Bragging rights thread. Accomplishments.

[DoriC]

That looks like something that might work. Thanks for the tip.

[napstress]

A small thing: Today I downloaded EncorePro 2. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, but I did, with the help of Pugsy's instructions. I had been procrastinating a little bit b/c I thought it would be difficult. But it wasn't. Now I have info for the next stage of learning how to help myself get the therapy—and rest—I need.

[yrnkrn]

I have been using CPAP every night for the past 2.5 months.

Due to mouth leaks I switched to full face F&P FlexFit 431 mask two weeks ago and last night I finally understood how to properly seal the mask: shave, clean face, clean silicon seal, loose top straps, tight lower straps, push chin inside of mask.

Still struggling with colds, allergy and aerophagia.

[Catnapper]

If you look at the top of the page, there is a thread asking for success stories. I started that almost 5 years ago. I am still here, still 100% compliant, have frequent nights with AHI of 0.0, and doing OK. I made it through breast cancer 2 years ago, and believe that breathing at night was instrumental in my recovery. I have retired, taken up a new hobby that keeps me challenged and entertained, and am enjoying life. It will be 5 years of using cpap for me in August, and I consider that to be a huge accomplishment when I think abut how tough the first few months were for me. I was able to help my 2 grown children adjust to cpap too, and save them from some of my difficulties. A mom always likes to care for her kids.

I decided the first day that I would stick to this and make it work for me, and am proud that I did. I have convinced several other people to have a sleep study, and now they are doing well too.

To give credit where it is due, I must say thanks to the people here who helped me, laughed with me, and told me when I was wrong. I would not have been successful otherwise.

Catnapper - Joanie

[Pugsy]

If you look at the top of the page, there is a thread asking for success stories

Joanie I have read that success thread myself. I just wanted to give people who don't feel that they warrant that level of success a chance to toot their own horn. Especially newbies who don't realize that a success doesn't have to be huge to be a success. There is a reason I have never posted in that thread. Even now I don't feel like I have achieved that level. While I understand it is from other issues unrelated to OSA, I still can't say that my improvement warrants inclusion in that thread.

We see so much negativity here I just wanted to show newbies that small accomplishments do merit bragging a bit.
Give everyone a good dose of positives. Even if small ones. Did not mean for this discussion to replace the success thread sticky. Though some of the responses do merit being included in that thread.

[JohnBFisher]

Bragging rights ... Well, I will brag about something my family thinks is important. 20 years ago I took my situation seriously enough to look into a sleep study. I am still alive! I reached a very dangerous spot 20 years ago, where I would fall asleep *instantly* - even when driving. I then reached the same point a couple years ago when I started ASV therapy. In each instance, I did not wait until it was too late.

But 20 years of use ... Never in my wildest dream would I have thought that possible.

[Catnapper]

If you look at the top of the page, there is a thread asking for success stories

Joanie I have read that success thread myself. I just wanted to give people who don't feel that they warrant that level of success a chance to toot their own horn. Especially newbies who don't realize that a success doesn't have to be huge to be a success. There is a reason I have never posted in that thread. Even now I don't feel like I have achieved that level. While I understand it is from other issues unrelated to OSA, I still can't say that my improvement warrants inclusion in that thread.

We see so much negativity here I just wanted to show newbies that small accomplishments do merit bragging a bit.
Give everyone a good dose of positives. Even if small ones. Did not mean for this discussion to replace the success thread sticky. Though some of the responses do merit being included in that thread.

I was just using that to identify myself - not suggest that thread is the only one for this type of recognition. I agree that any small accomplishment is worth recognition. Actually, I spend one day every year celebrating my successes of the past year and then all previous years. I started that at a very difficult time in my life 35 years ago and found it to be helpful to congratulate myself for everything - getting out of bed, getting dressed, going to work, -- you get the idea. It takes all day, but it makes me feel so good. I just wanted to add to your thread. I was a struggling newbie when I wrote that thread, but an old hosehead now, and still enjoying the results of OSA therapy. I hope I didn't offend you. Certainly did not mean to do so if I did.

Catnapper - Joanie

[Pugsy]

I hope I didn't offend you. Certainly did not mean to do so if I did.

You did not offend me in the slightest. I was hoping that I didn't offend you. Hence my explanation as to why I started this thread.

[napstress]

We see so much negativity here I just wanted to show newbies that small accomplishments do merit bragging a bit.
Give everyone a good dose of positives. Even if small ones. Did not mean for this discussion to replace the success thread sticky.

I like having them both. If I don't have the presence of mind to go to the Success sticky, the Accomplishments post will surface once in a while, quite possibly when I could use it.

[Kilgore Trout]

My big accomplishments?

1. Finding this forum to help me get past my apprehension and calm down my initial freaking out.

2. Starting CPAP therapy, and seeing a AHI of 1.0!

[napstress]

This one is another psychological hurdle jumped:

After 12 weeks using the CPAP machine, I finally got up the nerve to let my boyfriend see me masked up.

We're getting married in July, and it was the night before he planned to buy my wedding ring. I told him I wanted him to see me like that before he made an expensive, non-refundable purchase. I wanted to give him a chance to back out of the marriage if he felt uncomfortable, disgusted, or repulsed seeing me in the mask.

I put it on and faced him.

He told me I look like a scuba diver. OK, that sounds like a neutral enough response, I think to myself. I told him, emphatically, that I am not a sick person. I am not an invalid.

I told him if he wanted to back out of the marriage, I'd understand.

He said he still wants to marry me. He said, "You're beautiful. You're always beautiful."

I told him I hate the way I look in it. I told him he could wait until tomorrow morning in case he changes his mind.

He said he's not going to change his mind. He said, "At some point or another one or the other of us is probably going to get sick. I won't leave you then, either. I love you."

He said, "I want you to do what you feel is right in order to feel good." I told him that a couple of times I have felt better than I ever have in my life as a result of this CPAP therapy and I want to keep pursuing it.

I knew I had had some anxiety about him seeing me with my mask on. But I didn't know how deep it was. We both had tears in our eyes. And over the next half hour or so, I kept sighing deeply, as if I had been holding my breath for a very long time. I think it was relief. Apparently, it was a very big step for me, even though I hadn't planned on taking it. I'm a planner, and just about every single thing I do is mulled over for a long time before I do it. But this just popped into my head as we were getting into bed and I realized that it was then that I should do it, before he spent all that money.

But I think I had been developing readiness unconsciously during the whole week before. First, I needed to feel the good results of using the machine. When I had those couple of days of not-tired behind my eyes and with a clear cool head as a result of the machine, my thinking switched over from "CPAP therapy is theory" to "Wow! I have the potential to feel good all the time!" I had been thinking that I'd probably use the machine for a few months, it wouldn't work, and I wouldn't buy it. But now I'm thinking that it could become a permanent part of my life. Since it has become a likely part of the package which is me, I felt I needed to reveal that part of my life more graphically to my lover. Also, a couple of days before revealing myself with the mask on, I showed him and explained to him my data from EncorePro 2, so he could see my progress. He is curious about science and he's an artist, so he was engaged with the graphs and understood them. I think both my experiencing positive physical results and showing him my data were tiny steps to my showing him how I look with the mask on. I didn't know I was going to do it, but I'm glad I did.

I also discovered that I am going to marry an absolute treasure of a man!

[DoriC]

.

He said he's not going to change his mind. He said, "At some point or another one or the other of us is probably going to get sick. I won't leave you then, either. I love you."

I also discovered that I am going to marry an absolute treasure of a man!

Your guy is wise beyond his years! The words "in sickness and in health" that you will repeat as part of your wedding vows are among the most important ones you will speak. I didn't realize at the time how prophetic those words were . Blessings to both of you!

[redjoe]

Napstress, it sure sounds like you found a good man. Congratulations!

[Mr Bill]

Two nights ago, I took off my mask after 3 hours and then woke up and put it back on and had my first AHI = 0 for two and a half hours. Last night I did this again 2.5 hours then mask off then woke up and put it back on and totaled 10.5 hours with AHI of 1. This is the most I have ever slept with my ASV and I think it cured the cold I had coming on.

[BleepingBeauty]

I also discovered that I am going to marry an absolute treasure of a man!

They're few and far between, these days. Lucky woman! Does he have a brother?