Overwhelmed & sidelined

So I met with my two new respiratory techs and neurologist for my post study appointment Tuesday. I was more than suprised. The previous group would download the info out of my machine, have me fill out a one page form of check boxes then have me sign a form authorizing them to charge my insurance company for supplies. The few times I called or stopped by out of scheduled appointment time they seemed disturbed even if there were no other patients in the building. My last visit there was especialy bad as i showed up with several pages of reports printed from my resmed and sleepyhead software. When they realized I had made setting changes on my on they just lost it. I explained that in two years my apnea has not improved and they refused to change any settings without a trip to the lab. Have since been told that group is known for hooking patients with low cost of initial study and equipment then once in their system they don't do anything without additional fees.

This new group was so different. When I gave the techs my last six months of reports from both software packages along with a spreadsheet showing blood oxygen levels during the night, blood pressure readings from before and after sleep with occasional taken at night when awaken for restroom trips. While i have done well collecting data I did not educate myself as to what it meant. Rather than freak, the new folks each took a stack and started reading. When the sleep doc came in they brought him up to speed on the data i had brought. He had already reviewed all info from my primary care, previous sleep lab and my night in his lab.

He then carefully read all my personal info from several months of dial winging pointing out what I had done wrong and right without being rude or accusatory. He liked that a patient showed some interest along with basic data collecting skills. He ended up spending over two hours with me. During the visit he called my back surgeon and they decided to delay my back surgery. As he diagnosed obstructive, central, complex with physical, heredity (both parents diagnosed), two head injuries that possibly complicated issues, degenerative disk disease predominant in neck with broken c2 vertebrae they decided i did not need some super apnea attack in the middle of spinal surgery. The good thing is due to all the data I provided he felt no need to stick me in the lab again immediately. He gave me a set of pressure settings to use this week, another for next, then a final set. Once done I take them my data and he decides ln the next move. Said 99% probable that he will put me back in the lab for another session with test proceedures based on my data over these three weeks of straight cpap. Said next lab session may give the bipap/biflex mode a try.

Overall I felt this is starting out very well with a team that is polite, friendly, willing to listen and highly motivated to help. The respiratory techs are knowledgable, helpful and take all the time necessary to listen. The neurologist was the same and one of very few that did not rush me at all. Is be the best in the business? Is his team the best? How do you even quantify best. What is most important to me is this is the first group to seem to show genuine Christian care. They made me feel cared for which to me is a HUGE start. So now we have loosely outlined a program to finish out the calander year which they said would include a monthly visit to the sleep lab. Seeing as my first group tried to solve my issue with a one night split study followed by one visit with respiratory tech and a machine that was delivered by U.P.S. & a phone number to call if I had any questions.

I love it when a plan comes together...

It should be the norm but we aren't quite there yet.

Keep up the good work and hold true to your convictions.