Another Night of Little Sleep and Glasses

I am so frustrated. Even with some pretty potent prescription drugs, I can't sleep. Well, I did get a bit over two hours, but that just isn't enough, not for anybody. I'm doing all I can to improve my cardiovascular output by walking daily and taking my medications. My decreased ejection fraction makes me tired as it is, and on February 7th, I see a cardiologist who specializes in pacemakers and defibrillators. If a pacemaker increases my energy levels during the day, I'm all for it. But, if the insomnia doesn't abate, I'm likely going to feel pretty lousy anyway. Sometimes I just wish somebody would knock me over the head with some blunt metallic object so that I can pass out. I don't want to use this blog to complain about not sleeping all the time, but it's a determining factor in how I'm going to feel each and every day. I've had two cups of coffee or I wouldn't even be blogging this morning.

Today, I go to Bardstown, Kentucky to test different colored lenses by trying to read something with the various shades. If the color is right, reading will be smooth and easy, not choppy or uncomfortable. Once the right color is established, my prescription glasses will be sent off to be tinted. I will miss them while they're gone. My vision is so much better now that I have corrective lenses. Of course, I've written about this in a previous blog. The coloring of the lenses block out certain wavelengths of light that interfere with one's visual processing so that they can read better and have improved depth perception, among other things. It's a rather painstaking process to discover what the right color is, but I imagine I will start with what worked in 1996. I really have a feeling it's changed. I was told all the prescription drugs, the chemicals I put into my body can change the wavelengths of light to which I'm sensitive. I will find out soon enough. More later...

An Inch of Snow Creates Havoc and the Last Polar Plunge!

Tuesday morning was a mess. The Louisville area had about a quick inch of morning snowfall, just before and during rush hour. The Jefferson County Public Schools decided to implement the two-hour delay, which had parents scrambling to find carpools and other arrangements for their children so that they could get to work as soon as they possibly could. The kids delighted in the late morning, of course. My niece, Lauren, had no school because my sister lives just outside of Jefferson County in the Goshen vicinity (Oldham County.) They called off classes period for the day. Children there had a four-day weekend. Lucky them, I guess. Anyway, temperatures were right around the freezing mark when the snow was falling and ground temperatures were cold enough to support the "sticking" light snow cover, until it melted off in the late morning/early afternoon hours when temperatures rose well into the 30s.

Also, Louisville is expecting another quick shot of arctic air to move in tomorrow (Thursday.) We should see a few flurries and another bout of frigid wind chills. Friday morning, I expect temperatures to fall into the single digits once again, but this coming weekend, there will be a major warming trend. A period of snow or wintry mix may fall late Friday night into Saturday morning before temperatures climb to near 40 Saturday afternoon, which, as "balmy" as it may seem, is about average for this time of year. Then, above normal temperatures take over for a few days, 50s expected by Monday. The extreme cold looks to be over for now, once this weekend arrives. The 8 to 14-day forecast suggests that temperatures will hover somewhere close to average and precipitation (mostly rain) will be heavier than usual. The only snow I expect to see over the next two weeks should be light and rather insignificant, following behind storm systems in wrap-around moisture. I expect a lot of snowfall to the north, in the Midwestern states, like around Chicago, where their seasonal totals thusfar are already exceeding the norm. Louisville's total snowfall for the 2007-08 winter season to date is 3.5 inches, considerably below the typical amount.

Johnny Rivers Rocked!

I was amazed at the talent of Johnny Rivers last night. He can play almost anything. He started off with a couple blues numbers. He played the solos with ease and excitement. Everybody who was there could probably tell that Johnny Rivers likes to play rock 'n' roll. He did play a few acoustic numbers, but that just emphasized the diverse music that Rivers could play. And when he played a slow song, the Louisville Orchestra kicked into gear and washes of strings just made them all the more beautiful. When he first took stage he said, "Hello, all you symphonic rock 'n' rollers!" You could tell that he had a good sense of humor. His singing was most of the time right on, but occasionally his voice revealed a lack of power. But, I had to remind myself that this guy is 65 years old. I just loved that he loved what he was doing, and it showed. His band was awesome as well. The keyboard player rocked like the best of them and was apparently responsible for some of the arrangements. The drummer was exceptional. And the bass player as well as the extra guitar player were obviously fine musicians. A funny side note... the backup singers were good, but one of them that my parents and I talked about afterwards was getting raunchy with some sexually suggestive movements. I know she was just really into the music, but watching her was entertaining. I'd like to see her at a dance party. Anyway, I really do want to get a cd compilation of Johnny Rivers' greatest hits. I know in several cases, he trumped the original artist who wrote the songs with his own version. He had an ordinary voice, but one that was very pleasing to hear.

Sleep Medication, The Arctic Invasion, and Johnny Rivers...

Well, the insomniac didn't blog yesterday because I was a basketcase. I slept absolutely zilch Thursday night. I tried Trazodone at 300 mg again because it had been a while. I lowered my Chlorpromazine dose from 300 mg to 200 mg, thinking that the Trazodone would compensate for the extra Chlorpromazine. But, it didn't work. Last night (Friday,) I got a new prescription for Sonata. I first tried it without the Chlorpromazine, but I couldn't fall asleep. So I ended up taking 20 mg of Sonata and 200 mg of Chlorpromazine to sleep several consecutive hours. Why can't I shut off my brain when I'm trying to sleep? It's not that I'm consciously thinking about something. I don't know. It's very frustrating! Anyway, I believe I got close to eight hours of rest last night, so I'm feeling much better this morning. If only I could get eight hours every night... without drugs!!! My psychiatrist really wants me to quit taking the Chlorpromazine because it's an ancient anti-psychotic drug with possible side effects that could show up at any time. He tells me that he's concerned about stiffness associated with it, but the primary concern should be movement disorders. I've been on it for several years now, and 200 mg isn't a terribly high dose or it wouldn't come in a 200 mg tablet. Chlorpromazine is also used for pre-surgical anxiety, nausea, and hiccups (believe it or not.) So, enough about my insomnia!

As far as a weather update, the arctic front is just on Louisville's door-step this morning. Right now, it's 30 degrees F outside, but it's only 10 degrees F up the road in Indianapolis. Rarely is there a 20-degree difference between here and Indy. It still seems that afternoon temperatures should fall into the teens here with subzero wind chills. Most weather forecasts are predicting temperatures to hold in the 20s throughout the day. I just don't see it staying that "warm." Hopefully, I'm wrong and temperatures don't fall quite so dramatically!

Tonight, I'm going to a Louisville Pops concert with my parents. We're going to see Johnny Rivers play with the Louisville Orchestra. My folks have seen him before and were quite impressed. He had a bunch of hits in the '60s and early '70s. I know he didn't pen them all, but he has written at least a few originals. I have a freebie coming to me from BMG, so I might just get "The Best of Johnny Rivers" as my selection. I only need a one-disc collection. "Secret Agent Man," "Mountain of Love," and "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie-Woogie Flu" are just a few of his hits. Anyway, thank God I got some sleep last night, so hopefully I can enjoy the concert this evening! I hope to enjoy this show as much as Kool & The Gang and Olivia Newton-John, which have been my favorite performances in the Louisville Pops series over the past few years.

So It Did Snow (a bit) and February 5th...

Okay... so I was wrong. It did snow last night into this morning, mixed with rain at times, and temperatures did get close to freezing. I hope it didn't cause any major problems on the roads this morning. I haven't listened to the news yet... so I have no clue about road conditions. Right now, there's just a light drizzle falling and the temperature is about 34 degrees F. That's about what I thought this morning's low temperature would be in Louisville. Part of the reason I believed there would be no snow was because it was raining in Chicago yesterday! Yet, it snowed in parts of northern Alabama and Georgia (briefly) before it moved into the Carolinas last evening. All I have to say is the atmosphere must have been pretty convoluted over the past 24 hours. Anyway, I've updated some of my posts so far, but a journal is generally not corrected. Therefore, my forecasting mistake will remain part of my blog.

Well, I'm really looking forward to February 5th. Three much anticipated new cd releases are coming out that day. I've been a fan of Sheryl Crow and Lenny Kravitz since their first singles came out, back in 1989 for Lenny and about 1994 for Sheryl. I really like the title of Lenny's new cd... "It Is Time for a Love Revolution." Isn't that the truth? There is so much hatred and bigotry out there... all around the world. I've always liked the fact that Lenny can play just about any instrument and play it well, kind of like Stevie Wonder in the '70s and Prince in the '80s. The third new release that I'm looking forward to is Jack Johnson. His music is almost too sunny for me, but I love the way he sings and plays that acoustic guitar. I think his first cd came out around 2000. His surfer buddy, Donavon Frankenreiter, came out with a terrific cd in 2006 with the title "Move By Yourself." He's a bit more soulful than his friend Jack, but I enjoy listening to them both.

I Say Mainly Rain, Not Snow for Tonight! and Birthday Heart Re-Evaluation...

I can hardly believe the National Weather Service is still calling for snow tonight into tomorrow morning. I think the temperatures are far too warm for snow. They are saying it may mix with rain but are still predicting an inch or less of accumulation. I don't believe there will be any snow. I think a few ice pellets may mix in with the rain at the onset, but temperatures will be safely above freezing throughout the night. The main weather story should remain the arctic cold to hit Saturday. I'm thinking most of that day will see temperatures in the teens with blustery conditions, sending wind chills below zero.

Anyway, today is my 34th birthday. I saw the cardiologist this morning after having an echocardiogram done. My cardiac output remains around 30 percent, not the kind of improvement I'd hoped and prayed for. Still 30% is slightly better than 27%, so it's going in the right direction. I just have to face it that I have a weakened heart and need to focus on my walking (light exercise) that has been suggested by my cardiologist and other doctors. It's just so difficult to want to do anything when you feel so very tired. I don't feel awful all the time. It is helpful when I'm in the company of family and friends. It is then possible to rise above how terrible I actually feel. Of course, coffee (a bit of caffeine) helps lift me out of my lethargy to some degree, depending on the day and how well I slept the night before. I had a really good time with my friends Harold and Michael last Friday night. I was more outgoing than usual I noticed. It definitely helps me psychologically to get out and socialize with people who care. More later...

Featured Albums of the Week...

Some will notice I removed The Spill Canvas from my list of $7.99 cds to get this week. I took another listen and did not like what I heard the second time around. And I wanted to add that I already have Amy Winehouse, Shiny Toy Guns, and Feist, 3 more of the 18 showcased up and coming artists' cds on sale this week. Amy Winehouse uses a bit too much foul language for my taste, but I love the classic Motown instrumentation. Listening to her led me to Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. It is 1960s Motown all over again, and it sounds so fresh. I got "100 Days, 100 Nights" for $7.99 a few weeks back from none other than Best Buy. I plan to get the two cds previously released by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in the near future. Again, I don't have the funds to just splurge, so I will take my sweet time filling up the few remaining gaps in my cd cabinet. I've been selling cds that I don't care much for any longer to make room for new ones that I will listen to. Why have cds taking up space that are never listened to? In a few other cases, I'm upgrading the catalog of certain artists who have meticulously remastered their original recordings to the much improved 24-bit technology of the 21st Century. I don't know if the sonic clarity can get much better in today's digital world.

Genesis... The Band, Glasses (cont.), and The Arctic Express!

I finally completed my "classic" Genesis collection, which I consider from 1971 (when Phil Collins joined the band) to 1981 (the last year Phil Collins played at least semi-acoustic drums.) I love "Abacab" (the 1981 album.) It has three songs that I really enjoy. The title track, "No Reply At All" and "Man on the Corner" all three got considerable airplay back in the day. There's a really irritating song on it though, called "Who Dunnit?" I think I'll skip that track the next time I listen to this cd. Anyway, I like Genesis past 1981, but the instrumentation changed to include more electronic devices and effects. "Invisible Touch" from 1986 had 5 hits on it, so I'm bound to enjoy at least a couple of those tracks. However, the mid-1980s was a time when synthesizers were taking over and drum machines were commonplace. A lot of the pop music became "bubble-gum" at the time and that continued until the grunge revolution in the early 1990s. I'm not a fan of grunge, but I appreciate the fact that it brought music full circle back to less processed sounds. Well, that's enough of my musicology for the day.

Today, my glasses feel right. Looking at this computer screen is putting a lot less strain on my eyes. It is the same with watching tv. The only complaint I have is that there is a sense of motion that I'm not used to. Perhaps as I get accustomed to wearing the glasses, that feeling will go away. I almost feel a bit of motion sickness, but everything else seems right. Now I just have to wait to get the glasses tinted correctly. I was told that I'd have to get used to the prescription lenses before I get them tinted... three or four days, I believe. So, if the weather cooperates, next week I'll go to Madison, Indiana to be retested for the right colored lenses to assist me with reading and photosensitivity.

Now it looks like Thursday's snowfall with be insignificant. The system will remain split, with energy passing to the north and to the south of Louisville. If they merged, we'd get an accumulating snow, but right now... it doesn't look promising. The major story over the next week to 10 days will be the arctic cold coming in about Saturday and again about Tuesday of next week. It looks like tomorrow's high temperatures in the lower 40s F will be the warmest we'll see for about 10 to 12 days. And they thought this was going to be a mild winter. As I learned in Climatology class, El Nino and La Nina weather patterns are rarely a permanent feature during those years. This winter, there is a La Nina in the equatorial Pacific waters... waters that are colder than average. It tends to keep the polar jet stream well to the north, keeping the arctic air masses resticted to Alaska and the far northern parts of the United States.

Well, people, be prepared for some brutally cold weather during this last half of January! It looks like it will effect nearly the entire lower 48 states with colder than normal temperatures, and generally light precipitation events, except for the occasional coastal low travelling up the East Coast. It could be a snowy period for the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. More later...

Glasses

Today, I have to pick up my prescription glasses. My vision, when tested, like last Wednesday, is losing ground. My right eye is significantly in worse shape than my left. In both cases, I have astigmatism. I've been noticing for some time that my vision's been blurry. I thought it might be my medications making my vision blurry, but it is impossible to know if that is the case. I go back to the eye doctor in a year. I hope it doesn't get much worse. I thank God that Medicare will pay for the visit to Dr. Conrad. It didn't, however, pay for the frames and the lenses, which my parents picked up on their credit card. My parents are so generous when it comes to their children. I am so thankful! Next, I am to be examined for the right tinted lenses to accommodate my prescription. I have Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and need colored lenses to assist me in reading and tolerating bright lights. Last time, back in 1996, it was teal and beige. Beige is the background tint. It is either beige or gray, but the color can be almost anything. The way I've been gravitating towards purple lately... I almost think the color has shifted from teal to purple. We will see. This syndrome is so common, yet so misunderstood by many. There are certain wavelengths of light that some people are intolerant to that it makes reading at best choppy... not smooth and comfortable like it should be. White light is all colors in one, and certain tints of the entire prism of colors are distracting and negative for many to see. I know that yellow and gold shades are difficult for me to process. Anyway, I will probably make an appointment with the scotopic folks for next week to amend my new prescription lenses with beige and whatever color feels right upon examination.

Winter Returns, Heart Talk, and Best Buy Deals!

Well, a bit of light snow is moving this way across southern Indiana this morning. It's hitting the area right at the morning rush hour, which could be messy. But, I don't have to go anywhere thankfully. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Thursday to see if we might get an accumulating snow... perhaps a couple of inches. A light snowfall would be appreciated, at least by me. I have a feeling this weekend will be colder than currently forecasted, especially if we have snow cover. I think we will at least get down into the single digits in Louisville. I was correct earlier this month when a brief shot of arctic air hit the area. I thought one day the temperatures wouldn't climb out of the teens. Well, it hit 21 degrees F for a high temperature with most of the day hovering in the teens. A near 30 F was forecasted for that day.

This Wednesday, my birthday actually, I will find out if my cardiac output has improved. I am hoping and praying that it will. My ejection fraction with a MUGA scan was at 27 percent last summer. That is pretty significant cardiomyopathy. I'm currently taking Coreg and Altace for this condition. There are 12 prescription drugs that I take daily. It was up to 17 at one time, but thankfully, I was able to reduce the number without consequence. 3 are for psychosis and anxiety, 3 are for allergies, 2 are for cardiac function, 2 are for pain and stiffness, and 2 are for insomnia. One of my insomnia drugs was taken off the formulary this year, and it was the best medication for sleep that I've ever taken. That was Somnote (chloral hydrate), and I may replace it (with the consent of my doctor) with Sonata, which worked to some degree the last time I tried it. I've tried everything for sleep. My psychiatrist has seen thousands of patients throughout his career, and he says I'm the worst insomniac he's ever treated... not a status that I am proud of.

There are 3 cds that I'd like to purchase this week that are $7.99 a piece at Best Buy. They are up and coming artists in the music industry. But as most anyone knows, a person on disability doesn't have money to throw around on entertainment. But, there were 18 artists in this week's ad being showcased. I listened to samples of each of the artists' songs on Amazon.com to determine whether or not I liked the artist, and I quickly narrowed the 18 down to 3. The three I liked were Colbie Caillat, Plain White T's, and Rilo Kiley. The only way I'll get these albums are if I get a Best Buy gift card for my birthday on Wednesday... hint! Anyway, there's more to talk about, but I don't have to discuss it all at once. I consider this blog to be like a diary. Rick's music, weather, and health... truly!

The Beginning of the Blog

As usual, I am the perpetual insomniac. I guess about 5 hours of sleep is good, but waking up before 3 AM isn't all that fun. The only reason I slept at all was the sedatives that I take. The doctor that prescribes these medications said that all these drugs would knock out a baby elephant!

Anyway, the sun is about to come up now, and it's raining outside. It's about 40 degrees F out there, so it's a chilly rain... cold rain being my least favorite weather condition. The weather pattern is in the process of changing to a much colder one for the eastern part of the United States. Louisville, Kentucky, my hometown and where I live now experienced a 70 degree F record high temperature just last Tuesday. We may see that again in March, I suppose.

Anyway, a cousin recommended a cd to me a few weeks back, so I bought it. The name of the group is Angels & Airwaves. The cd is titled "I-Empire" and I enjoyed every song on the album. It's rock music, but very pop-sounding with electronica effects. I guess it might be classified as "adult-alternative," but, all in all, it's just a very pleasing sonic delivery. More later...