So, I have the machine. It now sits next to my bed on a nightstand. Fancy little thing. My CPAP machine (technically APAP) looks like a video game console. For some reason, I expected the thing to have some sort of giant lung or to look like one of those old timey fire billows people would use to make sure their fire stays burning. Nope. Just a little thing, not much bigger than an alarm clock.
The hose however is a pain in my ass. I don’t know where to put the thing. Do I hang it above my head? Do I lay it over my pillow? Do I tuck it under the blanket with me? I guess I’ll figure it out.
However, the sensation of wearing one of these doo-dads is tough to explain. I have the “nose pillows” set up. Just a couple of tubes blasting into my nostrils. Not the full “Darth Vader” face mask. However, I did feel the urge to breath through my mouth last night which lead to air rushing out of my mouth every time I opened it. I explained it to my wife like this. Wearing one is like breathing while walking into the wind. You continually have air blowing back into your nose, giving you a kind of….well…suffocating feeling. I woke up in the middle of night and getting back to sleep was like someone held a pillow over my head. Once I’m asleep I’m good. But it feels a little like your breathing through a straw to get to that point.
I know I’ll get used to it. I have to.
So, how do I feel this morning? Thanks for asking. Well…I feel okay. Rested. I think. To be honest…I’m not sure I remember what a totally restful sleep feels like. I only slept for maybe 4 hours. So clearly I didn’t sleep enough timewise. But I feel like my sleep had a better quality to it. When my alarm went off, I got up. I didn’t feel quite as sluggish. I think. Maybe. This is a new world for me. I can tell that this will be a journey of weeks or months. Not days.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out and shared their story with me. It’s crazy how many people have the same struggle. It’s also great to hear this has inspired others to get tested for sleep apnea.
Keep following along. As always, if you have any tips or items that may make my life easier, let me know.
-Chad