Friday, November 19, 2010

It's official...

I have sleep apnea.  I have now gone to the second overnight sleep study - which is where they have you wear the CPAP machine so they can fit the mask and determine the proper air pressure.  I had no trouble with the mask, but my stupid chronograph watch alarm started going off about 1:30 AM and continued about every 10 minutes.  I would just get to sleep and then beep beep beep.  I would turn it off and then it would beep beep beep again.  Finally the voice in the ceiling told me to take the watch off and she would come take it away from me.  How embarrassing.  Of course sleeping after that was even more difficult. 

Now I am just waiting for my Doc to call in the prescription to a company that supplies durable medical goods and I can get started being a "hose head".  I don't care - I just want to feel better and have more energy.  That will help me get back on a good exercise schedule too. 

Stay tuned for more exciting details...

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun....

Didn't realize just how long it had been since I posted here.  A lot has happened and all for the good! 

The clots are gone from my lungs with very little left in one leg, the right side of my heart is back to normal, my lungs are back to normal per my pulmonary function tests, and I am exercising.  I walked 4 miles yesterday...which is 3 times as far in the same amount of time as when I started after the embolism.  Yay Me!  When I can't walk I ride my bike indoors so I don't miss any time.

I am now taking steps to determine if my sleep apnea is causing me to still be lethargic, exhausted, and headachey all the time.  I went thru an overnight sleep study last Wednesday night, and will get the results on the 16th.  I am hoping they have found something specific that can be corrected.  I would like to know what it feels like to wake up refreshed - haven't had that in my whole life.   From what other people have told me using a CPAP machine can make a huge difference in your life - and that is what I am really hoping for now.  I will try to post more often as I recover and get back to real training.

Check out this pic of me all wired up for the sleep study.

How's this for a scary photo?