How Do You Sleep?

Linda's Thoughts from Duluth

There are two things that have been going on in my life these days that I haven’t written about yet. One is about being overwhelmed at the job getting ready for upcoming Daffodil Days in March, and helping to get all the area relays going. I’ll talk about that another time, because when I get home from work these days, the last thing I want to talk about is work. Blogging has been a great diversion from thinking about work in the evenings!

Another thing is something that I will experience for the first time tonight. I’ve been debating with myself whether I should write about this. I guess I will get brave and tell you about it. On Feb. 6, I spent the night sleeping in a hospital room. It was for a “Sleep Study” that my doctor recommended that I have done. They hooked me up to all kinds of wires all over my body and monitored my sleeping throughout the night. The nurse told me she would know my “every move”. It was a very weird experience. I had trouble falling asleep, even though I was very tired. I was to report there at 10:15 pm. The admitting was running behind, so got into the room later than expected, and until they hooked me all up, it was midnight. At 2:30 am, the nurse came in and told me that I was waking up every 10 min. or so, not sleeping very soundly. I didn’t realize it. She put a mask on my face, which pushed air into my nose, making you breathe through your nose. The next thing I knew she was waking me at 6:30 am. The nurse told me that I slept very well after having the mask.

Now, some of you already may know someone who has been diagnosed with “sleep apnea” and wears a “mask” at night to sleep. The machine that provides the air is called a “c-pat”. One of my friends has used one of these for years. Another friend told me her husband’s been using one for 8 years. My brother had this study done over a year ago, and he uses the machine, and he told me it made a world of difference, he felt so much better.

So, apparently a lot of people use this machine at night. My Doctor’s appointment I referred to yesterday, was a follow up on this study. The Doctor told me I’ve been sleep deprived, probably for years, and he would set me up with the c-pat and get me to feeling much better. What a nice guy, he was going to see to it that I got a “good night’s sleep”. I’m thankful to him, because I would never have thought to ask for this kind of study. By the way, this doctor is with the St. Luke’s Facility, and would highly recommend him, if you ask me; I’ll give you his name. He sure has a good manner with his patients, and is really interested in helping. I was surprised that he sent me to the medical supply place right after my appointment. The lady there showed me the machine and explained how to use it. All I could think about was that my husband and son would laugh at me, and that I hoped I’d remember everything she was telling me. Remember, I told you that I visited my friend at the hospital after the appointment. The nurse was in with her at first, so waited in the waiting lounge with her husband. I told him where I was headed after the visit, and he told me he has been using one for years. Two other people were in the lounge, and the women spoke up and said she’s been using one for 10 years, and couldn’t be without it! Gee, everyone was recommending that I would see a big improvement, I sure hope they are right! I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to buy distilled water, which needs to put in it, to keep you from getting “too dry”. I spent almost $20 and forgot to get the distilled water! It was so cold last night, I didn’t want to go back to the store. Well, maybe sub-consciously I was afraid to try this new machine.

Tonight, I picked up the distilled water. My husband helped me to set it up. Last night when I told him about it, I was relieved that he didn’t laugh at all. He seriously told me that he will be glad to see me sleep better, and if this is what I needed to do, then I had to do it. Sometimes, I guess, I don’t give him enough credit. He has mellowed and matured so much since the first years that we were married, that sometimes I forget that he’s not that young, immature (and might I add selfish) guy I married. He has matured and is a really great husband! My son didn’t laugh at me either. He was worried, and I had to reassure him that I would not “stop breathing” in the middle of night, and that this machine was my treatment.

I’ll let you know in the future how I’m sleeping and how it goes. The Dr. said some see improvement right away, others take a little while…but he said “do not give up on it”, and to be sure that I don’t, he gave me an appointment to see him in 6 weeks.

I’m truly blessed to have people in my life that care about me.

I’m soon off to bed, in my mask. It will take my mind off of the severe cold temps we are to get tonight! I hope you all sleep well.

PS… if you use one, or have something to say about sleep apnea, I’d love to hear your comments…click on the “comment” line and let me hear from you! - Linda