REFLECTIONS

Yesterday I took a fairly long nap. I tried to make it a 15 minute "power nap" by setting a timer but I kept resetting it until I gave up and slept for a long time.  I can't stop once I start. Sometimes I'm not even tired.  I just take the nap to get energized the way I've read about. In case you've never heard of it a power nap is   "a short sleep taken during the working  day in order to restore one's mental alertness". Some articles I've read claim everyone should take a nap to gain great benefits.  It just doesn't work for me. I feel worse. I feel hungover.  But I don't want to miss out on the benefits. I spent some time looking for an answer. According to what "they say" I was stuck.   I almost gave up until I found two sites which held a different view. <><><><><> This first one was a bit too harsh, saying that napping is bad for your health.  Daytime Nappi

I was searching the web for a cane I might like. This is the cane left over from my back problems before surgery. It's very comfortable with its padded handle and stable enough to stand on its own,  But it will easily tip over if pushed. Here's a cane/seat: It might be okay for outdoor events but too bulky for ordinary use. A folding cane might be nice: But will it stay open? Gun cane?: This must be a joke. This sword cane is real.  Here's a video: It's too deadly for me.  I also found a stun gun cane and a blow dart cane.  Who knows what else is out there! I think I'll stick with my old trusty off set, cushioned handle, tripod tip cane.

I seem to fall every six months or so.  I'm hesitant to use a cane because it makes me feel so old.  But it's much better than losing my balance.  Maybe I can find a cane that looks good and not make me feel frail. Luckily it happened just as I got to the treatment center in the hospital.  A man and his daughter stopped and left their car to help me.  My glasses and cell phone were in the street. The nurses at the IVIG infusion area took me to the emergency room where a CT scan showed no broken skull where I landed on the back of my head.  My blood work was good. My IVIG treatment was rescheduled for tomorrow.  No luck having it cancelled for this month!

Lynette began her physical therapy the other day and her pain seems to be easing a bit.  Thanks for your kind thoughts. I've been having some computer problems this week.  I'm running Windows 7 on my desktop.  I'll be switching to Windows 10 on a laptop soon.  I've never had a laptop and like the idea of its portability. Now I want to erase any duplicate files on my old PC before I transfer my photos and files to my new laptop.  I've come across several ways to do this and this weekend I want to try it.  First I want to get a little used to Windows 10.

Luckily Lynette only sprained her ankles when she fell down the concrete steps leading to our backyard. I thought both of her ankles were broken. She could not stand so I called 911, just in case it was more serious.  They took her to the emergency room.  X-rays showed no broken bones. On the way home from the hospital we picked up some Mexican take-out to celebrate. Now it's time to get into our pajamas and watch TV. Tomorrow should be better.

This week I'm having my septic system worked on.  When I called for a periodic draining they found a problem with the tank. It may have somehow cracked. Septic tanks can last about 25 to 40 years. Ours is 40 years old so I guess it must be time. They dug up our tank and distribution box.  The distribution box is further back in the photo. Here is the tank with its two lids. This is the distribution box which empties into the drain field. Below is a short video showing how it works. It's sort of gross so skip it if you think it will bother you.

I'm still adjusting, not much to say recently.

Tonight I'm having a sleep study at a nearby clinic.  Do I have sleep apnea or sleep related seizures?  Maybe I have both. I usually have my seizures at night. The sleep study should help with the diagnosis.  But I'm still worried about what it may show. Today I can not have any caffeinated drinks and naps are forbidden. The result is a headache and feeling very sleepy. The test is from 9 PM until 5 or 6 AM.

This is the first day I'm changing medication for epilepsy.  I'm being weaned off of Vimpat 100 mg twice a day to Gabapentin 300 mg three times a day. It feels like I'm intoxicated; as if I drank half a bottle of wine, unsteady and tired.  It's not very pleasant. I'll still follow your blogs and try to post.     

I'm finally starting to realize that I have epilepsy.  The seizures are mild but real.  Instead of denying it I have to accept it.  This is the second time that I was not allowed to drive for six months. So I'll try to get enough sleep, avoid stress and find the right medications. This past week Lynette made pulled pork in our slow cooker for dinner with some friends.  They loved it.  We both hated it.  Maybe they were just being kind. Yesterday we saw the movie "Split".  I did not care for it.  It was slow and not realistic. Afterwards we ate at the Outback restaurant.  We overate steak and a chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream!     Today I had my four hour IVIG treatment.  I took an hour nap, ate a peanut butter sandwich with cranberries in it and searched through the web on my tablet. I'll try to post more often.

I've been using the drug samples my doctor gave me.  The medication makes me feel tired and in a low mood most of the day.  I still do what I used to do but I need a short nap almost every day. I asked the pharmacist for only a fifteen day supply to make sure it agreed with me before buying a month's worth.  It was not something they usually stocked so I had my wife Lynette bring me back a few days later.  I still had some of the samples from the doctor. "Vimpat" is the name of the medication for seizures. For a fifteen day supply the price is $387, and that's with my insurance!  It would be almost $800 for a month's supply. The pharmacy aide asked if I still wanted to buy it.  I did not buy it. I left a message with my doctor's office.  There must be another medication that's affordable, maybe with milder side effects. The problem now is how will I taper off this medication and start on the new.  I have enough for five more da

NERVE SYNAPSE The Image from the 1/15/17 post. Here are 3 videos to explain how it works.  The videos get more involved as you go down the page. This last video explains a little about the way it affect how we feel and act; also some street drugs.

I had a seizure this morning, nothing major.  Four men and a woman who was in charge came to the house.  The four men must have come because Lynette said I was acting strange.  I don't remember it. I remember Lynette talking on the phone and locking herself in another bedroom.  I asked what she was doing and she told me about the seizure.  I couldn't believe it.  I was sure she was overreacting to a nightmare I must have had but I didn't remember any dream.   When the medics arrived they took my blood pressure and some other physical exams.  Then they asked me several questions which was very disturbing. I could not remember my daughter and granddaughter's names for a while.  The year and day of the week was difficult.  The name of the president was a mystery. But after a few minutes it all came back to me, thank God. They asked me if I wanted to go the the hospital but I did not want to go.  I decided to call my neurologist in the morning  

Sometimes I spend too much time evaluating my life.  But it can be helpful if you don't become obsessed with it. From the site: (From  Funny Days, Weird Holidays & Celebrations 2016 | Days Of The Year ) After spending a little time (not too much) on this and making any changes that might be useful; I like to go back to just enjoying life. Are there any thoughts you'd like to share?

Great news, this new gastroenterologist agrees with my usual gastroenterologist  that I don't need to have any cauterization.  According to my previous test results, I don't need to have anything done. He believes that with some of the newer treatments doctors are looking for a disease to cure, even if it's not necessary. So I'll stay on my Prilosec (omeprazole) 40 mg twice a day and come back in three years for another endoscopy.  For flareups I'll just use Tums, Gas-X and over the counter Zantac 300 mg. He gave me this handout:

Sorry I haven't posted much this week.  I'm having some issues with my Barrett's Esophagus. Here's some information if you're interested. It's a  complication of GERD, which stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease;  A digestive disease in which stomach acid or bile irritates the food pipe lining. My pain is lower than in the chest. In  Barrett's esophagus , normal tissue lining the  esophagus  -- the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach -- changes to tissue that resembles the lining of the intestine. There is a small risk of dysplasia (   pre-cancerous). Here's my condition. I have it checked every few years as the doctor recommends but lately I'm having trouble with gas and a small amount of pain.  I've tried altering my diet with only minor improvement. This Friday I'm seeing a different doctor for another opinion. Hopefully I'll only need an increase or change of medication, not something like ca

(photo from web) We do not have public garbage collection where I live.  You can hire a garbage collection service or take the garbage to the dump yourself, which is what I do. The other day as I was about to put the trash bags into the trunk of my car when I saw them.  I went back into the house for more trash bags to double bag the garbage.  I did not want those nasty looking things in my car. The maggots appear in warm weather if you don't dispose of the garbage sooner than usual.  I routinely go to the dump once a week but now while it's hot I'll have to go twice a week to avoid having it happen again. (photo from web) Flies lay eggs that become maggots.  Thankfully I almost never have flies in the house. It's the trash can that's a problem.  I have a metal trash can with a tight lid so I have no idea how flies can get in there. Here's a great video: "While these flies are major pests within the home, they are one of the only

Early this morning Lynette called to me from upstairs so I could check the back of her neck near her hairline.  She felt something strange and wanted me to make sure it was not a tick. But it was a tick that had embedded itself under her skin. (The photo is not of Lynette.  It was taken from the web.) I put a little petroleum jelly over the tick as a sort of lubricant.  Then I carefully and gently pulled it off with a pair of tweezers. I used witch hazel to soothe the area then alcohol to disinfected it.  I'm sure it felt good to her, especially knowing that the tick was gone. Now I'll have to keep an eye on it for a while to make sure no bulls eye rash develops.  If it does we'll have to see a doctor to check it and maybe get a prescription for an antibiotic. Here's a video on how to remove a tick: I hope this information will help if it ever happens to you.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  these illustrations come from a Russian site I just discovered: Here's the link:    Awesome - things worth sharing This article: 30 crushing illustration of an unhealthy dependence on the Internet. The frightening picture ... PRIVACY! BLIND TO REALITY!