the_rck | (no subject)

I more than half expected them to cancel school today, so I put my cell phone on my bedside table last night so I wouldn't have to catapult out of bed to answer it if they called to tell us school wasn't happening. The National Weather Service is talking about wind chills of -23 F, and that's below the threshold for canceling school. My guess is that they really, really didn't want to because they've only got two severe weather days left before they have to start making up time in the summer. They waited, and it wasn't quite -20 F when it was time to make the decision.

I have an appointment on Monday to see a nutritionist. I'm probably going to be difficult given my issues with fatigue and how that affects my ability to cook-- Basically, if cooking takes more than fifteen minutes on my feet, it's not going to happen, and that's fifteen minutes all day not fifteen minutes for each meal. Today, I have to crock pot some chicken, bake a cake, and make and apply frosting. I think I can do it all, but it will be close.

Yesterday, we introduced Cordelia to throat coat tea and salt water gargles. She liked the throat coat tea (slippery elm) until Scott put lemon in it. Then she said it was nasty. We'll just have to give it to her unadulterated from here on out. She hated the gargling. She kept dribbling water down her front. She made it through about half a glass of warm salt water before she plaintively asked if she could be done. We also gave her a cough suppressant at bedtime. Otherwise, she'd have been up all night, coughing. We're going to have to see whether any of our humidifiers still work. She'll need that in her room soon.

I need a humidifier in our room right now, but when we run one, Scott always ends up nearly drowning because it combines with the humidifier in his C-PAP to fill his hose with water. I can't help thinking there must be a solution. I'm just starting this cold-- It's going to get worse before it gets better-- and I already am desperate for humidity at night.

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Feel better!

Thanks!

I'm actually not doing too badly. I can tell I have a cold, but the symptoms aren't severe. Poor Cordelia is much sicker than I am.

This week when you're so sick, could you and Cordelia sleep in the big bed with the humidifier? With Scott not-drowning in Cordelia's room?

I still haven't gotten really sick, so it hasn't come up. Cordelia's had a sore throat and a cough, but I just feel a little bit off.

I'm not sure how the logistics of Scott's c-pap would work in Cordelia's room. She's got a loft bed.

Ah, I have a CPAP too, and I used to have hose-filling problems. The solution I found online is very easy and cheap.

Put a hook on the wall/headboard over the bed, centered over Scott's head. Tea cup hook, screw eye, whatever. I put up a plastic one that sticks with that Command adhesive, so I can get it off the wall easily when I move out of my apartment. It's been up there a couple of years and it's holding up fine. Also, if you use Command adhesive you can experiment with the placement of the hook.

Next, put a scrunchie or other big covered rubberband/elastic around the CPAP hose. It should be loose enough that it doesn't restrict the hose. One of my old scrunchies was perfect.

Finally, hook the scrunchie onto the hook. The CPAP hose is now suspended over the wearer. The water from the humidifier will flow back down the hose; pretty much all you get out at the nose end is humidified air.

I hated drowning every night and this has stopped that completely. It also keeps the hose up out of my way and in a more predictable place when I'm messing around with it at night. Dead cheap, too.

Just a thought. I hope you guys thaw out a little soon! Rough winter over there.

I'll forward the suggestion to Scott. Thanks!