Oxygen FU, and Introducing....Morning Minis!

Hello My Dear Readership!

I only have a bit to type as tonight is dedicated to airway clearance, for serious, so I can only type while my Pulmozyme runs!

I have some Follow Up regarding oxygen for you! Thanks for your help last night. Especially tweeters.

Here is what I learned in my one day of research regarding my oxygen troubles, mostly contributed by Cystic Lady.

Tips on Oxygen for the Working (Cystic) Gal:

1) Always have an extra mini tank in your trunk that you don't use unless you absolutely have to. Like a "Please go to my car and get the tank from my trunk," type of scenario.

2) Leave an extra tank in your workplace.

3) You should not carry your tanks, even in that funky backpack thing, if doing so makes you use more O2. You gotta roll with it, baby! Use a rolling backpack or crate. I happened to have a small rolling milk crate that I call my 'rolly-do,' that I have used in rehearsals for years. Turn out, it work for rehearsal crap AND mini tanks.

4) It is better to stay at a consistent level of oxygen use than to take it off for vanity or convenience or whatever, and then have to spike it up when you inevitably go low. Even if your O2 will go a little high, leave it on at a low level if you are likely to get up at any moment (like, uh, if you're directing a play).

5) Think of your O2 like any other bodily function. If you had to go to the bathroom, you would not stand around for 45 minutes shootin' the s"breeze." You'd excuse yourself, and come back after you p"used the bathroom." Treating the oxygen use like an extra special errand just makes it bigger than it is. It's as basic as your pee, gals. You gotta pee, and you gotta get a new tank sometimes.

6) Call your oxygen company for the item that far and wide seems to be referred to as "that water bubble thingy." It connects to your "oxygen maker" (can you tell I'm not a doctor) and puts some water into the line so you don't run dry air over the sinuses all night and day.

7) Turn down the A/C. It will dry out the house.

8) This is not O2 related, but do NOT skip a cup of coffee that you usually have because your head hurts. That is BAD BAD BAD for your brain. Your brain needs all the help it can get when there is a headache. Do not deny it the daily pleasures it desires. (In other words, quit coffee on purpose, on a different day than your O2 headache day).

Oh no! Pulmozyme done...I have more to write but must do it tomorrow!

In other news: If you wake up late on the day that you schedule a morning workout- you can do what I'm calling "The Morning Mini." A fifteen minute cardio where you stretch as usual, 3 minute warm up as usual, and then increase intensity in walking/biking/etc. as your O2 and heart-rate allow to try to get to max by 12 minutes in...hard to do, but possible. Then cool down, stretch as usual. Airway clearance awaits...

CRUCIAL RULE FOR THE MORNING MINI: This was not a real workout. You must work out FOR REAL later in the day.

more later...love, CG