My Thanks to All of You

[nocreek1]

I have just finished two full years of sleeping with a mask. This would not have happened if not for all of you who give the much needed advice to stay with it.
I will admit that some nights I still wake and toss the mask, but not very often anymore. It is amazing how little information is given to patients by their sleep doctor or by the DME's who for the most part are clueless. When I first started on this journey I wrote my doctor and told her that until you have to use the machine you have no idea what a patient is up against.
Again my heartfelt thanks to all of you.
nocreek1

ResMed S8 Escape
Humidaire 3i
Quattra FF Mask
11 pressure

[kteague]

Many of us echo your sentiments. Glad you found the help you needed here too, and that you took the time to express your concerns to your doctor. Just maybe with the next patient she'll think of your letter and make an effort to be the help they need. I wrote a letter to my former sleep doc too. I wanted to be certain there was no misunderstanding of the precise words, actions, and inactions that were harmful, hurtful, and of absolutely no help to me, his patient.

Two years later and you're still at it - congratulations on your perseverance "in spite of".

Kathy

[rested gal]

I wrote a letter to my former sleep doc too. I wanted to be certain there was no misunderstanding of the precise words, actions, and inactions that were harmful, hurtful, and of absolutely no help to me, his patient.

Kathy, I'd love to see the letter if you feel comfortable sharing it. If not, that's perfectly understandable...no problem. (You know how nosy I am!! )

nocreek1, glad to hear things turned around for the good for you. As Kathy said, it was YOUR preserverance "in spite of" that has paid off for you. Many give up when faced with no real help from the health care professionals. You kept digging and found your way to this great message board. Good for you!

[Guest]

Sleep doc cant do much )lips serving)....all work done by the machines aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....and this forum.

[SleepingUgly]

I wrote a letter to my former sleep doc too. I wanted to be certain there was no misunderstanding of the precise words, actions, and inactions that were harmful, hurtful, and of absolutely no help to me, his patient.

Kathy, I'd love to see the letter if you feel comfortable sharing it. If not, that's perfectly understandable...no problem. (You know how nosy I am!! )

Yes, Kathy, please pass it around and we'll each edit it for our own purposes.

I wish there was a way to write these types of letters to current doctors, before things head south. Course this stems from my irrational view that if they know the ways in which they are ineffective, they will want to fix it. In reality, a letter like that would make the relationship head south even faster, probably! I think it may only be useful post mortem.

Here are some letters I would have written:

Dear Dr. W: Why did you have to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say...

Dear Dr. X: I lied to your staff when I said I switched to Dr. Y because your schedule didn't jive with mine. The truth is you were so completely incompetent that I was scared for my life.

Dear Dr. Y: You want your nurse to be my doctor. This would be OK if your nurse knew something--anything--like even how to return a call. Since she doesn't, I'm left with you, and I don't like your attitude.

Dear Dr. Z: Wow, that was fast. Good luck in your new position.

Dear Dr. A: The adrenaline flows when I come to see you. The first time I sat in your waiting room, a patient told me I was very beautiful, which only ever happens on psychiatric wards. The last time I came here, a patient and a staff member nearly came to blows in the waiting room. This volatility is paralleled by your own moods. I hope I get Alter #2 again next time!