Well, I wasn't dreaming — Mark's actually stopping breathing while he sleeps...about 11 times per hour when he's on his side. That's considered mild in the medical community, but not by my standards! It's actually more frequent on his back - enough to bump up into the moderate category - but he snores so loudly on his back, I don't let him stay in that position too long. It's pretty frightening to know you wake in the night because your spouse stopped breathing and then his body involuntarily thrashed itself awake to start breathing again. I worry about him - a lot. Sleep apnea can cause a whole slew of other health problems like high blood pressure and strokes. He thinks I'm crazy for worrying and rolls his eyes at me when I voice my fears. He's going to try a CPAP machine while we work on weight loss for both of us. We've both gained a bit of weight from the stress of my brother's illness.
There was one night where he was totally silent - so silent I considered poking him to see if he was still breathing! What has my life come to?
3 comments:
Hey Jude..First time-long time. Take it from someone who knows... Using a CPAP is like strapping a shop-vac to your face hooked up backwards. Sure, it SOUNDS like a lot of fun, but it takes some getting used to. There are overwhelming benefits including reducing the concomitant health risk you mentioned (high BP, increased risk of CVA etc.) But the biggest benefit is dealing better with the little annoyances of life. My little annoyances have names that start with A,S,B and A.
Believe it or not, I am a kinder-and-gentler person now that I get at least a few restful hours of REM sleep before getting kicked in the groin or throat by my littlest annoyance. Also, even though I have never actually heard myself snore, now I know that I am quieter than everyone else in my communal cacophony of a bedroom at night (Wife snores, Dog Snores, Child runs marathon in bed every night while grinding teeth, talking in her sleep and taking an occasional but regular opportunity to kick me in the aforementioned groin and/or throat depending on her relative orientation.)
Give it some time...
Brian
Oh goodness Brian - don't tell Mark that! I'm sure he'll figure it out on his own soon enough, but hopefully we'll both get a few good nights' sleep before that. My friend Andy also shared that when the electricity goes out, you get a backward pressure, so instead of pushing air in, your lungs get sucked out! This is going to be sooooo much fun!
PS - Amy, is it true? Kinder, gentler? ;-)
The CPAP is annoying at first, but make him stick with it until he gets used to it. The sound of the CPAP purring at night will be like music to your ears compared to the loud snoring ALL NIGHT LONG. But when he first starts he will probably just fall asleep "forgetting" to put it on, don't let him, it makes it too easy for him.
I know it helps his health, but I think it will improve your mental health.
Post a Comment