Wednesday Weigh-In 20130131

I just finished watching the last disc in a DVD set of the sixth (and last) episode of Northern Exposure. Someone else had it on hold, and I was staying up late to watch two episodes per night. Thus my sleep suffered, which made me seek out more coffee, which stimulated my appetite. And I ate more. So I'm a bit heavier lately. But hopefully this is a "local maximum" as the math people say.

Waist = 37.0"
Height = 5' 9"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Tanita Scale with Body Fat monitor
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

The Other Washing Machine Idea

The other washing machine idea I had was this: I wish my washing machine didn't have an automatic transmission.

Here's the context, in case you don't want to read the previous post that this is a continuation of.  My washing machine's spin cycle is weak due to a faulty transmission.  So I was using my bare hands to wring water from my freshly washed clothes before I put them into the dryer.

I wouldn't mind a simple transmission design that would let me choose the gear or pulley for the cycle that needed to run.  Sure, I wouldn't be able to start a load of laundry, go out for an hour, and then just come back and expect to transfer the completed load over to the dryer.  But I'd expect such a machine to last much longer than eight years, or at least be much easier to repair and maintain.

Actually, this wasn't the first thought I had along these lines.  I was actually wishing for a simple wringer that I could use to easily squeeze out excess water from my clothes.  Then I thought of the manual transmission.

Lastly my thought was this: why bother with a machine at all?  Why couldn't I revert back to the days when we would agitate the tub of clothes with a large wooden paddle or a hand crank?  Then I'd be able to wash clothes and get in a good workout at the same time.

But today, things are different.  We buy time-saving appliances that enable us to go off to work at a job to earn enough money to pay for them and repair them.  Now I know why today's typical household needs two wage earners to make ends meet, whereas fifty years ago, a single income was all that was needed.

In researching wringers, I came across this wonderful blog post of a washing machine soul mate.  I would love this, but, of course, my wife would shriek at me with so much intensity, it would blow the clothes right off my body, and there'd be nothing left to wash.

About Washing Machine Water Use

Our washing machine hasn't been spinning out the water too well lately.  The repairman said that the transmission was shot.

We can still use the machine, and we do.  But at the end of the last spin cycle, the clothes are soaked with water.  They're not quite dripping, but I can wring out water from the items.  I get the most water from a towel that's at the bottom of the load.

I was wringing out the clothes last night when I had two ideas about washing machines.  I'll write about just one of them in this post.

The first idea came about because I decided to wring out each article of clothing into a bucket right at the machine rather than at the sink five feet away behind me.  Lately I've been getting dizzy and off balance from making such short abrupt movements.  So at first, I just wanted to eliminate moving back and forth the between the washing machine and the sink.  But then it occurred to me that I could pour the wrung out water back into the washing machine and use it for the next load.  (I already pour in water from the dehumidifier.)

Then it occurred to me that the last tub of water in the machine is essentially clean water or at least a little soapy.  So rather than discharge that water into the drain, it could be diverted into a reservoir near the washer.  Then you could pump that water back into the tub at the start of the next load of laundry.  That would save
one whole tub of water each time.  One caveat is that you wouldn't want to use liquid fabric softener -- it would neutralize the detergent of the next load.

The same idea could work with the dishwasher, too.  But there would need to be a way to heat the water efficiently.  That would entail another hot water heater in the house.

Even if you don't want to reuse the water for your dishwasher or washing machine, it could be used to flush the toilets.  That would also entail an investment in plumbing.

Probably the easiest way to reduce water use is to divert rainwater from the roof and collect it in rain barrels.  And have I done that?  Regrettably I have not.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20130123

I'm all done with the prescription medication, but I'm still taking Mucinex and using a neti pot and saline spray. I feel that the infection can come back if I eat poorly.

Waist = 37.0"
Height = 5' 9"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Tanita Scale with Body Fat monitor
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Another Lo-Carb-Style Breakfast

This pizza-in-a-pan is one of my regular breakfast choices.  I used two eggs as a sort of pizza crust, scrambled then fried in ghee on both sides in a pan¹.  Then I topped it with fried-in-ghee peppers or zucchini and whole milk mozz cheese to glue it all together on top.  I used a lid to get the cheese to melt.  This satisfies me for six hours.

This is a vegetarian meal, BTW.

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¹ Here are step-by-step instructions for the "egg crust" part of the recipe:

1. Pre-heat an 8" fry pan on medium heat.  (I use a cast iron pan on an electric stove.  This has more heat capacity and lag than an aluminum pan on a gas burner.)  Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) ghee and coat the bottom and sides.  I use the same pan that I fried the vegetables in, so it's heated well and uniform.
2. Crack two whole eggs into a bowl.  Add 1 tsp (5 ml) of water.  You could also add a dash of Tabasco sauce, if you want a little excitement.  Break the yokes and scramble well until the yellow and white are well-blended.
3. Gently add the scrambled egg to the fry pan.  Try to not displace the ghee, otherwise the egg might stick.  The pan is at the right temperature if the egg sizzles but not too forcefully.
4. Reduce heat to low and cover for about three minutes to steam-cook the top side of the egg which will get nice and fluffy.
5. Lift the cover and check that the top side of the egg is no longer liquid.  Then flip the egg.
6. Add the fried vegetable topping, keeping it away from the edge about 2cm.  Add salt, pepper, chile powder as desired.
7. Place the cheese on top.  I buy mozzarella cheese in blocks and hand slice it, so my slices come out 2-3mm thick.  I use four slices to ensure complete coverage.
8. Turn off the heat and place the cover on the pan.  Let it sit for about five minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
9. Lift out of the pan into your plate with a spatula (or eat directly from the pan).  I eat this with a fork -- it's way too floppy to pick up by hand as with a real pizza.

My CPAP Breathing Machine

This is a continuation of The Sleep Study...

Not long after the sleep study, the respiratory therapist showed up at my home for a morning appointment.   This was the exciting day I would start using my CPAP machine, which was programmed to inflate my airway with enough pressure to keep it open all night long.  Tonight would be the first of many nights in my own bed without sleep apnea.

"Jenny" introduced the machine to me -- a ResMed S8 Escape.  She explained the one and only setting that I could adjust -- the ramp-up time to full pressure.  It also came with a humidifier, but since it was August, we decided to leave it unconnected.

She also fitted me for a mask -- the Fisher Paykel FlexiFit.  It felt like the same one that I wore during the sleep study, designed to fit over the nose only.  She explained how to put it on and take it off, as well as how to adjust the Velcro straps to make it tighter or looser.  It felt snug but not uncomfortable, at least for the 30 seconds I had it on for.  And when she started up the machine, it made an airtight seal.


Now I realize it may seem odd that this woman was at my home helping me with a device that I would use while in bed.  So let me pause here to explain that we were seated at the kitchen table, both fully clothed, and my wife was puttering about in the background.


I slept very well that night, despite looking like I had an alien attached to my face, and despite the purr of the novel machine and the Darth-Vadar-like sound of my own breathing.  I felt somewhat refreshed the next morning.  However, I was bothered by the sore spot on the bridge of my nose where the mask was the most snug.  The area was bright red with a few yellow oozing pimples.

"That's a nasty staph infection you got," my wife said.  "You better call the doctor and get some antibiotic."

"Nawh, I'll just wash it and put some ointment on it."

"Don't fool around!  If that gets into your eye you could go blind!" she replied, in a tone that was far from reassuring.

I did not call the doctor right away, but I did call the CPAP machine supplier.  I had read all the literature.  The mask was supposed to come with two seals, but I had only one, which was marked "small."  The other seal, which I did not have, would have been marked "medium."  So I explained the problem of the staph infection and the missing seal.  They promised to send a new seal out to me in the mail.

The literature also directed the patient to wash the mask with warm soap and water between each use and let it air dry.  It's very likely that the mask was contaminated with some bacteria either from Jenny or myself or from whoever placed the mask components into the kit.  Or the bacteria may have been present on my face.  In fact we're covered with all sorts of bacteria just waiting for a break in the skin in order gain a foothold and multiply.

The infection only got worse, so I went in to see the doctor the very next day.  I started on a course of oral antibiotics and kept it covered with a topical, over-the-counter ointment.

Eventually the infection cleared up and the new, medium-sized seal arrived.  I washed everything thoroughly.  At bedtime I carefully readjusted the Velcro to achieve the minimum tightness that would prevent air from escaping.  As well, I turned off the ramp feature.  I found that I could set the fit too loose and sometimes not realize it until after the machine reached full pressure.  It was better for me to start the machine off at the final pressure and then adjust the mask.

I never could get the larger seal to fit properly.  During the night the mask would shift slightly and allow air to escape, usually near one of my eyes.  Every time I'd try the small seal, I get the sore, red mark. So I settled on the medium seal.  However, I should've requested another brand or style of mask.  As I lie on my back, I like to arrange the hose so that it goes straight from the mask under the covers to my belly button, and I hold it in place with my two hands as if clutching a teddy bear to my chest.  This keeps the mask from shifting too much.


After a few months I stopped washing the mask and went a long time nearly without incident.  The incident occurred when we went on vacation to Mount Pocono.  I brought the CPAP machine and mask with me.  In the act of packing and unpacking, the mask probably got contaminated because after the first night in the hotel, I had that infection again.  I wound up calling my doctor from afar.  But because it was the weekend, I spoke with the doctor on call and had to explain the whole business with the mask and the infection.  No problem.  He called the prescription in to the nearby (and ubiquitous) CVS pharmacy, with which I had an account in my home state.  They had all my records stored electronically, even my insurance information.  So I bought the antibiotic, plus some ointment and bandages for the rest of the vacation.

This vacation-infection scenario played out once again.  Then I got smart and decided to wash the mask while on vacation with it.


Anyway, I really like the CPAP machine despite its imperfections.  I have been wearing it for about six and a half years every night for the entire night except when I was too congested to breathe through my nose.  It, along with my special diet, has made a big improvement in my life.

How to Become Euphoric

Do you want to experience a sense of euphoria¹?  Here's how you do it.

Help someone.

Find someone who's struggling and help him or her.

Last night, I experienced euphoria.  I was picking up my daughter from school.  One of the other moms was stuck.  She couldn't start her car -- the battery was weak.  I drove over, hooked up my jumper cables, and gave her a boost.  Also I popped open the battery filler ports and showed her that the water was low.  The woman I helped was my daughter's friend's mom, too.

She was so grateful, and so was my daughter.  But I am even more grateful for the opportunity to make a real difference in someone's life.  And I get another topic for my blog.

How do you become euphoric?

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¹ Euphoria would be a good name for a rock band. In fact, it is the name of a rock band!