Joining Club AP

[rnb4carlt]

This is a club I had no interest in joining, doing everything in my power to avoid it. Dr. Pripidkin, the mad Russian, who is physician to the Czars, fixed my deviated septum. Once in my nose, he also found a bone spur. Need your nose worked on, Pripidkin's THE MAN. He is affiliated with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital here in Philadelphia, PA.

My breathing improved tremendously. But my snoring continued unabated. Being a procrastinating masochist, I spent years doing next to nothing, snoring long and loud. The big bad wolf had nothing on me. My snoring would have demolished the 3 Little Pigs' brick house. I woke up feeling irritable, cranky, tired and petulant. What a lifestyle. 10 years later, unlike Sam Cooke's song “A Change Is Gonna Come” no change was forthcoming for me. February 20, 2007, I retired, a day that should be universally celebrated. Truth be told, I am the Anti-Christ of the Protestant Work Ethic. I never met a job or chore I wanted to do. Recreation, leisure and doing nothing trumps work every time.

December 2009, I scheduled an appointment with pulmonologist, Dr. Gary Aaronson. He is affiliated with ARIA HEALTH, also in Philadelphia, PA. He's been a sleep apnea club member in good standing for years. He scheduled me for a sleep apnea test, Sunday evening December 6, 2009. The bed was uncomfortable, the pillows sucked and I heard the staff talking into the wee hours of the morning. Dr. Frankenstein would have been proud. I was wired to all kinds of electronic, computerized machinery. A passing lightening-storm would have electrocuted me. No such luck. The Baseline Report's test results came in the mail, “A CPAP titration study is recommended...” This was not good news.

January 24, 2010, I returned to the Sleep Diagnostic Center. Being a very important person, nothing changed. I was entitled to the same room as before, where the bed was uncomfortable and the pillows sucked. Again, I get hooked up to different electronic, computerized machinery with the added benefit of wearing a Swift nasal pillow mask. Somewhere around 3:00 in the morning, I was awakened to try a second mask, a full-face nasal mask. This was neither pleasant nor successful. Who gets to “sleep” in the Sleep Diagnostic Center? Please, send me to Guantanamo Bay with the terrorists. When not being tortured, I assume they can sleep. Around 5:30 in the morning, I served my time and left the Sleep Diagnostic Center. Not much sleep took place. But what do I know?

The mailperson delivered my Treatment Report. Its findings were clear and straightforward. Between the two tests, my over-all obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), was graded mild-to-moderate. My CPAP pressure was 12.

TO BE CONTINUED

[kteague]

That mild to moderate might have been worse had you slept more and slept better. In your contnuing saga, sure hope you find this club not so bad, and that your treatment gives you a new lease on life.
Kathy

[cpapernewbie]

welcome to the club. I really like your writing style. Reminds me of Robert Benchley .. (??)

Hope you continue your Ap Saga

[Patrick A]

Interesting read. Welcome to the forum.

[Judy R]

Well, the only thing I can say is, please raise your right hand and repeat after me.... . Welcome to the Club. Please feel free to continue the next chapter on your on going saga. Welcome to the forum, we're glad you joined us.