Are all CPAP users disabled?

Dive Apnea wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:03 am

This thread got me thinking of a recent experience I had.

I recently went camping in the Eastern Sierras, CA. It is a state park with flushing toilets, even showers. Tent spots, as well as, bigger RV spots. No hookups. But I was wondering if they could have a battery charging stations for cpaps? The bathroom had a plug, (for hair dryer? lol) I was tempted to ask the camp host if I can charge my battery on the third night. We stayed four nights, used my battery ~8 hours a night, humidifier set at 2. I checked my deep cycle battery when I got home, read 12.49. So maybe I don't need a charging station.

Should there be charging stations? Or designated spots with electricty plumbed in for "disabled" cpap users. I am a tent camper, so I am not hauling around a generator, which are annoying. Next year we plan on doing a longer 10 day trip, so I may need to use the hair dryer plug.

In my experience in various national and state parks that have one or two receptacles available for general use in the bathhouse, you'll be fighting people trying to charge their phones.

Some parks (like GSM), though, do have frontcountry campsites available with modest power (5A) hookups for medical needs.

Dive Apnea wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:03 am

Or designated spots with electricty plumbed in for "disabled" cpap users.

As an aside... This thread was started by what I now believe was a troll, who *hopefully* was sent packing by Nanwilson. "GO NAN!"...
The whole concept put forth by the title is insulting.

CPAP users, aren't disabled. untreated sleep apnea sufferers are functionally disabled, any more than 'legally blind' people aren't disabled when they wear their glasses.

Now, of course, there ARE disabled cpap users... I've got the 'good parking spot' plates on my car, but that's because of my knees and back... not the fact that I sleep with a mask at night.

As to your 10 day adventure... solar panels might be just the thing, and they'd be handy in the event your home electric grid ever gets hit by an extended outage.

CreativeChris wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:30 am

I am 43 and work about 55-60 hours a week. Unfortunately a lot of my expenses for my treatment came out of pocket because of my obscenely high deductible even though I pay into my BCBS...

Nice to meet you.
I am also 43 and work about 55-60 hours a week. Unfortunately ALL of my expenses for my treatment came out of pocket because of my obscenely high deductible.

DUG wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:52 pm

CreativeChris wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:30 am

I am 43 and work about 55-60 hours a week. Unfortunately a lot of my expenses for my treatment came out of pocket because of my obscenely high deductible even though I pay into my BCBS...

Nice to meet you as well!
I am also 43 and work about 55-60 hours a week. Unfortunately ALL of my expenses for my treatment came out of pocket because of my obscenely high deductible.

Ditto. I just looked at other plans but my out of pocket would be an additional $280 a month so I am just going to suck it up and pay myself. Honestly most of the things I need are right on Amazon anyway and I found a great resource for machines, masks, etc. out of California for hundreds less. Let me know and I can send his information.

I could see how having some sort of distinction for CPAP as a partial disability under certain circumstances could be helpful.


There cases of having a medical tag for your residence that you use medical equipment and that you need power restored more quickly. Maybe not as quickly as someone who is on a 24/7 ventilator - Do them first - It would be nice to have a slightly higher priority. As I'd be using my AC power for medical equipment, not watching TV.

There have been arguments about using CPAP as a disability flag so you get a discount on your power bill. I don't see that as something I'd be asking for. Just priority in the event of a storm and how things get fixed.



As far as Apnea being a disabled thing... If you took away my machine and I had to go back to "living/slowly dying" the way I was. Then I'd consider myself disabled for sure.

But different severities of Apnea are subjective - but not like "ART" - it's just that its' harder to test for how dangerous one person's apnea is compared to someone else's if not treated. If I had my level of apnea and I had a choice of using a machine to sleep properly and live a normal life and then "I didn't use it". That doesn't make me disabled... That would make me something else - "You all have much more colorful words to describe it. I'll let you use your imagination".

If someone like me had to live without electricity at all. I would be disabled compared to someone without apnea who could sleep fine without assistance.

You all mention Glasses a lot. When trying to talk about using a CPAP.

I think of it this way. If you have very very mild sleep apnea that doesn't cause any de-sats at all or loss of quality of life. I could compare that to having a very mild nearsighted problem where I can wear glasses but I don't really need them to function every day. If I left the house without my glasses I would be fine but I might have a mild headake by the end of the day from eye strain. I could pass the DMV test for glasses and not have glasses on my license etc...

If I have profoundly severe sleep apnea that causes major de-sats or heart rhythm issues, causes my blood pressure to spike, the risk of a sudden stroke every night etc. etc. etc... along with destroying my ability to function during the day. I could compare that to being legally blind without glasses. Take away my glasses - and suddenly I can't drive. I can't recognize faces or read or do a lot of things that people would take for granted.

Mind you the above examples are not exact. If you were blind you could still find ways to adapt. So it's not the same - just trying to illustrate a point.

Our machines Treat a problem that for most of us only happens when we sleep. As long as that treatment continues we can go on living a normal life.


I agree the original question is rather blunt and may have been troll fodder. However, I would say that all Apnea sufferers could be considered disabled to a degree, it all depends on the circumstances.

Rest well,

Gryphon

Disability can qualify some people for assistance, when they might otherwise be forgotten.
No, I am not talking about "support for freeloaders", but medical help for those
whose earnings will not cover the medical care they need.