The Agony and the Ecstacy...

My visit to California started off pretty rough, traveling with my sore back...by the time I arrived at Mom's on Wednesday, I was not only in more agony with my back, but exhausted from lack of sleep.  I was feeling pretty grouchy...

I had a lot of problems with the Internet at Mom's house... Most of my what happened during my visit is written on my other blog, Mystical Journeys.

Mom suggested I drink some of her Joint Juice...I had been using the Icy Hot Packs, heat packs and ice packs and nothing was working... The Joint Juice has 1500 mg of Glucosamine HCI and 200 mg of Chondroitin Sulfate, along with 400 IU of Vitamin D3 and 60 mg of Vitamin C. One 8 oz bottle has 25 calories, but the Cran-Pomegranate flavor is very tasty.  It makes me fart like a motor boat, but having one a day for three days, by Friday, I was not having any pain or discomfort in my back!  I am beginning to think I have some arthritis in my back...and plan on asking my doc to check me out in that regard...

Mom said my brother K____ started taking it for his knees (years of basket ball) and he has not had any complaints.  Speaking of my brother K____....  He and his wife came by to visit with Mom and I Saturday night.  He noticed my CPAP machine set up on the coffee table (because I was sleeping on the living room couch) and asked to try it on....

He disturbs his poor wife's sleep nightly.  She is a light sleeper, so she is in the same situation as my husband used to be.  His wife told him he stops breathing and needs to go to his doctor.  He had told her he would not wear one of those masks...

I donned the head gear and turned on the machine....  "You look like Hannibal Lecture", he joked..."You really look like a dork... Let me try it on..."

I tried to explain he needs to go to a sleep study to determine the air pressure he needs.  It will probably be different from my pressure....besides, I did not want his hairy nose on my nasal pillows... He was intrigued with the nasal pillows instead of the mask and again, insisted on trying it on...

K____ could be a stand up comedian. He even resembles Robin Williams...he can make you laugh without even trying...  I attempted to be serious and give him the specifics of the machine and the importance of a sleep study... "Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on sis, let me try it..."


So I did.  He pulls it over his head before he realizes the air flow is on full force.... I thought about telling him, knowing I could reduce the flow by clicking the arrow button... but stopped myself... He was making wise cracks and not listening...so I let him experience it full force!  He could not talk because the air gushed out his mouth, making him lose his breath and sputter...

I took the opportunity to tell him TO SHUT HIS MOUTH!  This made his wife crack up, "Good luck with getting him to do that!" she giggled... His daughter had told him I slept as quiet as a mouse sleeping on the couch when she left the house for nursing classes early in the morning... she stood smirking with her arms folded, enjoying her father's comedic commotion. Gasping for breath in high squeals, Mom was preparing to wet her pants yet again.... "It'll come out my a--s.." he managed before he shut his mouth like I told him...

"BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE!" I wheezed through my own convulsions of merriment.... (I have always been partial to his perverted humor... he gets it from Mom, that's why she finds him so hysterical.)

Suddenly, there was silence...he actually listened to me and was breathing through his nose.  He had been convinced he could not breathe with just his nose because he thought he snored with his mouth open.  I had demonstrated how loudly I snored with JUST MY NOSTRILS...and he could not believe it.

I had told him before I got the CPAP machine, I always had a stuffy nose and irritating tickle cough at night.  I often would make a tent over my head with the sheet, breathing into it making it more moist to breathe and consequently make it easier to sleep.  He admitted he did the same thing...

Amazed, he removed the head gear and announced he was going to go to a sleep study and get a CPAP for himself.  He said it was surprisingly comfortable and easier to breathe.

I cherish time with my family...it reminds me of all those lean years growing up when we filled the days entertaining ourselves with our humor and imaginations... This was a great visit...and an exceptionally fun visit with my Mom... we had the BEST time... I love you Mom...