Musings of Lanna Lee Maheux

Lenny Helps Us Play Splendor

I slept in today, and lazed about. I aimlessly looked at the internet. I wasted a lot of time. I feel kinda bad about it only because yesterday was a wash too.

I guess I keep feeling better. If I don’t cough up a lung when I go to sleep, that will be nice.

Note: my cold is annoying but not alarming. Slight stuffiness. Coughing (which has abated). You don’t need to do an internet intervention.

I had big plans of getting a head start on my day-job work today, but shiny things kept getting in the way. (Like watching interviews from the cast/producers/writers of American Gods, and inspiration porn on the interwebs.)

Maybe I just needed another restful day. And now I am endeavoring to get to sleep before midnight so I can get a full 8 hours of sleep (I have 15 minutes to go!)

Things I did do today: call my Mom – but to no avail, she did not pick up the phone; watch new episode of American Gods, only one left!; bathed – not necessarily in that order.

[Spoiler: (not about American Gods) you might have noticed this is the third day in a row I’ve made posts, because yes, I decided to try posting every day on my blag again. Don’t tell anyone tho, I am not sure I am committed yet.]

CPAP mask cushions awaiting use

So. 1 year later. What are my thoughts? I am not giddy about the CPAP thing. When I wake up I have puffy face with lines all over it. When I have a cold (like now) it sucks to be coughing into the cushion and have air being forced down my throat when my nose is plugged and to be coughing at the same time. (Or should I say it BLOWS?!)

However, I have noticed a major difference in my sleepiness. I no longer feel sleepy when I need to do a longer car trip. Before CPAP, every time I needed to do a two-hour one way trip by myself on the way back I would always need to stop and sleep. That’s no longer happening. I guess I get a normal amount of sleepy now.

My pulmonologist says I am a model patient. I use the mask every night, and my average number of apnea-type incidences per hour are around zero.

A few months ago I had a cold, with the runny and stuffed up nose and subsequent grossness and decided that I would take a break from using the CPAP machine for the night. I’ve been told it’s okay to take a break, and I figured that would be the night.

I woke up choking. I couldn’t breathe. I decided that I would muddle through with the cold and deal with cleaning my mask extra good the next morning, and strapped my mask back on. It really hit home to me that this was what was happening ALL THE TIME before my CPAP machine came along. It was DANGEROUS.

The only times I don’t use the mask now are when I take surreptitious naps in my barcalounger (or I am in a car or on a plane or bus or train) – times where I am sitting up. Otherwise I use the CPAP.

My husband was also tested around the same time, he’s not as bad off as I am, but we have matching machines, and matching sexy (totally non-cockblocky) masks.

So if your partner suggests you get tested or if you get tested and they say you are a candidate for the CPAP machine I recommend it highly. I mean, sometimes it BLOWS, but at least you know you aren’t suffocating while you sleep anymore. And it gets rid of the snoring noise too. So you become easier to sleep with.

And see how sexy the mask is… RAWR! I’m a beast in it!

Here is the thing. I found out about Patsy Terrell’s death via Social Media. That’s also where I met her. Through Social Media.

A few years ago (in 2012) a few months after my father died, I went to Hutchinson Kansas to speak at the Small Town 140 conf. There I met many lovely people, and one of those was Patsy Terrell. She was a writer, activist, and she taught people how to use Social media. I had her on my podcast (Lounging with Lanna Lee), and we had a great, heartfelt conversation. We went to some events together and she and her BFF Greg Holmes met me for lunch at Roy’s BBQ. We kept up on Facebook.

Last year, seeing the need for change in her state, Patsy ran Representative in the Kansas State senate. She won, and I’ve enjoyed following along with her successes.

And it sucks that she is gone. She was doing so much, always growing, and always trying to make the world a better place, even before she ran for office. She made me want to be a better person.

She was only in office for a few months, but Patsy made strides, helping overhaul the Kansas tax system. To honor her memory, some of her colleagues wore bright colors and sparkly brooches, because Patsy LOVED to #besparkly!

Patsy and I were acquaintances. I would call her a friend, and I’d like to think she’d call me a friend. But we weren’t close friends. But if we were closer geographically, I am sure we’d have hung out more. We were Facebook Tight. I am grateful to have known Patsy.

The world is a dimmer place without you, Patsy.

Tuesday I got my brand New and Shiny CPAP Machine, an AirCurve 10 VAuto. It’s like, magical. It uses a data network (NOT OURS!) to communicate with Susan at the supply company. And it autothingies all the things.

I loves it. Well, the idea of it. The application, well, that is taking a bit to get used to.

The first night was fine. Except I couldn’t get the hang of keeping my mask on, so air was leaking all around it. Also, in spite of the built-in humidifier, my mouth was super dry, which made it difficult to keep the mask on my face. I was glad that at least the Small Humidor on the corner table was working. I got a frowny face for my mask seal when I checked my progress on the unit. 🙁 Sad Lanna Was Sad.

How did I feel? Well, yesterday morning was a bit easier. I did not feel like crap when I first woke up, at least not to the same extent as previously. So, #winning! One thing we did was take Susan’s advice and purchase some Biotene spray to combat dry mouth.

Last night went a little better with the mask, and the biotene: it is much easier to keep the mask in place when your mouth is not painfully dry. As you can see from the picture, I got a smiley face for my mask! 🙂 But my face hurt and I had actual bags under my eyes. So that sucked.

Susan from the medical supply company called earlier today to see how I was faring. Since my stats uploaded automagically, she was able to give me a report of how things looked on her end; my stats improved so much!!!!!!

When determining Sleep Apnea they look for two things, AHI (Apnea-Hyponea Index) and oxygen levels. The AHI is the average number of apnea-type incidences per hour. Mine was tested at 39.7, which counts as severe sleep apnea (should be 0-5 per hour). Going hand in hand with that are oxygen levels, mine got as low as 49%, should be over 95%. With the machine, my AHIs decreased to less than 1, which would be considered in the normal level. This is even with a leaky mask. They aren’t testing my oxygen levels with this, but I suspect they are within an acceptable range.

I am still a bit sleepy during the day. But Susan said that since I’ve likely been sleep deprived for a few years, it will take a little while before I stop getting sleepy.

I joined the myAir online thing so I can track my progress online, and because I am a super data geek. Here is an example of my dashboard for it. 99 points! Woo!

When Susan came by with the machine she said I should try to use it at least 4.5 hours a night (some insurances won’t cover the CPAP if you don’t use it over 4 hours per night). I don’t get that, if I have a CPAP machine, I am going to use that sucker. Now that I am no longer swimming in the sea of sleep apnea denial, I am totally on board with getting a full-night’s sleep.

One thing that might need to change is my face mask. I have 30 days to trade it in, and I suspect it is too small for my face. My cheeks are still sore from wearing it! We are going to wait and see how things go and trade in for a new one if this one continues not to work out.

TLDR: Things are going well with the new CPAP machine. Even with mask seal issues, my AHI levels are normal after using it two nights. Friends have said it took them a couple of weeks to assimilate, so I am on track as far as that goes.

And now it’s almost time for bed!

… not that I always follow her advice or example!

• Be inclusive – people don’t like being left out
• Take time for yourself – when we were kids Mom would go on her own solo “camping trips” to a hotel in Bangor Maine. That had to have a pool. There she could indulge in one of her favorite pastimes, bargain hunting!
• Respect your own needs – When my brother and I were old enough to make our own breakfasts and get ourselves to school, my Mom would sleep in. If she needed alone time, she would tell us.
• You can do it yourself – definitely not a helicopter parent, my Mom trusted us to behave, taught us to be self-sufficient, and expected us to work hard
• When you need her, she’ll be there – when we were sick, Mom gave it her all, she waited on us hand and foot, it wasn’t until I was in my 30’s I stopped wishing for my Mom when I got sick (In case you think we might have taken advantage of this, she had a great bullshit meter, she could always tell when we were lying). When I was married the first time, and things started not going well, my parents drove from New York State to Maine to help me out. (I could go on, but I won’t)
• Be kind – which sometimes means keeping your own counsel!
• Tell the truth – which means if they ask for your counsel, give it.
• Do the right thing – which sometimes means doing something very hard or something you don’t want to do. [People call this adulting.]
• Laugh – laugh at yourself, laugh with your family, everything gets a little better with some levity.
• When you fight, don’t get personal – don’t call people names, ever (this is something I have failed at, but most of the time, I do well).
• Don’t make empty threats – if my parents said stop what you are doing, or we will go home, and I didn’t stop, they’d go home.

I am blessed with a wonderful Mother, and I wish her the best of Mother’s Days this year. Since I am so far away, I send my love through the internet.