Zen of the Mask-the rhythm

[carbonman]

Zen-direct experiential realizations toward obtaining an awakening.
The practice to discover, through daily, or in this case, nightly,
experiences that will lead one to ultimate enlightment.

All things are brought to each of us, for a reason.
Why OSA???

In OSA therapy, the mask, is everything.

rhythm-a regularly recurrent quantitative change in a variable biological process
<a circadian rhythm>

the rhythm of expectations-
My confidence in cpap is confirmed, I no longer question, "is it working?"
I know that each night and the next morning, I will be better.
I feel the change on my bike. Pushing bigger gears up familiar hills.
Pushing my mileage, pushing my endurance, pushing my enjoyment,
confident that each nights rest will bring the blessed recovery.
I hear it in my music. My guitars are fun again. I remember the old songs,
I learn new songs and remember each of them, and improve on them, daily.
....ah, to remember, I can remember, slight details, again.
I don't question if it is going to happen, I expect it to happen.

the rhythm of breathing-I go to sleep, listening to and feeling,
the rhythm of Grace, my machine.
It is the rhythm of life. I welcome the sound, the sound of my breathing,
in sync, w/a machine, in sync w/my new life, flowing through a hose.

the rhythm of routine-I live in the rhythm of the routine of cpap.
The care and feeding of Grace each evening.
Slipping into my Papcap and mask, plug in my hose, hit the blue light,
feel the rush of 12.5cm......
The morning routine of mask cleaning, data recover and analysis.

the rhythm of life-In response to my first Zen of the Mask chautauqua,
someone suggested that I "become the mask."
Good suggestion. I have become one w/the mask.
Sometimes I wake and don't feel or realize I'm wearing the mask or
breathing through it. I don't think I could sleep now without the mask.
I had a dream, where the actions in the dream were coming through the
hose and out of my mask. Sometimes when the stresses of the day
clog my brain and I can't seem to let go of all that "noise", I let myself
go into my mask to see all the things, the mask,
is going to bring me the next day....the next day of my new life.
Zen of the Mask

Yin/Yang of life-
MY choice to embrace or reject, the mask, and in so doing,
chose quality of life.

I have chosen quality of life.

[yardbird]

awesome... I'm saving this.

Do you mind if I put it on my web site? with credit given of course...

[tattooyu]

WOO HOO!

<standing ovation>

Brilliant! Absolutely, brilliant!

See, Carbonman and I share something: we're both musicians--both guitarists. I have been playing some form of music since I was five and am also a certified recording engineer. A few years ago, after the last incarnation of my band split up, I started losing the passion for music. Playing, writing... even listening to music... all went away. I became very sound sensitive.

Talk about devastation! The one purpose in life that I feel I was truly meant to have... gone.

First, I lost a baby boy (preemie).

Then, I got diagnosed with apnea.

Then, I found CPAPTalk.com.

Then, I got my ResMed.

Then, I found Carbonman!


When I read that he nearly sold all his guitars, I thought, "Hey that sounds like me!" Luckily, we both didn't.

I haven't started playing again, yet, but I will--I can feel it. My wife just got me a new iPod for my birthday. I'm actually enjoying listening to music again!

Thanks, CPAP. Thanks, CPAPTalk.com. Thanks, Carbonman.

[yardbird]

guitars?

oh man...... the kindred spirits take flight.....

You have to check this out. Go on Youtube and search for Andy McKee tight trite night
also Andy McKee drifting
also Andy McKee africa toto

Awesome... and I can darn near guarantee you won't sell your guitars. .... but you might cry.

[jda1000]

Carbonman nails it again - there was a moment in my own treatment of OSA when I suddenly realized one evening I had the stereo on - at which point I suddenly realized I hadn't had it on in several months, because I just wasn't interested - music, even to mere listeners and fans - requires attention to detail...

And finding physical envelopes, and pushing through them, knowing you'll be able to get rest and therefore be able to recover and do it again - it's like magic. I've been hiking hills and trails I've not covered in years and years. It's simply...divine.

[fuzzy96]

ok but what chord do we stat in.
and is that 3/4 or 4/4?

[kteague]

Thanks Carbonman! You have more than embraced this treatment, you've absorbed it into your being. (inhaled it?)

So many musician type folks here. I don't have a musical bone in my body, but am surrounded by a family of them. My grandson was recently accepted in the Univ of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music, so he's looking toward a career in the industry. And this summer he will get to attend his second Grammy Camp in L.A. As for me, they're teaching me to use my poetry skills in a song format. Got a contact/friend just waiting for the demo of my favorite country one so they can shop it to someone they know. Lots of fun just being "in the mix".

Hey, 3 years on cpap has not sharpened my musical ear one bit. What gives with that?

Kathy