Accessible Gardening: #20 Practical Matters for Physically Challenged Gardeners, 4 by Agavegirl1

Agavegirl1 wrote:
Hi Jim :D and company :D

Wow Jim,
Sorry to hear you and Kay aren't getting much sleep...or she's getting sleep in fit's and starts. Dave has sleep apnea also. I wish he would do something about it. It is very disturbing. His blood pressure is fine but he has to take a medication for tachycardia (floppy valve). He also wears support socks to work because his circulation is bad. I'm convinced it is from the lack of oxygen (also explains some of his behaviors...LOL).
Jim, please look into something for me. There is a custom made individual mouth piece that pushes the jaw forward and opens the airway so she can breath effectively. Please see about this option. It is highly effective.
Most doctors don't want to go this route because the sleep study is very, very expensive as well as the CPAP machine and they make a fortune on it and the hospital bill! They don't make as much on a mouth piece.
Also the CPAP is noisy and a lot of times the person (and spouse/other) doesn't sleep well due to the noise and discomfort/cumbersomeness of the mask. Hence they don't sleep any better although they can breathe. I'll dig up some info on the web about the mouth piece for you.
Also for the time being have her sleep sitting propped up in bed with 2-3 pillows.
Dave sleeps this way and it seems to cure the problem 90% of the time.
I still wish he would look into the mouth piece. But men are stubborn. They have the, "Oh no..nothing is wrong with me, or I can handle it." Despite my vocal prodding, protests and pleading I can't force him.
I am trying to persuade him. If not for his sake at least for mine.
I know what you mean though about counting minutes. He'll start in with the jerking and gasping and wake me up. I wake him up to get him breathing regular again. He goes back to sleep in a few minutes. I don't. I'm up or half dozing for several hours "listening". Between that and my own problems DH never understands why I'm always tired and sometimes less than sweet. Know it isn't his fault but still, one can only function so well with no sleep.

I don't know how many times a night Kay is doing this or how often in a week, or if it is lasting more than a few seconds but if possible see if you can hang in there a week or so and explore the mouth piece first. If not go for the CPAP. I truly do understand the anxiety and your concern and the need to feel that you should act quickly. I don't blame you one little bit!

No rain here. Just blood boiling, nose bleed hot. YIPPEE 105 with full sun today! (Hear the sarcasm?) Cacti don't need rain; actually it rots them if they get too much. But people need a relief from heat. Cacti do just fine in the 90s as well as 105! Enough already....! This junk has been going on since the end of May. It is pretty bad when you get all excited that the temperature outside drops from 115 to 105 then you pray for 95! NOPE...not until the 2nd-3rd week of October (supposedly)!
Laughing yet? You get winter and I get 6 months of mind boggling heat and heat stroke.
But on the more positive side no matter how hot it gets I don't have to shovel it in January and there's always this "yellow thing" I can see in the sky everyday I wake up! No SAD (seasonal affect disorder) here. :D Just lots of crazy. (People that go out in 105 degrees and lay brick)

Speaking of crazy DH will be back on his regular 3-11 p.m. starting October 1st. Groan. I hate that schedule. I honestly do like this one. Really, as crazy as it sounds I like this schedule. I 'm a morning person anyway.

Looking forward to seeing lilies. Love them. One of my favorite flowers. Any type is great. I have nothing exciting going on in cactus land. Just waiting for that one little cacti with the red flower above to re-bloom. Has a bud that will probably open in the next 2-4 days. Definitely has 1-2 more buds. We'll see what happens with those. Still have to plant that rather large branch of P.Pear my neighbor's daughter was kind enough to give me. It is exactly like the one with the purple-red fruit I showed you. Uhm...still trying to decide where I'm going to put something that gets the size of a minivan in my front yard. Need to plant it so it lives until Spring. Also need to finish those beds so I can pop it in there in back!

O.K. here is my masonry masterpiece. One bed is 7' x 3' more or less. Was debating on making it higher as it is 10.5 inches deep currently. Wondering if it should be a minimum of 12 inches. Other bed is a start. Don't have the brick cemented. Just laid out to see if it fits. Need to go get more brick.

Carrie, yes, are you well? I have been asking how is everyone and their health. We hope you are just busy and not ill.

Peace. Out.
TTC
#1...spot I selected and mounds of landscape rock I shoveled out of way
#2 &3...Tah..Dah!
#4...Cement/mortar in a tube. Works fine; actually quite well. Just sore hands from caulking gun. Cement is not fluid, liquid or quick moving when coming out of a tube!
#5...Wise Cactus who frequently rolls his eyes at me or thumps me on my head with his arm. In case you noticed I'm dressed for winter! Jim...remember your old Army field jacket? Still got mine. Only thing I kept. Love it. Perfect weight and very practical. Just wish it came in some other color than camouflage.


This message was edited Sep 29, 2015 4:57 AM