unlike the first sleep study, i had an idea what to expect. we had to be there at 9:30pm and since it was no longer an adventure, i was agitated because i so didn’t want to go. spending the night at the sleep center didn’t seem too bad, but hanging out there all day Saturday sounded like major suckage to me.
when we arrived, we were placed in the same room as last time. its familiarity was comforting, as was the fact that i had the same tech. because i knew what to expect, the preparation seemed to go quicker: slap gunk in my hair, fasten a wire, gunk, wire, gunk wire; tape more wires onto my face; pull straps around my torso. i thought i was doing the same test as before–you know, like a 2nd go. nope.
the tech called this one a CPAP Titration Test, which meant i would be trying out 3 different versions of that Darth Vader mask while i slept!
the one i’m wearing in the picture was Mask A. when he first put it on, the air was turned up so high, it was like being on the receiving end of a vacuum hose–i tore that thing off so fast. once i was settled in, it wasn’t bad, kind of like going under general anesthesia. thanks to my trusty trazodone, i crashed immediately.
two more times during the night the tech fitted me with Masks B & C. unfortunately, those pictures didn’t turn out. i don’t remember what the 2nd mask was like, but the 3rd was the worst. it was the largest of the 3, nearly covering my entire face. these masks are supposed to help people with sleep apnea get true, proper sleep. huh. instead of helping me sleep through the night, the last one kept waking me up! all that plastic pressing into my face was annoying so i’d try to rearrange it, but whenever i did, the masks weren’t placed over my mouth and nose correctly, so the frickin’ thing would whistle. whistle! you know, like when a booger’s stuck at the end of your nostril, but a million times louder!
we were awoken at 5am and told that the 2nd test (for narcolepsy) would begin at 7am. this one consisted of staying awake for 2 hours and then napping for 15-30 minutes. during the nap period, they monitor which of the 5 stages of sleep you go through, if you fall asleep at all. an indicator of narcolepsy includes going directly into REM (stage 5) sleep. after nappy time, you’re awoken, stay up for 2 hours, then nap again–4 naps total! and you can’t leave!
i would have gone completely nuts if it hadn’t been for the tech who conducted this test. she’s like your grandmother from the old country, accent and all. just like a grandma, she fussed over me, brought me apple juice and snacks. she also scolded me for sleeping with the pillow over my head–and again when i forgot–and for moving around so much during each set of waking hours that she had to refasten some of my wires before each nap.
what could i do? those 2 hours were ssssoooo boring! i wasn’t allowed to fall asleep during wakey time, and it was so hard not to, even though i alternated between reading and watching TV. at least Brian got to leave for a little while to feed the cats, get himself coffee, and whatever else.
i fell asleep the first couple of times, but i’m not sure about the rest. it was so tedious, but i’m glad it’s over with. the results should be in by the end of the week, then back to the ENT’s office for me.