In beginning of September, I took my morning pills — don’t ask — and went to the doctor for a consultation. Since it was “after school” the kids came with us.
We drove to Smiltene — about a 45-minute drive, around 60 km. While I was at the doctor’s office, the kids went to Hesburger.
The doctor gave me a little tester to find out if I have sleep apnea.
So, naturally, I went into a shop, bought a puzzle, and took both the puzzle and the sleep apnea tester home.
I was ready for the overnight test. There were wires, things to attach, and a sensor that had to go on my finger. And then there was the tape.
I may have slightly overdone the tape on my face.
Marley stayed with me during the night. In the morning, he was still there, looking completely unsurprised by the whole arrangement.
I took the tester back to the doctor and waited for the results.
The results were terrible.
Turns out I really do have sleep apnea. Had to test the available masks.
Apparently, there were around 60 times per hour when I was struggling to breathe during the night.
Sixty times. An hour.
So… yeah.
That might explain a few things.
The exhaustion. The brain fog. The feeling that I had been running on empty for years.
And suddenly, something I had been struggling to explain for such a long time had a name.
On the way home, I felt relieved and worried at the same time. Relieved to finally have an answer, but worried about what it actually meant.
And then I got home, stepped outside the car, and somehow nature did what it always seems to do — lifted my mood without asking any questions. The light rain and rainbow, everything around me just made me feel a little lighter.
I enjoyed the puzzle, submitted all the paperwork, and now I’m waiting for my own Auto CPAP machine. It might take up to one month. I’m renting now.
So I guess this is where the next part begins — learning how to sleep with a machine, and hopefully learning what it feels like to actually sleep properly…
And why not “celebrate” it all with a funny drawing of me wearing my CPAP mask?
Turns out you don’t need to be an artist to express yourself. I always thought that if I was going to draw something, it had to be good — or at least look like I knew what I was doing.
Apparently, it doesn’t.
It can just be funny, messy and mine. And somehow, that feels like a good thing to learn right now.
A bit longer post, but I hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Ilze
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Good to get the diagnosis and hopefully now sleep will be better and you will feel better too. Love the drawing!
Thank you, that is what I thought would happen, but the mask is so… uncomfortable! I can’t change my sleeping position… So I’m still adjusting. It might take some time. I think when my own machine will come – I feel better. I could choose the masks and everything else.. I hope to choose the one that has app, so I can track how I’m doing…
It is better to know what is going on, even if you are rereading what you may hear – at least, then you are in a position to do something about it.
Good luck with your machine