I’m sitting in the sleep disorder clinic at the University Of Michigan Hospital. I have been here all day and I was here all last night starting about 8:00 PM. It’s about 3:00 PM and I have one last nap at 4:30 and then get to go home. I will try to send this from the hospital but I have had trouble getting connected online so there is a good chance this is being posted later on Thursday.
I have been having trouble sleeping and a lot of sleepiness during the day so I decided to try the clinic after talking to my doctor. I had my first appointment a few weeks ago and last night and today is the sleep test.
They think I have sleep apnea and these tests will confirm or deny that or point them to other issues. Although I found out everyone has sleep apnea to different degrees. (Breathing stops or slows during sleep basically)
So I got here last night and they connected a bunch of leads to my head, neck, face and legs. (See funny photo). I also had some straps around my waist and chest and a sensor on my finger. These are to monitor your brain, eyes, heart, and a bunch of stuff while you sleep. With me they also put a tube up my nose, down my throat and into my esophagus. I guess this measures how hard you are breathing or something like that. It’s a little uncomfortable going in. They have you drink some water to help “swallow” it down and it gagged me. Then it is somewhat uncomfortable because when it moves some you can feel it. The tube feels like a piece of food caught in the back of your throat you can’t wash down. I got a little more use to it but you always know its there. And when I woke up this morning and had to pee it was too early to get up so I laid there for awhile until the night study was over and I couldn’t wait to get the tube out. You basically cough it up as the tech pulls it out. So for me the tube was the worst part.
Oh and there is something about being audio and video recorded while you are sleeping that is creepy. You know like if Freddy Kruger showed up in the room! J Or just that the techs are making fun of you. Come on you know some of them do it! I didn’t sleep that great so I hope they were able to get enough data. I couldn’t really get comfortable.
So today is a series of 25-30 minute naps every 2 hours. Although I have not been able to fall asleep. Hell it takes me 25 minute or more to fall asleep most of the time. I slept maybe 5 minutes during the 12:30 nap and 5 minutes during the 4:30 nap. I think this test for possible narcolepsy and daytime sleepiness.
The best part of the day was my friend Kim Mortson came over from the
Right now I’m just passing time until the last nap. Then home. They told me the doctor should be contacting me in about 7-10 days so hopefully I will know more then. Later -
