In the picture of me on our family website, I'm wearing the CPAP mask that I sleep in. It's hard to really see in that pic, but it's solid plastic and covers both my mouth and nose and has a double strap that connects in the back. As cumbersome as it sounds and looks, it's actually not that bad to wear.
The part that touches my face is a super-thin silicone skirt. The idea is similar to the skirt of a hovercraft in that the air pressure creates the cushion and therefore also the seal. So basically, I sleep with a tiny hovercraft on my face all night.
Of course, since it's made of silicone and is soft and squishy, it's also similar to a fake boob.
While one description will make people scratch their heads in puzzlement, the other will win me the admiration of men the world around. Take your pick. Just don't blame me for your choice.
Showing posts with label cpap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cpap. Show all posts
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
UPS failed me... :(
According to the website that I ordered my CPAP machine from, ground would take 4 days for shipping. The fourth day was Saturday. UPS didn't show on Saturday. It was like a postponement of Christmas. No UPS meant no machine until Monday.
Checking on the UPS tracking page, my shipment is still "On Time" and is expected to be delivered on Monday the 15th.
I'm revoking the UPS guy's near-Santa status. I'm eating the cookies myself.
Checking on the UPS tracking page, my shipment is still "On Time" and is expected to be delivered on Monday the 15th.
I'm revoking the UPS guy's near-Santa status. I'm eating the cookies myself.
Friday, September 12, 2008
tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll love ya....
I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
I remember watching the news track Santa as he flew across the country, coming ever closer. Now there's a website that you can track him on and see his exact location plotted using the wonderful technology afforded us by the GPS system.
Every chance I get I've been checking the progress of my package as it travels across the country in the back of a big brown truck. Unfortunately, UPS isn't as exacting as the people who planted the GPS tracking system on Santa's sleigh. The last entry was three days ago when it left Texas. Oh, they assure me that it's "In Transit" and "On Time."
Honestly though, I was hoping for "Delivered Surprisingly Early."
Oh well. I guess this gives me time to get cookies and milk ready for the UPS delivery person. I just hope they don't try to land the truck on the roof.
I remember watching the news track Santa as he flew across the country, coming ever closer. Now there's a website that you can track him on and see his exact location plotted using the wonderful technology afforded us by the GPS system.
Every chance I get I've been checking the progress of my package as it travels across the country in the back of a big brown truck. Unfortunately, UPS isn't as exacting as the people who planted the GPS tracking system on Santa's sleigh. The last entry was three days ago when it left Texas. Oh, they assure me that it's "In Transit" and "On Time."
Honestly though, I was hoping for "Delivered Surprisingly Early."
Oh well. I guess this gives me time to get cookies and milk ready for the UPS delivery person. I just hope they don't try to land the truck on the roof.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Obstructed Sleep Apnea
About three years ago, I was diagnosed with Obstructed Sleep Apnea (OSA). Basically what happens is that when I fall asleep, my airway closes and I suffocate until I wake up enough that may airway open back up. This happens over and over again all night.
A year ago, I went in for a sleep study where they measured everything from how much I snored, how many apnea episodes I had and how often and the oxygen saturation of my blood, among a ton of other things. I was surprised to find that it only took 15 seconds after I initially fell asleep until I stopped breathing for the first time. I then averaged about one episode per minute.
The test was done in two parts. The first part measured how I did naturally. If it were possible to fail a breathing test, I got pretty close. I averaged about 55 apneas per hour. During the first three hours of the test, I was able to get only 15 minutes of solid sleep.
For the second half, the lab technician came in and hooked me up to a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine and mask. The machine and mask work together to pressurize your airway, preventing it from closing. The second half of the test was the remaining four hours of the study. In that time, I slept about three solid hours.
The rest of that day was amazing! I stayed awake on the train, not only on my way to work, but on the way home at the end of the day (9pm) as well. Usually by 2 in the afternoon, I'm falling asleep. I couldn't believe that I didn't need coffee to stay awake in the afternoon. I never felt like I needed a nap. I wasn't tired.
Unfortunately, shortly after my test, I lost my job (and therefore health insurance) and my chance to get my CPAP machine.
This week, after again loosing my job and my insurance, my mom informed me that she and my dad had been talking about it and had decided that they would purchase the machine, mask and everything for me.
Aside from being married to Beth and having Nick, this has got to be the biggest blessing that I've ever received. Thanks Mom and Dad!
We should be able to place the order on Monday. I'll try to keep up on my status here and bring you along on my journey to the land of wakefulness. In the mean time, I'm going to go take a nap.
A year ago, I went in for a sleep study where they measured everything from how much I snored, how many apnea episodes I had and how often and the oxygen saturation of my blood, among a ton of other things. I was surprised to find that it only took 15 seconds after I initially fell asleep until I stopped breathing for the first time. I then averaged about one episode per minute.
The test was done in two parts. The first part measured how I did naturally. If it were possible to fail a breathing test, I got pretty close. I averaged about 55 apneas per hour. During the first three hours of the test, I was able to get only 15 minutes of solid sleep.
For the second half, the lab technician came in and hooked me up to a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine and mask. The machine and mask work together to pressurize your airway, preventing it from closing. The second half of the test was the remaining four hours of the study. In that time, I slept about three solid hours.
The rest of that day was amazing! I stayed awake on the train, not only on my way to work, but on the way home at the end of the day (9pm) as well. Usually by 2 in the afternoon, I'm falling asleep. I couldn't believe that I didn't need coffee to stay awake in the afternoon. I never felt like I needed a nap. I wasn't tired.
Unfortunately, shortly after my test, I lost my job (and therefore health insurance) and my chance to get my CPAP machine.
This week, after again loosing my job and my insurance, my mom informed me that she and my dad had been talking about it and had decided that they would purchase the machine, mask and everything for me.
Aside from being married to Beth and having Nick, this has got to be the biggest blessing that I've ever received. Thanks Mom and Dad!
We should be able to place the order on Monday. I'll try to keep up on my status here and bring you along on my journey to the land of wakefulness. In the mean time, I'm going to go take a nap.
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