Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Getting ready to try my new CPAP machine and see if I can sleep with it


I did put it together earlier after unpacking it and it's super quiet and the masque fits ever so much better than my old one with the did. The old one required a chin strap to keep it stable, and as a result, moved around when that loosened. This new-fangled machine replaces my fifteen-year-old one, which will now be a back up just in case (and will go to live in the trunk of the car in case I get stranded anywhere over the winter, along with the air mattress and foot pump). Features of this one that are nifty are as follows. It:
  1. is smaller than my old one, which rather looked like a 70s hair dryer, but heavy enough not to move around and generally seems well-made
  2. has a chip that keeps data on it for some time that can be used by the doctors to determine if it's working well
  3. starts at a minimum pressure that my old machine has, but can automatically adjust up to a higher pressure after sensing a need for it, which can help with some of the daytime sleepiness I've had
  4. has an internal humidifier that nevertheless can disconnect from the other part of the machine in case I want to run it without the water
  5. has a humidifier cartridge that easily comes apart for cleaning, something that was a real problem with the one that attached to my old machine, as the container did not come apart on that one, and so you just had to swish the water around
  6. has programmable menus
  7. is easy to adjust the dial for the humidifier also acts as a big button to turn on
  8. actually senses if you put the masque on and starts it without you having to hit the button
  9. has a filter that can be rinsed instead of having to order more
  10. has headgear that doesn't need a chin strap, is easily adjustable, and has soft cushions to go over he silicon straps, which hopefully means no more lines on my face in the morning
Thank you, my insurance company, for buying this machine when I would not otherwise be able to afford it. Also, I talked to the specialist at the medical supply company and if, in the future, I do not have health insurance (such as after the library gig is over in a couple of years), there are charity programmes that help patients without insurance get supplies and machines, which is important, as it could very well save a life. I knew someone who died due to sleep apnea, and it was very sad that it might have been preventable. Sleep apnea can cause many problems, from damage to the heart to poor work performance to early death. Hopefully this machine will help me stay healthy.

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