If I thought that last week was trying, it was only a blip in the road compared to this one. Our air went out on Sunday. Bryan came and checked it and thought it was one thing but it turned out to be the compressor. We have a free standing unit in the apartment and he brought it in and put it in the dining room. It cooled that room and part of the living room. I closed off the bedroom after turning on the ceiling fan and closed all the curtains and blinds in the living/dining rooms. (I always said I was going to find a cave to live in but I like light too much). It didn't help that this was the hottest week of the year, not including when the heat index was 110. The actual temperatures this week where in the upper 90s with no air moving at all until today. We had a lovely breeze and it was only in the 80s. We also haven't had any rain for a month so the air is dirty, complete with smoke from burning fields. But, I digress.

The repairman came Monday, or he sent a crew since he was playing in a golf tournament, and it was confirmed that it was the compressor. So we got 3 estimates on Tuesday, just replacing the compressor, replacing the air conditioning unit only, and replacing the entire heat/air system. We opted on just the air unit, but his supplier didn't have one in stock, so he had to order it and it wasn't due until yesterday.

We were able to stay in the house most of the time, and I pulled the mattress from our bed and put it in the dining room. The first night wasn't too bad. Bill had a hard time getting up and down, but with a little help, he managed. The second night was not pleasant. I told Bill we were going to a hotel for the next 2 nights and he was agreeable. He's still coughing a lot. As I was making our reservations, the room rate jumped from $87 to $104 to $108 per night. So, I switched hotels and that rate jumped from $65 to $99! That was an awful lot for a Quality Inn, but the others that are decent were more than that. So, there was really no choice.

When we came home Thursday, and as you know travel for us is not easy with oxygen tanks along with everything else needed, I was hot and sweaty. We waited all day for them to come. I figured it would be afternoon since they had to wait for it to be delivered, and finally sent them a text about 3. The unit had not come in, so we would have to suffer another night, or leave again. I just could not make myself pack things again, even though most of the oxygen tanks were still in the car. So we stayed here again and it was a terrible night.

Bill needed to use the bathroom and he could not manage to sit up. He had his urinal to use but he wanted to stand to do it. I was already in the bathroom and he started yelling for help and having a panic attack. I got him into a dining room chair and then told him when this little crisis was over he was going to start moving and using his arms and legs or he was going to be bedridden! He informed me that he could move them. And I told him he couldn't even sit up from laying down without help. Of course, 2 am is not the time to have this conversation! But, being tired and hot to begin with, this just was the icing on the cake. He decided we were just going to stay up but I told him I wasn't, so he got on the couch and reclined it while I lay back down.

The air was fixed today, but there's a problem somewhere. It cooled down to 74 and that's where we usually keep it, so I set it there. But late this afternoon I walked by the thermostat and it was 77 and the unit was running. I turned the thermostat off and back on and the unit is running and the freon line is cold. It doesn't feel warm in here and we can feel cool air coming from the vent. So I'm thinking it's the thermostat. But, I have a call in to the guy who installed it. All I could do was leave a message and he's also a fireman so he may have been at the fire station.

As I said, Bill is still coughing. He's finished his antibiotic and he has an appointment Monday morning. I decided that instead of getting the nurse here to draw blood, we would go to the office because we would get the results sooner. Depending on what that shows, I may call Dr. Threlkeld the infectious disease doctor. Three rounds of doxycycline and 2 rounds of Levaquin and he is still about the same, so something has to give. We'll just see.

I've really noticed lately, and it could be just because he was hot, his mind seems to be slipping a little more. He kept asking me why we couldn't turn the air on. He's had a problem since the transplant with memory, but this is a little different. But, he's still doing his puzzles so I don't know.

I took him to his barber Wednesday and he doesn't have much hair on the sides, but it's a little longer on top. It's a strange cut, but the barber is 87 years old. That's right, 87. He's been barbering for 59 years and he said he's lost most of the regular customers to the cemetery. He's the only barber left in town now. I don't remember how many he said there were when he started, 23 I think. It's kind of sad, he's the only one of his siblings left and I think he said all 10 of his children have passed away. His wife just turned 80 and she isn't in good health. But, he keeps going, even if he's lost some of his ability.

So, that's our horrible week. Things of course can get worse, but I'm going to stay positive that things are only going up from here on out!  Fall starts Monday, and next week we're back into the upper 90s again with very little chance of rain. But, family is coming in for a quick visit on Thursday so that will be nice. Maybe Bill's white count will be down but I doubt it. Anyway, we'll hope for the good. Until next week...