Someone Saved My Life Tonight

2006-11-07 - 10:00 a.m.

I'm back. I survived my first night with a CPAP.

How was it, you ask? It was...interesting. A little scary, like it was on the test night. But pretty good otherwise.

It took a bit more adjustment to the mask to get it to sit correctly on my nose. Then I laid down on my back and tried to sleep. My CPAP unit has an option called "ramping", which means it starts with low pressure and gradually increases the airflow to the prescribed level. I opted not to use ramping this time, to see how it would go. There's also a function called C-flex, which actually lowers the pressure a bit when you exhale, and increases it when you inhale. THAT took a little getting used to. There are three settings, and my machine was set to 2. If I have problems getting used to it, I can always drop it to 1.

Once I did fall asleep, it was very much what Brin called a "jump-cut". You know how, in a movie, the action will abruptly shift to another location? That's a jump-cut. I fell asleep and suddenly it was 8:45am. I slept about 7 1/2 hours straight, with no late-night jaunts to the bathroom.

When I woke up, I wasn't the wiped-out blob I usually am. I'm still yawning a bit - hey, one night isn't gonna fix all my sleep problems - but I do feel better.

So I got up, started a load of laundry, washed my mask and tubing and hung them up to dry, and got on with my day.

I think it's gonna get better and better as we go. I'll keep you all posted.

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The thing that brought my apnea to my attention was Brin, of course.

She had come down for a visit. We were going to go to Disneyland for the day. After breakfast at Denny's (TAE), I was still feeling a bit logey. Brin had to return to her hotel room to take care of her appliance and, since it was going to be awhile, I lay down on the bed to watch TV.

Brin found me sound asleep thirty minutes later, snoring like an elephant and tossing and turning so much that I had cocooned myself in the hotel comforter.

She immediately started pounding it into me that there was something wrong. She relayed her concerns to John (who heard my snoring over her cell phone) and HE started pounding it into me that there was something wrong. So that's what put me on the road to testing, and my current little box.

So, in all probability, Brin has extended my life by possibly quite a bit.

Hence the title.

Boy, is THIS gonna be a tough one to pay back.

===

So, let's see. I have some laundry to take care of...read the paper...have some breakfast...let's see...what else did I have to do today, before work?

Oh, yeah.

Be seeing you.

Jezebel - 2006-11-07 13:10:06 -
God, you sound so yum!

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le-fart - 2006-11-07 13:46:47 -
You are supposed to TAKE it, and not pay it back. Your skill is the taking. The important thing, the thing that has an effect is your taking it. It´s like, you´re supposed to have it, and not toss it back and forth inbetween us or something. Get it? You are supposed to HAVE that thing, and not give it back or something. You are supposed to be all egoistical. And not give it back.

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Dave - 2006-11-08 04:06:10 - http://tooold2bcool.diaryland.com
Jezebel - why, thank you very much. Just wait till I do a Cast page. Then you'll be faced with harsh reality. :)

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