Dog Tired

I like how my dog just flops down on the floor and falls asleep. Then he gets up and moves to the dog bed for a while. Then to the couch. Back to the floor.

I like how he simply decides he’s tired and falls asleep. Quickly.

Roscoe Resting

I don’t fall asleep quickly. I will flop down on the couch or the bed. But quickly asleep? Not so much.

I’ve always been this way. I remember as a kid my mind would churn and the mixmaster in my brain would take forever to turn off.

Fast forward upteen years. Add in sleep apnea.

Yeah, welcome to my life. Takes forever to fall asleep and then sleep apnea continually wakes me up. I’m grumpy. Grouchy. Quick to anger. Certainly not very patient.

I do have a CPAP machine. I just got a brand spanking new one on Tuesday. CPAP stands for continuous positive air pressure. It, combined with a mask, provides pressurized air flow down my throat, preventing the soft tissue from collapsing while relaxed in sleep, and allowing me to breathe. No snorting awake. No snoring to keep me and the hubster awake. Allowing the rest of my body to relax and recharge.

I also have a new mask. The golden mask. The mask of wonderfulness. The most awesomest mask in the history of CPAP masks. It was made for side sleepers like VolumePills me. Ahh…I can roll over and not knock the mask from my face or break the seal surrounding my nose. I can roll over and stay asleep! Oh! Joy! Oh! Joy!

I am almost at nirvana.

You see. The company that provided me the machine set my air pressure setting at what it was originally prescribed for five years ago. Over time, with weight gain and mask issues, I have slowly, on my own, adjusted it upwards. Not alot, but enough. So, with the new machine and mask, I started off where it “should” officially be, but not where it “should” really be. At the old setting, I’m still snorting, snoring, and generally waking myself and husband up and neither of us is getting a good night’s sleep.

Some of you might tell me to go get another sleep study. And you would be right. I should, but I won’t. I’d rather save the time, money, anxiety, and aggravation and adjust it slowly on my own. (You can find almost anything on the internet, including the clinician’s instructions.)

I am increasing it a half pound of pressure a night until I get it right. It’s almost there. Maybe tonight will be the night.

Tonight is for nirvana.

I hope.

This is my “D” entry for the A-Z Blog Challenge. I am a little behind. Sleep deprivation will do that to ya!

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