SLEEP INTERRUPTED... I TOLD YOU SO! :)

Yesterday I went to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Doctor so they could check to see if I have a deviated septum.

I haven't been able to easily breathe through my nose for some time now. I joke with Kelly that I lost my sense of smell when we got married. :) It's half true. It's been a long time since my sense of smell was what it used to be.

So, yesterday, the Dr. comes in and asks me why I'm there. I tell him what I just mentioned here. He takes out a "nose light" (flashlight) and looks in both nostrils.. All I hear him say is "Oh, yeah...."

He did a more comprehensive test that resembled a "sewer-snake" like probe going through my nose to my throat. Not pleasant.

He said, "Even in your good nostril, you are very restricted...." He didn't even try the probe in my right nostril.

Now I get to schedule surgery (1 hour procedure) to have this corrected.

The surgery's only an hour, but I get to listen to Kelly's "I told you so!" for MUCH MUCH LONGER..... :)

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I'm totally hooked on my CPAP mask that is now allowing me to sleep uninterrupted throughout the night. Kelly is being a good sport and is not making "too much" fun of me with the mask all strapped on.. :) I think I look like a "fighter pilot." I think Kelly's exact words were... "Dork."

I'm a RESTED DORK though. I placed the machine that cranks the air into the mask on the floor on the side of the bed I sleep on. Kelly says she can't even hear it. I have slept better the past 5 days than I have in the past 3 years.

I'm hooked.

Couldn't think of taking a nap or going to sleep w/o it.

:)

SLEEP

I got fitted for a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure) mask for some sleep issues (apnea) I've been having.

Was kind of apprehensive at first thinking I'd never be able to sleep with what looks like an Air Force Fighter Pilot's headgear on my face.

That apprehension went out the window last night when I got the best sleep of my LIFE. I haven't slept that soundly in a LONG time. I feel energized today. I'm not groggy, punchy, irritable or tired.

Wow. That's all I can say.

I'm a happy camper.

SATURDAY NIGHT MOVIE AT THE POOL

What a great weekend. Had a record day at the Farmer's Market. Saturday night, Kelly and I took the kids up to the neighborhood pool, where the neighborhood Social Committee was having "Movie Night." They were showing "Hotel for Dogs" which neither Aidan or Emma have seen, so it was nice.

We had a great time. Good turnout too. Weather held out (it was rained out 2x prior to this showing...)

Everyone had a great time.

it was a LATE NIGHT... got home around 10:45pm. Kids were tired. Kelly and I were MORE TIRED...

:)

FEVER, NO MOVIE, CPAP MASK

I got home from work yesterday and Emma was relaying to me how "bad" her last day at school was. She's going to miss her favorite teacher. She's going to miss her friends.... She is too hesitant to finally change her new earrings for another pair she got 2 months ago. She wasn't able to wear her favorite dress to school yesterday because she had PE. The list goes on and on of how bad her day was. I felt really bad for her. I could see the tiredness in her eyes. I could hear it in her voice. Her body language spoke volumes.

When she broke down crying on the couch, Kelly grabbed the thermometer and confirmed what we both thought: FEVER.

Poor girl.

With a fever in full-swing, the "Movie at the Pool" night got cut short here at Camp Flanagan. Emma added that to the list of "things going wrong" today. :( Aidan was bummed too, but he understood.

So, Kelly headed out to the RED BOX DVD rental at Harris Teeter. Picked up some microwave popcorn and they settled in for a "NIGHT AT THE MOVIES" at home. I headed out for my Sleep Study with the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask.

I slept pretty well. The airflow through my nose was fantastic! I had read that sometimes if you have a congested nasal passage (which I always do), the CPAP machine can actually make it worse. Not here! It was fantastic.

It was hard to sleep though all hooked up to wires. The wires were worse than the mask itself. I think I'll do fine with the mask, once I'm in my own bed.

I was amazed at how quiet the machine is. The only thing I heard was myself breathing. The technician running the sleep study said my breathing was PERFECT all night. MUCH BETTER than w/o the mask. Yay! That's what I wanted to hear.

So, in about a week, I'll have a machine here at the house. I can't wait.

I need to call Kelly and see how my Little Princess is doing.

I hate being a parent and seeing your kids sick. No fun.

Last Day of School... Pool Movie Tonight

So, the school year for Emma and Aidan ends today. Tomorrow is SUMMERTIME for them! Emma is going to miss her teacher she says. Aidan is happy to be done with homework for a while. Both had a great school year. Straight A's for the most part.

Tonight, the social committee in our neighborhood is having an end of the school year "Movie Night" for the kids. "Hotel for Dogs" will be playing. Neither Emma or Aidan has seen this film before, so it should hold their attention.

I'm off for part II of the Sleep Study tonight. I get to where a CPAP machine strapped to my head that will force air into my nose/mouth to keep me from snoring and having the apnea episodes. I hope I can sleep with all that stuff on my head.

We'll see.

BREAD ANYONE?

It's Saturday. That means one thing. Farmer's Market.

Kelly and I baked yesterday afternoon for today's Market. Here's the breakdown:

60 mini loaves of bread
48 pretzels
33 Loaves of bread (big loaves)
26 Crostini
22 Croutons

189 items we're bringing to the market. I should sell out of minis and pretzels pretty quickly. The croutons will go nicely too.

I'm hoping to sell 30 of the 33 loaves.

We'll see.

SUMMERTIME IS OFFICIALLY HERE...oh, and I snore.

Kelly and I took the kids to the pool after dinner last night. You would've thought we were giving away free chocolate, the way they reacted! I've never seen them move faster to get their bathing suits on.

We had a great time. Aidan played with a classmate as Emma kept herself occupied playing with a neighbor.

The temp in the sun was in the 90's, but in the shade, it was much cooler, and there was even a breeze.

I went to the Doc's yesterday to learn the results of my "sleep study." There was some snoring, some obstructive apnea going on , and a lot of awakenings on my part.

Next step: The CPAP machine... I have to go back for another sleep study where they'll attach this concoction to my head (complete with over 20 wires hooked up to m) and then they'll instruct me to "get a normal night's sleep" while they watch over me.

SURE! I'll get right on that... :)

I'm glad something was found though and they just didn't come back saying, "Yeah, you snore... get over it." ;)