Sunday Ramblings

December 4, 2011

Another weekend down the drain!

Friday consisted of me watching about 2 hours of TV, which was incredible because I just completely vegged out, which I don’t do often at all. It felt wonderful.

Saturday we had hubs’ family over to watch UK beat UNC in basketball, when we put the tree up. I was then visited by the Respiratory Therapist (who uses a CPAP and was not fat) to get me all set up with my fancy new CPAP. I consider myself a bit of a technophile, but I just couldn’t get excited with this, no matter how techy it is:

It honestly feels like I’m wearing a Darth Vader mask and someone is blowing a leaf blower into it. Crazy.

I tried to sleep with it. It went on at 10:30pm and came off at 3am. I would consider that a first night success if I had actually fallen asleep. Unfortunately I didn’t. I then slept until noon today sans-mask and woke up with the worst migraine ever. Took some ibuprofen and then slept sans CPAP from 2-4:30pm. I then gathered myself together long enough to decorate the Christmas tree, which always reminds me of my mom.

Here are some recent posts I wrote over at the ENELL blog that I think you might enjoy. As always, feel free to jump into the discussion at the ENELL Facebook page or the Skinny Emmie Facebook page.

Also this week, my first post went up at ShePosts, where I’m a new contributor. Check it out. 

Thanks always for being a source of strength and a great outlet. Here’s to a great week!

Tagged as: christmas, cpap, ramblings

  • Anonymous

    Hopefully you have an auto-CPAP.

    Keep it on as long as you can stand it.  If it is an auto, when you feel it is blowing too strong, just hit the ramp button. (This will bring it down to light pressure again.) Sometimes that is a good trick as I cannot sleep when it is on too high, and I notice it.  (So I still use the ramp button a lot.) It takes a few weeks of getting use to … just keep putting it on each night and leave it on as long as you can! 

    Hope this helps! 

    • http://www.skinnyemmie.com Emily Sandford

      Thanks! Yes, it’s an auto CPAP. I have used the ramp button quite a lot! I got 6 sleeping hours with the CPAP last night, so I’m a bit more optimistic today

  • Anonymous

    Sorry you didn’t take to the CPAP the first night.  Some people do, other take time to adjust to it.  I’m sure in the long run it’ll do what its supposed to and you’ll get maximum benefit.  I hear from others that it has changed their lives so hang in there.  Off to check out your other links!

    • http://www.skinnyemmie.com Emily Sandford

      Thanks. I ended up getting 6 hours asleep with the CPAP last night, so I’m a little more optimistic about it!

  • Angie

    Poor baby!  That mask does look rather claustrophobia-inducing!  Will the nasal one not work for you?  It covers much less of your face.

    • http://www.skinnyemmie.com Emily Sandford

      I am a mouth breather, so I need the full face mask right now unfortunately.

      • http://heidi-finishing-the-hat.blogspot.com Heidi @ Finishing the Hat

        That’s interesting… I’m a mouth breather too, but the vacuum suction of the air keeps my tongue naturally sealed against the roof of my mouth, so I don’t need the full-face.

  • http://destinationisjourney.wordpress.com/ Jessica

    Hey- bad link on the freshman 15

  • http://becominglessofjes.com Jes @ Becoming Less of Jes

    Eeek! Considering I am a stomach sleeper, and basically sleep on my face, there’s no way I could ever sleep in that thing!  Good luck! 

  • http://onmyweightohappiness.blogspot.com/ Sarah

    It will take you a few weeks if not 2 months to get use to that machine. When I first started wearing it I would only wear it a few hours into the night and rip it off. It gradually got easier.

    Too bad you have a full mask or you could talk really funny HA HA I have the one that just has the prongs in your nose so I can still talk….it’s fun to talk like Dark Vadar, my husband thinks its sexy…..NOT HA HA

  • RL

    I know a young lady, just married last year. One morning, a few months ago, her husband could not wake her. She passed away from sleep apnea during the night. I didn’t really understand what a dangerous condition it was, until I knew someone firsthand. She was slightly overweight, not obese by any means. Incorrectly, I too thought sleep apnea only affected “fat people”. 
    You’ll get used to the CPAP over time. It’s fortunate that you were diagnosed with a condition that has a straightforward solution. I’m glad you have the CPAP, as it’s just another tool in your box to build a healthy Emmie.

  • http://nikkianne.wordpress.com/ nikkianne

    Beautiful tree! I think I will be doing some decorating this weekend too!

  • Sarah Leighton

    I should have commented on your original blog about the CPAP machine but I never did. But I know we spoke about it on twitter (I’m sarahsundae). Please make sure that mask fits. PLEASE. Did the RT (respiratory therapist) fit you for other masks beside that one? I’m not sure what mask that is. It looks like a fitlife, but I could be wrong. I’m not an RT but I work with them and I’ve been working at my job for almost 11 years. You slept with it on for 4 and a half hours for the first night? That is amazing!! I know it’s tough and it’s scary, but it will get easier. Sleep apnea is scary. Call the company that set you up if that mask doesn’t feel right. Talk to the RT department. Talk to your sleep doctor if the pressure doesn’t feel right. Talk to your sleep doctor when you go for your follow up.

    And remember, not all CPAP patients are overweight. They are skinny, heavy, tall, short, etc. I see them every day. And this is all about you being healthy.

    • http://www.skinnyemmie.com Emily Sandford

      Hi Sarah- the mask is a Philips Respironics comfort gel full face mask. I am a mouth breather, thus the need for the full face. We tried on different sizes of masks, but they were all full face masks. After 1 week I’m up to about 6 hours per night. Most was 6.5: the entire time I was asleep. I will definitely keep an open mind about the masks. The RT is great and I know I can call him anytime. We have a follow up meeting/check in a few weeks, and if I can’t get through a full night consistently by then, I’ll have him bring more masks out. Thanks for all the help! 

  • Tanya Landry

    Beautiful tree Emmie!  Hope your head is feeling better.

  • http://twitter.com/bloggerbroad Deborah Savadra

    I hope you keep us all posted on the CPAP. I’ve thought seriously about doing the whole sleep evaluation thing, and I do NOT want to get a CPAP. They sound like they’re horrible!

  • http://heidi-finishing-the-hat.blogspot.com Heidi @ Finishing the Hat

    Hey, how’s the CPAP going? I hope you’ll keep trying it.  It took me a few weeks to get used to it, but it saved my life.

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