The Trials of Sleep

The Trials of Sleep
1/10/2010 3:28:24 PM
Blogs are already self-indulgent, but when you stoop to discussing your ailments, it's really degenerated. Nevertheless, I'm wallowing. Since the middle of last year I'd developed an odd smell and food has had a peculiar taste. Thinking it might be a symptom of something else, I saw my doctor, who did a blood test and sent me to an Ears, Nose & Throat doc. That doctor prescribed nasal flushes, an MRI and a sleep study. (none of them really have a clue). Neither the blood test nor the MRI seem to have detected anything, so I reluctantly went ahead with the sleep study. I know I snore alot - and do get fatigued during the day - but this seemed an indulgence and a stretch in being related to my smell issues. I went in on Dec 28 because I was already on holiday break. The sleep clinic was nicely decorated. It looked like a hotel room - except it had a camera and microphone in it. The technician put electronic leads all over my head and body to measure my sleep. The study was "split" such that I slept as I normally would - then after a couple hours, the technician would wake me and place a C-PAP mask on me. It forces air into the airway to keep it open and prevent sleep apnea. I was having difficulty sleeping normally - but the mask made it even more difficult. The study ended when she woke me at about 6:00 am. She had determined that I did, indeed, have apnea, and gave me one of the C-PAP machines to take home (how does insurance handle this??). In a video I watched there I was surprised to find out how common this is and what the consequences are of leaving it untreated. Some 1 in 20 people have it.....but 90% either don't know it, or don't do anything about it. Getting used to the mask, with its hose and rushing air was a struggle and was even leaving marks on my nose. After a week I called the sleep clinic and they sent me a different type of nose piece - which is much easier to live with.

I have to say, there is a difference. For one thing, I'm not snoring....according to Martha. I've noticed a bit more energy - and after I get used to the headgear and nose piece, the air actually is rather invigorating. But every day I have to wash pieces of it - and clean other parts weekly. It's another one of those prices to pay for getting older and dealing with more ailments. Though it may be with age we're more inclinded to deal with them. I've had this most of my adult life, and dealt with fatigue. Maybe I've just gotten old enough -- or tired enough -- to do something about it. But we only have so much health left and it comes down to protecting it.