Only 16 days until Hawaii!!
Hey Ya'll,
Again, I am sorry that I haven't posted in a while. It's been almost a week! But I have been researching my Brains out for our trip to Hawaii! You would think after visiting Hawaii (8) times that we wouldn't have anything left to see....but that is NOT the case! LOL The main difference this time, is that we have new Cameras, so we want to go on hikes, etc where we can take some (hopefully) beautiful photos!! Neither one of us has taken more than a couple photos with our Camera's as yet, so we are hoping that our photos turn out at least decent!
I have also been researching the Airline's, as well as the Transportation Safety Administration's websites, to make sure what we CAN and CAN'T, take on board the flight! With the rules changing daily (it seems)....Funny story (NOT!), my Niece, her 9 yr old Son, and her significant other, flew back to New Jersey last month to visit with her Father whom she hasn't seen in years, in fact so long, her Dad has never seen her son. None of them had flown before, and didn't know the "rules". So she packed large "normal" sized containers of shampoo, etc and had them in her Carry-On bag.
She had her significant other carry it for her, so she could keep her eye on her Son through Security (he is extremely ADHD). They almost didn't allow the significant other through Security! The Security people acted like he was a criminal or something. My Niece just had no clue that they couldn't carry these "normal" sized products with them. Luckily, they got through, after Security confiscated the items in question....I'm sure she will NEVER make that mistake again!! LOL
But I digress, to save time and not have to carry way too much on Board with us this trip, I am leaving my Bi-Pap Machine home. I haven't been using it, and I know I should, so I figure whats another few weeks to start using it again. Anyway, I am supposed to use it every night, because I have not only Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea, I also have.... Central Sleep Apnea! My Pulmonologist Doctor said that Central Sleep Apnea is very rare, only about 5% of OSA patients have CSA. And that most patients that do have it, are either the Elderly, or someone with Neurological problems, etc. Well, I am another year older now, and I feel old....but I am only 56! LOL
The difference between OSA and CSA, is that with OSA, the Throat collapses down during sleep causing loud snoring, etc. Usually with weight loss, it can be cured (most of the time). But with CSA, it is the Brain that is at fault. It is a Neurological condition, where the Brain forgets to send the signal to BREATH! During the day, it isn't a problem, because we are awake, and we know to breath. But at night during sleep....if the Brain doesn't send the signal to breath....well, depending on how long you go before taking a breath (assuming you do!), it can mean anything from just gasping for breath (not a pleasant thing to have to deal with, it is like being suffocated), to a Stroke, Brain damage, a Heart Attack or the worst case scenario...Sudden Death!
I haven't told Walt (he will know now though, since he reads my Blog!), but I have had a few nights lately where I woke up all night gasping for breath again! Part of it is due to my gaining weight back, hence the OSA acting up again, but the other reason is beyond my control (the CSA), hence why the Machine is necessary!! I know....slap my hand for not doing what is right! But I hate having to sleep with a Machine! If it were just me, it wouldn't be so bad, but obviously I sleep with Walt, and if I am unable to get a good seal on the Mask quickly, then I can't get comfortable with it at all, not to mention that it is louder since it is leaking air, and I worry that Walt won't be able to sleep well!! When this would happen, I just gave up and took it off for the night!
Anyhoo! Back to our trip to Hawaii. I am trying to not over pack us this trip like I usually do! We will be gone over 2 weeks total, but our Hotel Suite has a full sized Washer and Dryer in the unit, so I can pack us for (1) week instead of the (2) weeks. I will just need to do laundry between weeks, then again just before we go home so that I don't have to do laundry as soon as we get home! I will only have to Iron/Steam Walt's work shirts when we get home. But we will still have so much S***, that we will take at least (1) large piece of luggage each, if not (1) medium sized one too! Luckily, we are allowed to check in 2 pieces each, if necessary for free!
Another thing that I have been researching the last couple of days, was the cost of taking a Limousine from Sacramento to the Bay Area and back, after our trip, leaving our Truck at our Daughter's house. Walt will be working a half day, the day we leave for the Bay Area, then driving from Nevada....The last (2) times we took a vacation that left out of the Bay Area, we took a Limousine (mostly because we had to be at the Airport early in the morning, and they were willing to pick us up at an ungodly hour!) and it only cost us $300 round trip! So we figured, maybe it would be worth it to see if it was worth the cost this time too!
The lowest price I was quoted was....get this, 67% higher!! Now I realize that several years have passed, but this still seems a bit high! So I told the owner of the Limo Company that we have used in the past (which gave us the best quote as well), that we weren't expecting such a high quote, and that we would probably just drive ourselves. He was so desperate to get the job, that he asked me exactly how many pieces of luggage we were taking, so he could better judge if we could use a smaller vehicle, thus a lower quote.
He also asked me what was the maximum amount we were willing to pay. So I replied tonight giving him a better estimate of our luggage requirements, and what we were willing to pay. Which I am sure he is laughing about! Either that or seriously trying to find a way to do it for that price! We told him basically $50 higher than we paid the last time, but that price was to include the gratuity (so in essence, it would be for the same price)! So I am expecting him to reply tomorrow saying thanks but no thanks, he doesn't need the job THAT BAD!! LOL We shall see....you never know in these times. Maybe we will get lucky??
I can't believe this, I just checked my emails, and I have another response from the Limo Company, saying that the highest amount we were willing to pay wasn't a ridiculous amount, and to contact him. Of course, this would be for a smaller vehicle, not a Stretch Limo. But then we would be able to relax the second half of the trip to the Bay Area and let someone else worry about the traffic! So now it is in our court to decide if we want to continue the negotiations. I am hoping that Walt will do this, I really hate to haggle price! Plus, at this point, I am just the go between anyway. Walt and the owner (if we so choose to continue) will have to come to the final agreement! I will keep you posted....Cross your Fingers and Toes!
Anyway! Walt has had horrible looking Varicose Veins in his lower Legs. They look horrible just to look at (not to mention they look super painful). But in the past, he has always stressed that they didn't hurt, they just looked bad. Well, Carolyn (Walt's ex-wife) recently had both of her Legs taken care of, due to very painful Varicose Veins. So "we" talked Walt into going back to the Doctor, to see what she thought (our new Doctor). She gave him a referral to a Specialist.
The Specialist said that technically they aren't going to kill him, but that he feels that a lot of the problems that Walt has been having has been because of them. At least in his worst Leg. So the Doctor sent in a request for Surgery approval, and we found out today that it was granted!! The Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, December 20th. Right after we return from Hawaii! I am glad....I was concerned with us having to sit on a plane for 5-5 1/2 hours each way, that it would be scheduled before we leave! All we would need is for him to get a Blood Clot from sitting so long! In fact, it is probably something we should be aware of anyway....especially since his Veins aren't in the best of conditions!
So, last Friday, Russ and Carolyn came and took me to purchase my new, much smaller Office Chair! Russ was more than happy to do this, as he was getting my much nicer and bigger/plusher Office Chair! LOL So while Russ was putting my Chair together, Carolyn and I went shopping! Normally I could have put the Chair together myself (I think...), but getting it home on the Gold Wing....well that was another matter. LOL
Not to mention that we didn't have room for both Chairs here, until Russ could have picked it up! So, I have a new Chair. It is nice, but not anywhere near as nice as my old Chair was. But it fits in my small Office so much better! In fact, so long as I am not reclined back in it, we can actually close the Bathroom door in my Office Bathroom without having to move my Chair way out of the way! If only it had a higher back to it, it would be much more acceptable. I'm used to being able to rest my Neck/Head on the Chair, and this Chairs back comes about 6-8 inches short of being able to do that, so my Neck and Shoulders have started to bother me again. :(
So, other than that...not too much is new here, including my weight! Oh, I forgot, I spoke with my Mom about her last Doctor appointment, and her Doctor is having her go through all kinds of new Tests. One of them is going to either be an MRI or CT (she can't remember). She believes that they are looking for Bone Cancer or something....I sure hope it's not that. Because if it is anything like that, it is too far along to be able to do much for her except give her major pain drugs. At least maybe then, she won't be in so much pain!
So on that note....till next time.
Aloha My Friends :)
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