Dreamer Easy

Just printed myself a copy of Anaesthesia and the Sleep Apnoea Sufferer and wanted to point it out to anyone who might find it useful.

U guys, I am a groggy froggy. Is it normal to still have bad days on the CPAP, or does it indicate something's wrong?

So here I am with my CPAP
And using CPAP is a snap.
I use it all night,
But I must get this right -
Do I use the CPAP when I nap?

My reaction -

- OK, you know that bit in the Simpsons movie where Bart takes a sip of Flanders' hot chocolate, and says in tones of awe, "Oh my God." ? -

- "Oh my God."

Hilarious photo of self in CPAP apparatus, looking somewhat like Hath, to follow.

Back to the sleep doctor today to get the results of my overnight study, during which I managed an amazing four and a half hours' kip. Go me. During that time, my sleep was interrupted around once every five minutes by a minor episode of sleep apnoea - not bad enough to dangerously dent my oxygen levels, but also not often enough to give us a clear diagnosis. ARGH. Anyway, in a week I go back for "further torture" (the doctor's words!) in the sleep lab to get a CPAP machine sorted out. This blows down your conk all night to create an "air splint", preventing your relaxing muscles from cutting off your breathing. This may sound bizarre and uncomfortable but it cannot possibly be any worse than the sleep lab. BRING IT ON I SAY.

Tetris has become a way for me to check the level of my cognitive deficit. After last night's rough sleep, not only can I not react quickly enough, I just get more and more bewildered - it all becomes a sort of blur.

Off to my sleep assessment!

Sleep Assessment thing in three weeks - results three weeks after that. Sleep apnoea a very definite possibility, although I wonder if there might be a synergy between that and the SSRI drowsiness side-effect. All will be revealed. Stay tuned for our next exciting installment. Now all I have to do is somehow stay alive and functioning for the next six weeks.

I have flaked out so much today. Couldn't get to work, can't seem to accomplish anything. I think it's just accumulated sleep debt, but man.

Ergo:

Test your vocabulary for charity

Space Battleship Yamato

Man Legally Changes Name To 'They'

Dry spell almost killed off human race

outsdr recalls the mystery of the flexi disc.

Roger Dean's Retreat Pods

It shames me so much that I so often miss work because I'm ill. Not so much miss it, I suppose, as postpone it; today and yesterday have been a write-off, but I hope to make up the hours on Wednesday and Friday. I do sometimes lose whole weeks, though, and I already bring in a tiny enough bit of income as it is. I hate phoning or emailing my boss to let him know that, yet again, I won't be putting in an appearance. He's unfailingly good about it, thank gods, but it makes no difference to my cringe level.

It's hard to strike a balance being knowing your limits - it's unlikely I'm going turn our back yard into a small farm - and just giving up. I found a useful Web page on coping with chronic illness which talks about needing a "fighting spirit". I think mine needs some new bullets or something.