To Sleep or Not To Sleep

A couple of months ago I wrote this hopeful post – Maybe, Just Maybe, listing all the ways a CPAP might make my life better. Well, here’s the thing…

I had my original sleep study in July. Holy moly, is all I’m gonna say. Oh, who am I kidding? I have much more to say than that.

I had to report to the lab at 9:00 on a Saturday night. I wasn’t allowed to have any caffeine all day or take any naps. It happened to be the same Saturday that CLEAR was hosting Coffee Klatch. You know. When you stop by the church for a few minutes or a couple of hours in the morning, chat with other ladies and DRINK COFFEE. Did I say I was hosting? That means I had to be there early enough to brew the coffee THAT I COULDN’T DRINK before anyone else showed up at 9:00. Me + early Saturday morning + no coffee =

That day was kind of rainy and it was the perfect napping day. Did I say I wasn’t allowed to take any naps? Any time I looked just a little too comfortable or I blinked a little too long I’d have Todd the Nazi fussing at me to wake up. And then do you know what he did? He mocked me by falling asleep on the couch!

Finally it was time for me to drive to the hospital. They hooked me up to so many leads that I looked a little like this:

Surprisingly, I managed to get some decent sleep and when they let me go at 5:30 in the morning I figured out why. They’re nice enough to send you on your way so you can get home before anyone else sees you. I had so much gunk in my hair that I looked a little like this:

My results are unusual. Go figure. I slept really well until I hit REM – the dream stage. Most people with apnea never make it to REM, which is where you get your deep sleep. I made it there but that’s where I had all my apneic episodes.

The doctor thinks I would benefit from a CPAP machine so nearly two weeks ago a CPAP rep came out here with a new machine and showed me how to use it. Todd is an expert with the CPAP so he was able to fill in the gaps for me. I’ve been using the machine faithfully, but I’m not sure if I’m noticing a difference. If it is improving my sleep it’s very subtle.

Tonight I’m going for my titration study and I really don’t want to go. I already know what a good pressure is for me and I don’t want to look like this:

Or this:

In fact, I’m rebelling against the man (the man being the sleep lab and their dictatorial rules) by drinking a cup of coffee as I type this. And it’s a rainy day so you know what that means? I’m taking a nap after church today. Why? Because I can!