An eventful .... week

I have had a busy and fairly eventful week. I have been busy at the Seniors' Centre and got in as 2nd Vice President by acclamation. There are 7 people running for 3 director positions so we will have a vote on that at the AGM which is next Tuesday.

My bathroom is a little closer to completion - the toilet is out and the linoleum is to be put in this afternoon. Paul is working harder than he was so I will stay with him for the time being. The counter / backsplash is done and the sink in place and working. If he is able to do all he claims he will be able to do today, then all that will need doing is the baseboard. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I saw my family doctor yesterday just to fill out some forms but I also saw the Sleep Specialist for my follow-up after my sleep study. The news was startling to say the least. I just sat there staring at him. I need a CPAP machine and he offered me two options - I could wait and come back in for another study using the machine and his technician will find the best pressure for me by watching the blood oxygen and other results. Or, I can be referred right to a company that sells these machines and they will put me on a machine for a week that will automatically adjust the pressure to one that seems to work and if I feel better that will be the pressure used. I would have the machine right away. The problem to me is that whether or not I feel better is subjective and I may feel somewhat better but still have a problem.

I have opted to return to the clinic for another night of being wired. They have me booked for June 17 which they were only able to do because someone was willing to move their date. I am also first on the list to be called if there is a cancellation. This means that I could get a call today to be in by 9pm tonight. But probably not. People wait months to get in to be seen by this guy so they are not going to cancel unless it is urgent. I am number one on the list because it is important I get a machine SOON. I am at high risk apparently - to just pass away peacefully in my sleep. I have sleep apnea. Some people have the type where they stop breathing up to 100 times an hour but it is just for a few seconds at a time. The machine does help them but their's is not a life threatening problem at that point. I don't stop breathing that often but when I do it is for an extended period. In a six hour period of sleep I apparently stopped 40 times which usually wouldn't be of much concern except that I stopped breathing for up to 26 seconds at a time. My body is trying to breathe but without success and my blood oxygen drops drastically from the normal 90%plus to just under 70%. That is not at all good. The doctor made it clear that every time I sleep there is a fairly high risk that I won't wake up. Always something.

On the plus side again, I received a cheque from Sun Life that actually covered a drug that my doctor was uncertain they would. He wrote a note to the effect that it was being used for a reason other than the usual and they accepted that so I am happy because it is a fairly expensive drug - about $150 per month. So colour me happy.

Well that is about all for the moment. I have to get going now. Have to go to the bank and run a few errands. I also have to water my outdoor boxes and baskets and finish off planting. I will take some pictures and put them in the blog soon. I will show off my new bathroom, flowers and .... more. :)