health updates

[mellowtigger]

I wear my FloMask Pro mask every time I'm around other people. Today, I found a failure mode for this mask. For all I know, it affects every N95 mask type, but who knows for sure. I was outside on another far-below-freezing day in Minneapolis, catching the bus to go to/from physical therapy at the hospital. My exhales caused the mask filter to freeze up, making it difficult to breathe through it. Fine, I thought, since it will thaw when I'm in the bus or building. It did thaw, but the filter never regained permeability.

When I started exercising during therapy and breathing heavily, the filter "blew out", breaking the seal. When I got home, I reseated the filter and locked it in, but the same thing happened again after being outdoors waiting for the micro-route bus to take me to the grocery store. I ended up manually holding the filter in place for inhales, then letting the dislodged edge flap loose for exhales.

Better than nothing, but not great. I'm calling this a potential exposure day. When I got home, I sprayed my nose with an iodine post-exposure spray. From now on, I guess I need to carry a replacement filter with me, so I can put in a working filter when I arrive at my destination when traveling in very cold weather outdoors.

Physical therapy is still mostly going good. The neuropathy is still worse than usual in my left foot/leg, but it's hurting less. I called attention to the one single exercise that still is the hardest for me to do and with little-to-no improvement after 2 weeks. We'll see if he has something new for me to try next week.

Comments

[threemeninaboat]

Can you wear a flannel fabric mask over it to keep it warm?

[mellowtigger]

I've got a balaclava that I would normally wear in weather that cold. I'll see if it can fit over the mask. Or if it's easy to switch between the balaclava (when outdoors) and the respirator (when indoors).