I have mild sneep apnea. The doctor thought I was tested for 2 nights instead of just one, so now I have to go back! Argh. At least I know what to expect this time — and I’ll try to take better pictures. Also, Omnibus Driver pointed out that the 2 straps they wrap around your torso, for which I couldn’t see any obvious purpose, actually measures “the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen to get a feel for how much oxygen you are or aren’t taking in.” In other words, they’re important.

As for treatment, instead of a CPAP machine, I may undergo the pillar procedure, which is a relatively new treatment that’s done in the doctor’s office. As it happens, my doctor is one of the guys who developed this. Three tiny, little, pillar-shaped implants are inserted into your palate in order to stiffen it to lessen the vibration. A soft palate vibrates, which is what causes the snoring, and sometimes it collapses, which is what causes the blockage of airflow while sleeping. As I understand it, the pillar procedure is for people who have mild to moderate sleep apnea and may not be covered by all insurance companies.

Because of my constant sleepiness and lack of energy, the doctor thinks that I might have narcolepsy. When he said this, I twisted around in my chair to face him, and was like, “What?! I’ve seen movies in science class, and I’m not like that! I don’t fall asleep while I eat, or anything like that.” He and Brian laughed, and the doctor said those were the worst cases, that there are varying degrees of narcolepsy. Um, OK.

Now, I have to get yet another sleep test in which they put me in a dark room to see if I fall asleep. If I do, they let me sleep for 15 – 30 minutes. They wake me up, and I have to stay awake for 2 hours and read or watch TV. (This is done during the day, by the way.) Then they put me in a dark room again to see if I fall asleep. Repeat 3 more times. I have to have these tests done so the doctor will know the right way to proceed with my treatment. He mentioned the drug Provigil, which I only know about because the pdoc thought about prescribing it to me. Instead, we tried the Ritalin first.

I just want all this to be over with!!!