A Breath of Fresh Air

I remember when I was pregnant how I would need to take a nap so that I had enough energy to go to bed. A pregnant woman's exhaustion makes perfect sense, as she's using the equivalent amount of energy as does a mountain climber even when she's sitting still. It's been more than ten years after the birth of my youngest child, and there are times when the act of lifting a toothbrush seems to be more than my body can manage. Could stress be the culprit of fatigue? Stress most likely contributed, but it seemed like an accessory to the underlining issue, not the culprit.

Until recently, I thought that my profound exhaustion was related to depression and anxiety. Now that I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea, my chronic fatigue makes perfect sense. Now that I believe to have found the source of my exhaustion, time to work on resolving it!

I picked up my CPAP machine, the cool one with the humidifier. I have the nose piece, so instead of looking like Mom Vader, I look like the Elephant Mom. Seriously! The tube attached to the nose piece can, with a bit of imagination, look like a trunk.

I was given instructions to wear it for the first week while sitting and reading or watching TV. My son helped me set up the machine and hook up the hoses, harness, and nose piece. We both laughed at both my daughter's expressions when they came out into the living room and caught a glimpse of me in my gear. There's nothing like the laughter of my kids to help me keep things in perspective. I soon figured out how to inhale and exhale without popping my ears or having air whoosh out of my mouth (keep it closed, duh). It didn't take long to get into a breathing rhythm. Speaking while connected to the unit, however, I haven't master. Yet another element to have fun with. My kids would ask me questions just to hear me try and talk. I am, after all, on this earth for their entertainment. Well, that and a walking ATM machine, but I digress.

The first night I don't think that I slept. At least, I didn't feel as if I had. Clearly, I must have caught a couple of winks as my husband noted that while I did sound like Darth Vader, I didn't snore. I'm thinking that's progress, or at least an improvement. However, I was unable to function the following day. So I didn't, I stayed home and took a long nap.

The second night I fell asleep promptly, despite the long nap I enjoyed earlier in the day. I did wake up a couple of times. The first time I awoke, I went promptly to sleep again. The second time I stayed in a state of not asleep and not awake. Fortunately, I felt more human than the day before. Does it just get better and better from here? How many more days before I get to the "life changing" benefits of using this contraption? I am truly ready to "feel like a new person."

The third night I wasn't obsessively focused on my breathing and I fell asleep fairly quickly. I woke up about three times, but I immediately returned to sleep. By George, I think I've got the hang of this thing! While I still have a morning headache, I don't feel as if I'm mired in a dense fog. 

Looks like all I need is a bit more time to cozy up to my new best [electronic] friend. Do you think my smart phone will be jealous? 

Previous topic in the Sleep Apnea series: Sleep Perchance to Rest

Related Links

• Sleep Data Infographic
• Stop the Snore: 5 Risk Factors That May Require You to Talk About Sleep Apnea With Your Doctor