Just when you think it's going to be just another week...

Bill's oxygen concentrator started running really loud on Monday. It is generally pretty quiet although not as quiet as the one in the apartment (aka Bill's mancave). I changed the air filter which was pretty dirty, but that didn't change anything, so I brought the other one in. When I unplugged the loud one, the cord was pretty hot, so something was going on with it.

Tuesday morning I called the supplier and got a recording that the number was disconnected! I knew that there was a change in ownership and name so figured there was a new number, but only got that it was disconnected. I then called the 800 number...and got the same recording! I found another number online (one of the drawbacks of not getting phonebooks anymore) and it was for the tube feeding department. I was given another number but it rang straight back to the tube feeding department. I scrolled through Caller ID and found the number for our delivery man and left him a message. When he called back he told me that he had to be in Blytheville that day and he would load up another concentrator. He finally came about 5:30 and, although the concentrator tested fine as far as the concentration of oxygen, he could tell that something was wrong with the way it sounded, so he swapped them out. We discussed the weather some. We were supposed to get some rough weather coming in and according to radar it was still about 3 hours out. He had several stops yet to make and we hoped he would get home before it got bad.

We knew that this storm system was coming in for several days and weren't really surprised when a tornado watch was issued. The bad part was that the storms were coming in 2 waves, the first in the late evening, the second during the night.

I decided to get one of Bill's large tanks ready. Usually the regulator is on a small tank so that when we are going out it's ready to go. So I swapped the tanks. I also put some folding chairs by the pantry door just in case. We do have a storm cellar, and we can access it from inside the house, but we have gotten too unbendable to get through the small opening! So, the pantry it is. We got a small storm about 9:30 and I heard it rain some after we went to bed. My cellphone went off several times during the night for storm warning and watches. Our tornado watch was extended twice. At 4:15 "the" storm started. Lots of thunder and lightning and wind and then the rain started. I got up to check our front window. Sometimes the rain gets behind the gutters and then comes in under the window. I had just gotten into the kitchen to get the flashlight that I had set on the counter when we lost power. Bells and whistles everywhere from Bill's concentrator to the alarm system. Got the extra tank and woke Bill and got him swapped over, then looked at my phone. We had a tornado warning, so off to the pantry we go but by that time everything had stopped and it was eerily quiet. We didn't stay in the pantry long, it gets very warm and stuffy. So, put Bill back to bed but told him I was going to stay up. I also told him I wasn't going to start the generator until daylight and the storms were over. Since it is a manual switch-over I didn't want to be outside with the lightning messing with the electric!

Once daylight arrived I did start the generator, and I'm so glad we made the decision to buy it after the ice storm of 2009. Our justification was that if Bill ever needed to be on oxygen we needed it. And that time arrived! I checked with the power company and they estimated that it would be 6 pm before it was one. Half of the town was out of power, the schools were closed and the hospital was damaged. They had several windows blown out. Emily brought McKenna in as she didn't want to stay home. Brianna decided it was a good day to sleep so she stayed home. Emily's office didn't have any power so, after Bill was medicated and fed we girls decided to go look at damage. The damage started about 3 blocks from our house and covered an entire neighborhood. Lots of trees down, some roofs damaged and a couple of windows shattered. In the late afternoon an update was given that it would be 6 pm THURSDAY before power would be restored. Our neighbors Joe and Barb came over for some coffee and to charge cellphones. We were talking about programs we watch and Barb said she would miss the finale of one they had been watching. We hadn't seen it, but told them we could watch it here. They went home to eat and came back a few minutes before it was to start. We were going to watch the next program too. It was one we did watch. All of a sudden Joe jumped up and walked to the dining room and when I looked up I realized I could see the street light! He had seen the bedroom light come on next door!

Things were back to normal Thursday and Friday, but we were pretty tired from all of the broken sleep.

I did find out that the phone problem at the oxygen was just a problem with the phone system and it had been resolved. Our original deliveryman came by Wednesday. We hadn't seen him through the changeover. I asked him about the portable concentrator and he said the main problem with them, for Bill, would be the amount he's needing when walking. Most of them only deliver 3 liters continuous feed and he needs 4. He said to get what he needs it would be about the size of a small wheeled suitcase. But, since I pull a backpack through Mayo with 3 extra small tanks, pulling one of those wouldn't be bad. I can also find a place to plug in and recharge. So, something to think about before we have to go. Billy suggested getting several of the larger tanks, but when I told him that sometimes the appointments start at 6 in the morning and last until 4 in the afternoon, the tanks don't last long enough. So, we'll have to do some thinking and research and talking. Low batteries and needing to find an outlet don't bother me since he was battery-powered for 6 months with the LVAD before the transplant.

Hopefully there won't be too much drama next week. The only thing that I know that is happening is that I have to take Amanda to see her neurologist. I'll need to leave early in the morning so Bill will probably get his meds early, along with breakfast. I'm a little apprehensive since I don't know how long I'll be gone. Hopefully he won't get into too much trouble.

Oh, Bill's car was supposed to be picked up Monday but so far nothing. We've not heard from the dealer, or the tow service at all. Will have to call them Monday to see what's what. The dealership has recently changed hands and this doesn't bode well!

All for this week. Need to get to the grocery store before it gets really busy. Have a good week!