Machine of Wonders (Blessed Silence)

[WishfulSpirit]

So most of you know my husband is disabled. Well yesterday he got a CPAP machine (for those who don't know, it's a sleep apnea treatment device) and guess what? No more snoring!

We will still probably be sleeping in separate rooms (he informs me I thrash, kick, and steal blankets, plus he likes the room at tempuratures Nanook of the North would find a bit chilly) but he says he's a lot more rested now. Plus it will help keep him from dropping dead of a heart attack. Yea for living husbands!

[wolfie]

Not a CPAP user myself, but I've read a lot about them in the trade press. A few things to watch out for:

- The temperature and humidity settings are IMPORTANT. Too hot or too cold can affect body temperature, too dry and it's like running a Brillo pad down the airway, too moist and you can get "rainout" (machine feeds a "slug" of condensed water down the air line).

- Cleaning the machine is important. It delivers warm, moist air, so its innards are the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms. You don't want your husband to be breathing in bacteria and mold all night.

- When your husband is on the machine, and still awake (so he can take the mask off), try unplugging it to see if it's "well-behaved" in the event of a loss of power. If it isn't (i.e. cuts off airflow rather than "falling back" to non-forced room air), you need another machine, or at least a UPS with a full night's worth of power. After all, a blackout shouldn't be lethal.

[WishfulSpirit]

Thanks for the advice Wolfie! He knows about cleaning it, but we weren't aware of the temp and humidity settings issue, so I'll mention that to him. Hubby says he can still breathe through it when it's turned off, and just in case, it's plugged into the same monster UPC he uses for his gaming rig. It also only covers his nose; if something were to happen and it cut off air to his nose, I'm pretty sure it would wake him up, or at least prompt his body to open his mouth.

[csquared]

The masks have a fail safe. You are able to breath normally when the CPAP is off. I have been using one for almost five years.

The Wife and I use to fight for the covers. Now that I have the CPAP, I sleep all night in one position. Be default, she now wins. We swapped out the King top sheets and blankets for Twins. It helped a lot.

If you kick and thrash that much, maybe you should consider a sleep study.