Michele's Undiscovered Soul

The first night of the CPAP machine didn't go well.  I had asked for a mask that only pushed air through the nose.  I'm more of a mouth breather than I realized and woke up numerous times feeling like I was "drowning".  Hard to explain how I felt.  Ripped that mask off at 145 am.  My husband had a spare mask in the house, more of a full face one.  I've used that the past 2 nights and have had very few problems, outside of the mask being a Large and I need a medium, so I adjusted the straps pretty tightly...not the most comfortable, but it worked with no issues.

Grocery shopping tomorrow and here I sit at 9:00 pm without much of a list or a meal plan.  Story of my life.  

Watching the US vs Bosnia-Herzogovina match right now.  Watched the England match...so glad they were able to pull that win out.  Was a little concerned there for a bit. Yay we won and made it to the Round of 16.

My CPAP machine is here and hooked up.  Ready to go to start using it tonight.  

We have a heat wave coming this week.  Today is was really humid.  Yesterday woke up and our weather apps said 30% chance of rain.  Yeah, they were wrong.  I drove the 45 minutes to my daughter's to help her with wedding decor and when I left at 415 to drive home, I drove the entire way in a torrential downpour.  Fun.  

I sat down to write this all up, then forgot what I was going to say.  Ugh.  

Hubby picked a new series to watch on Netflix called "Detective Hole".  It is Norwegian but dubbed in English.  It's based on the books by Jo Nesbo.  I've had trouble following it but he is enjoying it.

I finished reading "The Divorce" by Freida McFadden which was good.  Typical twist in the story that makes you rethink everything you thought about what was going on.  I just started a cozy mystery today called "The Dog Ladies" by Julie Titterington.  It looks interesting, and a fairly quick read.  

While we know very little about soccer, we watch 2 of the World Cup matches everyday.  During the last World Cup we started watching, and while we didn't understand what was happening, found we quite enjoyed everything about the game, so obviously we are rooting for the US, but have enjoyed so many of the matches.  As I am also on social media (my husband is not), I have also enjoyed watching the fans as they travel across the US and have enjoyed seeing how excited they are to be here, and listening to them chant and cheer at the matches; drink all the beer in Boston, and generally have a fantastic time.  The Scots have been particularly fun to watch.

Rained most of the day today.  Hopefully we get to have a few days without rain this week.  I'm over it.

Looking at the weather forecast for tomorrow, and the National Weather Service is saying it's going to be a rough one for pretty much all day tomorrow.  

Started reading "The Divorce" by Freida McFadden.  I have a stack of new to me books sitting here beside me, and a list of recommendations from penpals to add to my list.

Not a whole lot going on this week.  Next Monday I have  a video appointment with the VA to get a CPAP machine for my new sleep apnea diagnosis.  Sleep Apnea can cause an increase in red blood cells so hopefully soon I will get relief with my sleeping and see my red blood cell count start to go down.  Reminder to self:  go into portal and send hematologist a note about the sleep apnea and make sure she gets the sleep study results.

So, that's the latest.  

Followup with Hematology today.  Since my labs are still just barely abnormal, we are going to redo the labs in 3 months.  If my sleep study shows sleep apnea, then she says she is sure everything will improve once I start getting treatment.  So, there is that.  Still waiting for the results of the sleep study.  I'm feeling a little bit better about things now though.

Grocery shopping tomorrow, and it's supposed to rain, and have severe weather, so I will try to get out of the house early to hopefully beat the weather some.  I guess I need to finish my grocery list here soon, and figure out some meals for the next week or so.

As I sit here writing this, I just heard the weather pick up.  We are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 1:00 am tomorrow; a Flood Watch until 4:00 am; and Severe Storm risk until 7:00 am.  Of course, it will all start again tomorrow, based on the forecast.  

Go Spurs Go.   Sorry to those of you who aren't fans.  If OKC had won, I'd be rooting for the Knicks, but I've been a Spurs fan for over 40 years.  

Found a page with 45 Journaling Prompts for Summer.  I might use these when I can't seem to come up with anything else to say!

Started reading "Big Nick Energy" yesterday....yes, it's holiday themed.  No, I don't care.  It's been on my kindle for quite a while and out of the 200+ books I have on there, this one is the one that interested me the most.

We started watching "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" yesterday on Paramount+.  It has Holly Hunter in it, and we absolutely love her character, Captain Nahla Ake.  I haven't watched many of the Star Trek TV series (outside of the original) but this one I am really enjoying.  Only one season out right now.  There are 10 episodes on we are on #6.  I've made sure to add this to my growing list of shows we are watching so by the time the next season comes out, we won't forget we watched it.

Back to urology tomorrow for a quick procedure.  Then, maybe we will know something.  Returned the home sleep study test this morning.  I have a few other appointments upcoming but not a full week like last week was.  

We went to the in-laws in Michigan on Thursday and got back home yesterday.  I love them, but man, that was too much time with them.  They are both in their late 80's, so the TV is on all day with the volume loud; they fall asleep in the middle of a conversation; their furniture is uncomfortable as hell; and the older he gets the more I realize how out of touch my father-in-law is with the times.  I'm glad to be home.

I had my appointment with hematology today.  More lab work done, and I will see her again in 2 weeks.  She was reassuring.  My hematocrit levels are only slightly elevated so she didn't want me to worry too much.  She does want to see the results of my sleep study and my CT scan that I am having tomorrow.

Will be a busy few days for me with more appointments tomorrow and Friday, so I will try to catch up on all your posts.  But, I did want to log in and touch base with everyone here.

I'm already missing my paid account and it's only been a few hours.  I will get used to it, I am sure, eventually.  I need to change some icons around since I have less to use.  Maybe get some completely new ones to freshen things up a bit.  

Head out in the morning for the in-laws.  4 hour drive, so not too bad,  Haven't packed yet, but will do that in the morning.  It's not like we are going on a vacation where we need a variety of clothes.  We will pretty much be hanging out around their house.  A couple of shirts, shorts, enough clean underwear, and toiletries will be enough.  Maybe a long sleeve shirt or jacket for the cooler nights.  I do have my totebag ready with my journal, my book and kindle and I will put my laptop in it when I finish using it tonight.  I can only handle so much of my inlaws.  I love them, but they are a bit much.  So I can always escape to our room and read or get on the laptop for a little while.

One test (labs I had done on Thursday) won't be back until next week but I got called about others today.

My hemoglobin is elevated. My EPO is elevated. A few other things that I can't remember. The nurse said I will probably get referred to hematology (so they can figure out what's causing the increase in red blood cells); a urology consult (to cover all bases); a CT Urogram and a sleep study (to test for sleep apnea).  The preliminary diagnosis of polycythemia was given to me, which there are multiple kinds of.  Sleep apnea apparantly can contribute to someone having polycythemia.  

I have no problems with more tests, because I'd rather find out that there is nothing really majorly wrong, and be poked and prodded for a bit, than down the line have something serious be wrong.

So, we wait. It's now after 3 pm on Friday so probably will not hear anything until next week.

ETA:  It is now 9 pm Monday.  I have already gotten my appointment with hematology scheduled for  next Wednesday at 1.  They offered me this Friday, but we will be out of town, coming back on Tuesday.  Hopefully I hear from Urology tomorrow.  I will feel better once I have appointments on the books.

Zeena got a bath today. Not her favorite thing at all.  She has slept most of the day  today.  Why is it a bath wears dogs out so much??  But, the inlaws always say "she stinks", well....she loves to run and play outside, and when she comes in, she is a little smelly, but it eventually goes away.