After Max and I worked with three
recent new members, Tim called and asked us to meet with him. When
we arrived, there were the two that had been asking us questions
before and five other members. Tim told us we had the floor for any
questions they wanted to ask. Questions we received and Tim asked
that they take turns.
I said that I should start with the
experiences that I have been through as all seven would be 65 years
of age in a few years. I said that Max and I had each been to
separate doctors and thus our experiences are different. Both of us
needed to use a sleep study lab for the first time we changed
equipment under Medicare. I went to Mason City and Max went to New
Hampton.
I said that even my first sleep study
was a sleep study lab. A sleep study lab means that you will arrive
about 7:00 PM and then you will be fitted with a harness of wires
attached to sensors on your head, neck, and chest plus a few on your
lower legs. Then you are expected to sleep while cameras watch you.
Yes, you have covers over you. I actually had two sleep study labs
for Wellmark. The first determines that you actually have sleep
apnea and the second to determine the pressure settings. When I had
the one for Medicare, I was set up like the first sleep lab and when
I had satisfied the first requirement, I was changed over to the
second part of being on a CPAP machine.
Max stated that his first was a home
sleep study that determined he had sleep apnea and the second was a
sleep study lab to determine what pressures would be best. Max then
stated that the Medicare was the same as what I experienced, just at
a different place.
Everyone wanted to know why the two
times and Max said that the first is to determine the degree of sleep
apnea and that you have sleep apnea. The second sleep study is to
determine the upper and lower pressure settings as now most CPAP
machines do operate in a range and this is important for you to get
the best sleep.
Max stated that his lower pressure is
set on 12 and the upper pressure is 18. When asked I said my lower
is set at 10 and the upper is set at 15. My average during sleep is
12.4 and I have lows at 10.3 and upper at 14.8. Max said his average
is about 14.4 with lows at 12.8 and upper level is at 17.
Several more questions followed asking
if we had a favorite doctor. Max and I both agreed we liked our
doctors, but I stated that this should be up to each of them. I said
that three others could answer that question after they finished
their in home tests. I said home tests are becoming more acceptable
and are being used more than the sleep study labs.
I stated that my sleep doctor is from
India, and for several years showed his heritage by ignoring women
until he encountered my first wife. When she asked a question and
when he did not answer, she got up in his face and asked him why he
could not answer her question. She told him that in the U.S. women
are considered equal to men and just because I was the one being
treated, she felt her question was important and if she was to help
me, she should receive an answer. I said since then he has always
answered questions from my second wife and not hesitated.
Max said his doctor is from Tennessee
and talks more to my wife than he does with me. She, like Bob's
wife, does not like the noise from the CPAP machines and complained
about the first two machines, but the last one is quiet. Also, some
of the earlier CPAP machines had masks that expelled a lot of air and
you had no control over where it was aimed, which makes the position
you sleep in miserable for a spouse. The newer masks are somewhat
better, but still can blow air on your spouse if you sleep in the
wrong position. Max said this means that you will be the one
adjusting to be kind to your spouse.
We talked for another hour and answered
many questions, but everyone seems ready to be tested and asked for
the phone numbers of our doctors. We said we would be available to
answer future questions and would ask the other three if they would
be willing to answer questions once they had their CPAP machines.
Max said he would send out an email
showing some of the machines available and they needed to be aware
that their insurance might only cover one or two machines. As is was
all had the same insurance that Max and I had and so they would have
at least four different CPAP machines available.
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