Monday, October 5, 2009

SLEEP STUDY: I DID IT LAST NIGHT - - UGH


This is not a picture of me, I was even more wired-up for my sleep apnea study. Twice as many wires, I promise you!


My test was at the wonderful UNC Hospital. They give you a luxurious private room with a TV and bath room and it take 90 minutes to wire you up like an astronaut going to the moon.


Then they say, "lie down", and then they turn off all the lights and leave the room.


Then you have to go through a series of movements for the camera, yes camera, and then they say, "Good Night." And they leave you alone UNLESS one of those electrodes implanted on your face, in your hair, on you back and your legs, even on your eyes and mouth, well almost on your eyes and mouth.

Now, think about trying to sleep with 9,000 wires coming off your body.


I kept waking up, tossing and turning. And I felt like a complete failure. I COULD NOT FALL ASLEEP! They said, "Didn't your doctor give you a sleeping pill?" NO. "Do you want one?" NO.


And on and on it went. I felt as though I was a complete failure at the whole thing when, all of a sudden, Connie (the wonderful person administering the test) came in and said, "Are you ready to wake up?" "What time is it?" "7:15." (I really thought it was about 2 am. YES. And I got up and dressed, but only after they pulled off all those electrodes and glue in my hair. They use acetone spray to get it off. It smells just like ether. Awful.


Do I have sleep apnea? WHO KNOWS!! They wouldn't diagnose. Connie said, "Call your doctor and they will tell you everything."


And how did you spend YOUR Sunday night?

1 comment:

Rick said...

Men are known to get spontaneous erections at times during sleep. What then? I'm just asking.