I have finally tried a CPAP to help me breath through the night properly, and sleep better. I received it in the mail yesterday and set it up as soon as I could. It came to me through Alpine Health, of Utah. It all began with a sleep study that I had to do for one night, then turn in, and after that, I got nothing back from the sleep lab, at all. Then my kids started getting calls from Alpine Health, rather than me, and for what, at that time, I did not know. When I got it worked out what it was, and returned the call, they were ever so friendly and nice, but that was a sales rep, and not a medical professional. I was to receive a machine, but again, with no information about my sleep study, or why. Then the machine arrived with some basic set-up instructions and steps that were frustrating till I left the machine alone for a while, only to come back to find out that the whole problem was rooted in it needing to do an update. After that, it set up just fine. But I could easily see how someone older would have gotten completely lost and totally pissed off.
Finally, I slept with it on last night, and badly, apparently. I did not know what I was doing with it, and it was leaking profusely right next to where it has vents, so I thought it was likely just normal venting. Turns out, it wasn’t. But I fell sleep fairly fast, and woke up to answer nature’s call twice. Once around 1AM, and again at 5AM. By 5 though, I had slept for about seven hours, and I was done with it. I felt awake and ready to start my day!
Today I felt pretty damned good all day and only fell asleep for about a quarter of an hour around 3:45PM. Now it is almost half seven, and I am eager to give it a try again, as I saw that it was unhappy with the mask overnight, and gave it some tweaks that I think will fix it. Perhaps an even better night’s sleep awaits me? I don’t know!
So, in summary, this has been mysterious and annoying as I have dealt with the sleep study lab and the equipment provider and even the gear itself. But I think that with the results I have felt in just the first night, I will be far better off for it.
Today I woke up clear headed, and no aching at all. I felt more rested than I think I may ever have. I slept for long unbroken periods, and to show for it, I have felt so good that I took the day off of most of my chores to rest and try to make this into the world’s shortest vacation.
I hope that I will see the same results after a second night, and I will have accumulated enough Bonafide rest to actually have a great day, even a serious of great days, starting tomorrow. If these results continue, I hope to be as happy as a lark with the machine and able to recommend it to anyone who needs one, despite the painful acquisition process.