Kevin's Kitchen: Grilling on Memorial Day

A thyroidectomy requires a life change. That includes changing eating habits. The purpose of Kevin's Kitchen is to help those with no (or little) cooking skills to create great meals.

I used to get these giant dinosaur sized sirloin steaks. This year I switched to the "right sized" steaks - I like them better because they are low fat and you can usually eat the entire thing. About half of those giant sirloins were fat and grizzle. Also on the grill, we have the marinated chicken, and the kid's burgers. Doing corn on the cob and beans on the side cooker.

Kidney Update: The specialist

I saw the Kidney Specialist. His first question to me was "Why are you here?"

I explained to him that I was concerned about the high cretonne levels and it looked like the levels were increasing.

He told me that for a guy my size (6'4"), my cretonne levels are not high. The acceptable range is for the average human, and I am not average.

Further, he showed through historical blood readings that my levels are not increasing but instead go through a cycle of going up and then back down.

He then repeated his question to me. "Why are you here?"

I answered "I guess I have nothing to be concerned about"

To which he answered, " I agree." He congratulated me, and I left happy that I don't have another medical condition to worry about.

Sleep Study: First Night with CPAP

I survived my first night with the CPAP machine.

The mask became uncomfortable several times during the night, probably because I had it strapped too tight. The edge of the mast touching my skin somethings became uncomfortable, but, the most uncomfortable was the hard plastic strap that went across my cheek bones. My cheek bones remained sore for twelve hours after I removed the mask.

Also, I woke up several times in the night and discovered a lot of air pressure in the mask. This was probably a sign that I hadn't taken a breath for some period because when that happens, the pressure will build up. When there is a lot of air pressure it can be difficult to exhale - doing so requires some force.

The humidity setting on the CPAP needs to get turned up because my nose was plugged and my mouth was dry.

After five hours, I got up to use the bathroom in the night and couldn't figure out how to disconnect the hose, so, I took the mask off and said "That is enough for my first night" I decided. I only used it for about five hours.

Cleaning the mask (aka, the "pillow") was super easy in the morning. Just a little dish soap, rinsed it, and then set it out to dry.

The results? Am I better rested? I don't know. It is too early to tell. I should know more after a few more nights. I really hope this helps! 

Sleep study: CPAP machine

Like many people who have a Thyroidectomy, I suffer from exhaustion, low energy, and brain fog. My primary doctor believed the problem was sleep apnea. A test confirmed I have a mild case of it. The fix? Wear a CPAP device while I sleep.

I received my CPAP machine today. I went to a CPAP supply company to be fitted and to receive instructions.

The device blows air through a hose that connects to a mask that goes over my mouth and nose. My insurance company requires I wear it for at least 4 hours per night, and to be sure I do, the device talks via cell phone to the CPAP store.

The device has a humidifier that requires distilled water. This is so I am not breathing dry air all night long. To be sure I am not breathing cold wet air, or, the water condenses to the hose, the hose is heated. That also helps assure my face isn't blown with cold air all night.

The parts need to be regularly cleaned. I plan to clean the mask and the humidifier daily. The hose cleaning will get added to my Sunday night routine. The air filter gets changed monthly. All the different parts (mask, "pillow", hose, headgear, etc) are know as "supplies" and they get replaced at various frequencies.

There is an app I can load on my phone to see how I am sleeping at night. It will be interesting to compare that result to what my Fitbit says.

I asked the lady: what if there is a power outage, will I suffocate and die? She told me that she isn't aware of anyone dieing yet and believes I will get good at ripping the mask off in that situation. ...I am not sure how I feel about that answer...

I am really hoping this deals with the exhaustion because the exhaustion is impacting my quality of life. Either I sleep so much there isn't time to do anything, or, I don't sleep enough and spend the day in a daze.  I am ready to try anything, and if it means sleeping with a mask? I will do it!