. If it does, so be it. We go nowhere before out time and what better way to go, in our sleep, best option I've seen.

  So from this though I take it I will get to sound like Darth Vader and feel the force, lol. I wonder if it comes with a Light Saber? The again, I do like food so maybe I can be Darth Tater and just use a fork. Now I think I'll sleep today, its rainin anyway.

Teeth & Rathfoot 10-03-2011

   We went to see Dr Rathfoot today to get the results of the sleep study and a check-up. Things have finally stabilized and he liked that. He said if he were in the ER and I came through and he didn't know me though he would panic after he scoped me. Knowing me through this threw this and what has been done, he is pleased. He said I had adapted to the situation. We discussed (briefly I might add) a trach and feeding tube, which I rejected. I think just for a while, but I wasn't willy to discuss. He said I would need maybe a couple more times with injections. I can do that. I have certain things I'm willing to do and certain things I'm not.

  The sleep study showed some things that aren't right, so I get to do the sequel. It showed my heart getting out of rhythm when the O2 goes to 78, not sure how many times or for how long. He told me but I forgot. So I get something to help me breathe at night but I got to do another test to find out how much pressure to do, or something like that. I made the comment I have no problem dying in my sleep, beats doing it during a heart attack or getting close to it with cancer. I said it sincerely and rather comically, but it wasn't too well received.   I don't care to wear that whatever to help me breathe at night though. He said that was why I was so tired all the time.

  Best though was I finally got my teeth! I went to Morristown Dental Center and they put my teeth in... and they felt great and still do. So far me and Megan ate Chicken Tenders from Hardees and some nuts. Ok, the nuts didn't go so well, lol. I still have a ways to go to get use to them, but I love 'em. It seems like forever since I've had teeth, and it some ways it has. Megan says I look younger with them in. Mark said it was like having a mouth full until you get use to them, and it does. But man can I eat. I can still taste like I did too. Uh oh, think I gained weight just thinking about it. 

09-28-2011

  I test drove my teeth today, man they looked great. I hated to give them back or take them out. Dr Stelzman (spelling ?) said they looked good and Christy (Yellow Hair :) ) liked them too.  They actually felt good. I think the bottom partial will need relining though when I get the uppers. I get them Monday and doc said I'd probably figure on coming back through the week for alignment.

  Monday I also find out the results of my sleep study and also Rathfoot will probably scope me, he usually does. Now that the scopes are farther apart they have gotten harder to do where I'm not use to them. I look forward to the day maybe things can go back to normal and the only thing up my nose is the air and my finger. :) Hopefully too, Dr Rathfoot will known something else to try and get rid of the yeast infection. I went back on 5mg of Prednisone, think I quit a bit too quickly.

  Denise is getting better, talked her into Vit D since she won't go to a doctor. I talked with Sally. She is having a hard time with her radiation. Please remember her in your prayers.

09-27-2011

  I took 5 mg of Prednisone tonight. I think I made a mistake just stopping cold turkey. I'm passing quite a lot of fresh blood again and cramping in my stomach. I go next week to Rathfoot and maybe I will not have to tell him I've stopped. My throat feels better some though, seems the other meds are fighting off the thrush mouth and yeast infection in my mouth and throat.

  Denise has been sick for the last few days now. I've hovered just right above  getting sick, but I've stayed on about 6k iu of vit D. I get my first trial frame fitting of the top plate tomorrow. I'll not stay inside much due to the massive CME in the region 1302 here all week.  

  My friend Sally isn't doing to well with her radiation. She is in pain and the stress of her mother has taken a bad turn. Please pray for them.

09-27-2011

I went and got my impression made today. I go back Wed for a fitting. Then Monday for the finished product... TEETH! I may bite myself to see if it's real.

  I quit the Predisoine (spelling), we could  not get the yeast infection to die down, so I stopped taking it. I go Monday and will tell Rathfoot that I stopped. I don't think it will be a big deal. If it is I'll apologize and go back on it. I've got a few other pills in mind too. Denise will catch on but if she sees I'n fine without them she'd be ok with me not taking them.

  Matt is working his butt off, I glad for him and proud of him. Annie is in nursing school and Megan will go to Graphic Arts.

  We've 2 garage roofs to put on and some soffit when Michael gets me the price.. Oh yea, the shutters for both houses.

  Denise caught a cold and I think she is sharing the wealth. :)

Fitness Can Be A Lifeline For Cancer Survivors - David Haas

  Fitness Can Be A Lifeline For Cancer Survivors

Mental and physical stress is definitely two everyday factors in the life of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Though a cancer diagnosis of any kind (including common cancers such as breast cancer and even rare cancers like mesothelioma) can cause anxiety and stress, there is something that cancer survivors can do to help improve their day-to-day well being. Cancer patients who exercise consistently have been shown to have lower mortality rates and better quality of life than those patients who are inactive. It may not be the first thing on the mind of a survivor after they come home from a chemotherapy session, but maintaining a fitness routine is vital to living the best life possible.

An informative brochure put out by the Cancer Resource Center at the University of California – San Francisco states that clinical trials have revealed some significant gains for cancer patients who decide to keep exercising while they undergo cancer treatments. For example, the conductors of the clinical trials discovered that prostate cancer survivors who exercised not only reduced their risk of developing incontinence, but they also were able to diminish the side effects of treatments like radiation and hormone therapy. For women who had received a breast cancer diagnosis, those who exercised lowered their chances of dying by 64%. These results show the importance of exercise in the lives of those people who wish to do more than just sit by and wait for cancer to take their lives. Even with just a little exercise, the quality of life and the life expectancy can be greatly improved for cancer survivors.

Though exercise may not be the cure for cancer, society can no longer deny that it significantly helps those who may be going through the mental anguish of a cancer diagnosis or the physical pain of cancer treatments. In the aforementioned document, clinical scholars at the UC-San Francisco found that all that colon cancer survivors had to do was set aside 6 hours per week for walking at an average pace to achieve a “47% improvement in disease-free survival" compared with their inactive counterparts. This means that, for some cancer survivors, a little exercise has gone a long way in helping them to stay alive. Not only will developing a fitness plan help cancer patients ease their mental stress, but it can clearly help them with the physical fight as well. There is no doubt that exercise takes care of both the body and the mind, helping survivors achieve a well balanced life.

By: David Haas

This was submitted and asked that I post this information up and is not an advertisement but info to help those with cancers. Thank You David Haas for sharing this info. 

09-18-2011

Tomorrow I get the molds made for my upper teeth. Not sure just how long it will be after that, but it's getting close now. I'm too excited to go to bed. Michael and his crew will also be back to finish the windows, they look great so far. Tomorrow will be a good day again.

   My knee is pretty much shot, has some Arther in it, actually knees, shoulder, elbows, ankles, and neck, from injuries and stresses all those years at UPS. It does this every year until the seasons get changed and the just flair ups. Got my bottle of Tylenol Arthritis ready. :) The right one was pretty bad today, plus the yeast infection, but it is leaving slowly... Denise says. So I hobbled around just a little.

   I watched how to do Vinyl Siding on, pretty cool demo. I'm going to try that just as soon as we're finished with the concrete. I fell yesterday and bruised up a few things. Part of the neuropathy I guess, part clumsy. That might be part of the knee thing. A pony cart is pretty solid, the roll of wire wasn't too soft either, lol. Luckily the ground broke my fall. I did install and finish a plug in in the carport.

   I visited Dr Long and Jody Long's site, just in the special board that isn't public though. I go there and talk to others who've had NDEs. We have a place where we can just talk, no worries about questions, no worries what we say. It's nice.   http://www.nderf.org  I go there for what I call a refill.

  Ordered a Framing Nailer finally, decided to get a new one, and ordered Denise's blinds. Caught up on the figures for the repairs on both houses and the lists we have left to do. We're slowly getting there and the folder is slowly filling up. I gave up and went out into public finally. Nobody seemed to notice, well, maybe a few did. We will have to wait until at least Tuesday to start back n the concrete so we don't get in Micheal's way. They have done a superb job so far.

  As such another day ends... and I say Amen