It's finally happening!

I'm scheduled to get my machine tomorrow at 1:00! I have to meet the guy at my home then and get all set up!

Ok, so what kind of table or whatever do I need to have? The thing uses water, right? So, I don't want to put it on my antique nightstand.

How high does it have to be? Can it be on a little table underneath the nightstand? Or, does it have to be a certain height with the bed?

Yay for getting your machine!

Many people recommend putting the machine lower than the level of the bed -- this can help with rainout, and with the perception of machine-noise. (I never had a problem with it -- the ceiling fan is noisier than my Bipap Auto SV!)

I have a nightstand with drawers, so I put a waterproof liner in one of the drawers and set the Bipap in there. Some people set them on trays, either on the floor, or on the nightstand. Some people have a second table to set it on.

Basically, it's whatever works for your bedroom, and you!

I hate having to get so forceful to get this process moving along. It's just not what I like to do.

One (or more) of you said in my other thread, though, that I'm (literally) fighting for my life here. Those words have stuck with me and have made me be forceful the last few days. I'm seeing that this truly is something that I need to be fighting for. And, I'll have to do so - even if it means being a little ugly with people.

Other people don't know how important this is. And, how totally exhausted I am all the time. I don't breathe during the night. I'm sorry, but that's just too important to ignore - whether the doctors or the nurses or anyone else thinks so or not.

Good going, Dotty! Do you know what machine/mask you're getting? You will have to use distilled water in your humidifier, most supermarkets sell it. So does Walmart if you have one near you. Keep us posted. Dori

DottyG wrote:I hate having to get so forceful to get this process moving along.

One (or more) of you said in my other thread, though, that I'm (literally) fighting for my life here. Those words have stuck with me and have made me be forceful the last few days. I'm seeing that this truly is something that I need to be fighting for. And, I'll have to do so - even if it means being a little ugly with people.

Other people don't know how important this is. And, how totally exhausted I am all the time. I don't breathe during the night. I'm sorry, but that's just too important to ignore - whether the doctors or the nurses or anyone else thinks so or not.

Dotty, you're taking care of you.
You're in charge. These people work for you.
You tell them how it is going to be.
It's not ugly. It's the way it is supposed to be.

I learned to do it.
Since I have been hanging out here, I've watched so many others learn to do it.
It's part of the cpap experience.

It's a good thing.
It will start to carry over into other parts of your life.

It's another rite of passage into the cpap world.

Congrats! Your new life is about to begin.

I am really happy for you. Keep up the work toward your own care!
Look under hose management to find a "hose holder". Its made out of PVC pipe. Works great and its cheep.

RN Ricky wrote:I am really happy for you. Keep up the work toward your own care!

Ditto!

RN Ricky wrote:Look under hose management to find a "hose holder". Its made out of PVC pipe. Works great and its cheep.

LINKS to Hose hangers and other methods of managing the main air hose:
viewtopic.php?t=10640

Ok gang! Here it is!

Remstar M Series Bipap Auto
M Series heated humidifier
Nasal pillows "for her" (forgot brand)

And, I liked the guy who brought it to me. He uses one, too. So, he answered my jillions of questions! And, he gave me his cellphone number in case I need it.

Yay!!!

That was me above. I was posting from home on my phone, and I hadn't logged in under my username.

After he left (and before I came back to work), I tried the mask on and ran the machine for a few minutes just to get a feel for it. It was almost relaxing! And, the mask isn't anywhere as obtrusive as the one they tried on me during the study. It's small and doesn't look like it'll dig into my skin.

I just might sleep tonight! What a treat that's going to be!!!!!!!!

That's wonderful, isn't it? Congratulations, and have a good sleep tonight.

Well done Dotty. Your persistence paid off. Sounds like you will be using the Swift LT for Her. It is a nasal pillow mask made by ResMed. Should have come with 3 sizes of nasal pillows just in case anticipated size doesn't work well. I use the same mask. Good luck.

Are you going to want to get the software?

Good news. Hope you can relax and have a good nights sleep tonight.

Who know you may wake up tomorrow and not be Dotty that you are used to

Pugsy wrote:Sounds like you will be using the Swift LT for Her.

That's it!

Pugsy wrote:Are you going to want to get the software?

He didn't bring it with him, but he's going to drop a Smartcard off with me tomorrow (with some filters, too). He said that would be easier for me than the modem version.

So, I did get a good machine? He said all they use are the "top of the line" ones - they don't give out the more inferior models.

OH! And, when I got back to the office, the lady from Apria had left a message to let me know that they were still working on my case and that they would be calling me back soon to get me set up. I called her back and told her that her company wasn't willing to work with me and that I was very displeased with the level of customer service I'd seen from them. So, I not only went with another company, but the other company was so on the ball that they'd already put my claim through and gotten me the machine! She kept saying, "But, we told you we would work with you." And, I said, "Yes, you did. AFTER I told you that I was going elsewhere. You can't wait until a customer decides to go somewhere else to suddenly get helpful." To bad, so sad!

DottyG wrote: Pugsy wrote:Are you going to want to get the software?



He didn't bring it with him, but he's going to drop a Smartcard off with me tomorrow (with some filters, too). He said that would be easier for me than the modem version.

Ahh, the smart card. That is used to write the machine data to and transfer to a computer with the software installed via a smart card reader. The smart card must be in the machine when the machine is in use for the data to be written to it.

They won't give you the software or the card reader. If they are really, really nice they could print out the reports for you but most of the time they will only use the smart card for compliance or hours of use to satisfy insurance requirements. This would involve you taking the smart card to them.....

You will have minimal information available on the LCD screen (if the DME turned it on, if not, let us know). Not sure with BiPaps but mostly Respironics gives us a 7 and 30 day average of AHI, pressure and leak. When the dust settles and you learn more about the software reports, then you can decide how you want to proceed regarding getting your data. I use EncoreViewer so feel free to PM me if you have questions about the software.

This guy actually lives down south of town not too far from me, he says. That's why he's able to get me equipment fairly easily.

He said that he'd be able to come get the card anytime I wanted him to and that he'd be sure to give me a copy of the report he gets with the data.

I told him the things y'all said I wanted (AHI, Leak Info, etc), and he said he'd be able to get all that for me anytime I wanted it.