This week has tied up a couple of loose ends for us. I don't mean to imply that it is the end of these stories because I'm sure it is not. Nevertheless, they have been pretty big steps forward.
Yesterday, Lee faced the operating room again; his injured (fractured and dislocated) shoulder was manipulated to increase his range of motion. He'll start another course of physical therapy Monday morning. (Look at the June 18th post in Archives for the details.)
And I started treatment for severe sleep apnea. Treatment includes my spanking new CPAP----a REMstar pro 2 with C-Flex. I also have Breeze SleepGear. If this equipment is unfamiliar to you, a CPAP is really a tiny air compressor to which you attach head gear with a hose. This forces air into your nose and/or mouth under enough pressure to keep your airways open and to prevent you from apneas. Apneas are episodes in which one stops breathing for at least ten seconds. I was having 65 apneas per hour; those figures don't allow much sleeping and can lead to a host of other problems. I'm thrilled that I was finally diagnosed and am receiving treatment.
I encourage anyone with the major symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness and frequent episodes of obstructed breathing during sleep (ask your sleeping partner about that because you may not even be aware of it) to learn more about sleep apnea and discuss it with your doctor. The life you save may be your own.
2 comments:
Sleep apnea is a bitch. My son has struggled with it his whole life. He wasn't a candidate for C or Bi-Paps, instead having to be trached for two and a half years. Good luck to you and Sweet Dreams:-)
I have the same machine but have a Comfort Gel mask. It's definitely a married person's appliance but it definitely may save your life. I was having 110 apneas per hour! Holy crap, it was amazing I was still alive then.
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