Homeless W/Severe Sleep Apnea

Right now in my city there are hundreds if not thousands of people whose lives are being destroyed by OSA and they do not even know it. Every day I am asking myself "what are you going to do about that"!!!

dotyj wrote:Bonjour to all of you wonderful people of this forum.

I have read through the thread and understand why people have doubt of another's position in life.

I am almost at an elderly age which i am told starts at age 55.

I lost my employment when Bush Jr. came into office. Many of were told that it is the administrations proposed economic plan that drove companies to cut back. That was 2001 when tens of thousands lost their jobs in the technical industries.

The “dot coms” popped, the telecoms converted to IP for distribution leaving a lot of equipment and people high and dry. In my industry consolidation proceeded moves away from tape and tubes to computers and solid state – a hugh switch taking MTBF from 300 hours to 100,000 hours and so leaving many of my trade high and dry as well. It simply was not a good time to be an electronics technician or even computer technician.

dotyj wrote:Buy 2009, I was finally able to get into the county sponsored medical and mental health. I desperately needed insulin for my diabetes, high blood pressure meds, and anti-depressants.
From 2004 to about 2009 the county and state had no medical help for white men of Michigan. Except there was a medical plan but it had a closed enrollment. Until 2009 I was excluded.
I did not realize I suffered from severe depression for eight years. I know I was not functional with my breathing problems, having a pulmonary embolism and about and a large number of heart attacks.
My last heart attack I was in my home (2009) when I could not breath. I felt as tho I was drowning. I managed to call the nurse practitioner that I see in the county plan and was told to get to the hospital. So, I drove to the hospital; about a mile. took me a few minutes to make it into the Emergency door. I was told to have a seat and some one would see me soon.

Yes, when the doctors do not know what you have you are moved to the “mental” bin. If you look into the honest objective research, well, if you can find any good honest objective research into how effective psychological treatments are . . .

dotyj wrote:Well I am alive. last year I moved from the house where I raised my children. No longer able to pay the mortgage nor the property tax.

I am frugal in my spending and lived on my savings for a number of years during my undiagnosed depression.

It is funny losing one's employment and four family members very close in time, what it will do to some folks minds.

I live in the woods in summer, spring, and fall. Then in an unheated car I bought new in 2000. I have no monies left for gasoline; the winters below five degrees Fahrenheit are painful to the bones.

I am good with my life and living the way I do now. At first it was hard going from 65k per year to 20k then nothing. It took a few years for the rest of the United States to catch up with my situation.

I have been working with Michigan Rehab Service for more than a year just to find a simple job like sweeping and cleaning. But nothing after a year. I do not think I can yet focus on technical ideas that I had in the past.

OSA causes real brain damage! It is only modestly affected by treatment. I think I may never do technical projects very much at all again.

dotyj wrote:My education is such that I spent many years at Ferris State University; I think enough for just more than two 4 year degrees and ran out of money.
I guess one might think I should have spent more monies on my English and less on sciences. Some day I will return and finish my last semester, so I get some paper with which I can file away. At my age I still have aspirations.

As for the political ramifications of my losing my employment. Well all my life as long as I remember, when Republicans arrive in office life becomes more difficult for the worker. But, I do not blame Mr. Bush Jr. It is what it is. It seems the industry I worked made a great shift and my skills were no longer needed/wanted along with thousands of others who remain unemployed/underemployed.

The technical industries I was part of were constantly changing and for many years I was quite happy to change with them. Then, as more and more of my executive functioning became affected, I did not do so well keeping up. As well my day to day decisions and results tanked! So eventually my carrier in the technical industries ended.

dotyj wrote:No, there are very few public assistance programs for single white males of middle age or early elderly disposition. But there are a number for women and children.

I am very glad to see the programs for women and children. They form the future and that is where our emphasis should be. But yes, yes, yes – the older white men are left in the cold as you very well know!

dotyj wrote:I can panhandle and collect deposit containers enough for a post office box which is thirty US dollars per six months.

As for wants and warrants: the county police have run my information and then gave me a lunch and sent me on my homeless way. The county police also showed me the directions for the mens shelter. But because of my disorder I am not able to stay with others in close proximity. They would linch me for making so much noise in my sleep and would have problems with my personality disorder. I am very much a introvert.

I believe three separate times I was threatened with death due to my loud snoring while on the mats. One night the guy sleeping next to me kept pushing me every so often. This escalated as morning approached – and – he was so disappointed when I did not fight him. I think several of the guys had gotten together and offered him enough for a night or three in a motel if he could get me thrown out! Sleep is extremely important to the homeless and anything or anyone that threatens sleep is not welcome!

dotyj wrote:I may have lost my mind in some respects and my home but the basics of how I was raised I retain.

Now that I have shed some light, I should and will extinguish it for this day.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

There are two members of this forum that asked me if I would use an good older pump and masks and I accept their offers with gratitude and thanks.

Merci!

jos

I am glad to hear you are getting a machine but I will be shocked if it helps you long term, especially in your situation.

During your productive years you contributed many many dollars to Social Security. Not everyone is able to remain productive until age – whatever it is now. You are not productive and are unlikely to become so. I think it is time to begin the process. I think that any treatments will work much better if you have a better living condition especially in the winter.

The process can take years however. FWIW the cold of winter can be held better at bay with the help (an added layer or two) of space blankets.

May you find excellent ways to keep warm!

Todzo

Todzo wrote: During your productive years you contributed many many dollars to Social Security. Not everyone is able to remain productive until age – whatever it is now. You are not productive and are unlikely to become so. I think it is time to begin the process. I think that any treatments will work much better if you have a better living condition especially in the winter.Todzo

Good point Todzo.

I would think he would easily qualify for Social Security Disability.

And if they give him any problems whatsoever, he could hire a Social Security Disablility Lawyer to speed up the process. Social Security limits the amount the lawyer can charge - and it is reasonable. I believe the lawyer would take the fee out of the benefits when he receives those benefits - so NO out of pocket costs from him.

You know Todzo, I looked at just three of your posts yesterday and thought, "This boy ain't right."

But now you wrote some good sense today. Keep it up.

StuUnderPressure wrote:

Todzo wrote: During your productive years you contributed many many dollars to Social Security. Not everyone is able to remain productive until age – whatever it is now. You are not productive and are unlikely to become so. I think it is time to begin the process. I think that any treatments will work much better if you have a better living condition especially in the winter.Todzo

Good point Todzo.

I would think he would easily qualify for Social Security Disability.

And if they give him any problems whatsoever, he could hire a Social Security Disablility Lawyer to speed up the process. Social Security limits the amount the lawyer can charge - and it is reasonable. I believe the lawyer would take the fee out of the benefits when he receives those benefits - so NO out of pocket costs from him.

actually if certian key parts of his story are true and provable he may fly through first time

I wondered when someone was going to ask why, if he had worked 23 years, he hadn't been directed to Social Security Disability. If he had been gainfully employed for 23+ years (I'm sure that the electronic field wasn't his first job) and he's as messed up as he portrays, he should be on SSD. That payout is as if he worked until his full retirement age and Medicare begins earlier also.

Rob108 wrote:I wondered when someone was going to ask why, if he had worked 23 years, he hadn't been directed to Social Security Disability. If he had been gainfully employed for 23+ years (I'm sure that the electronic field wasn't his first job) and he's as messed up as he portrays, he should be on SSD. That payout is as if he worked until his full retirement age and Medicare begins earlier also.

In general people do not “direct” you to social security. It is kind of the last thing on others minds.

He would like to believe that he can find a way to be better. As well, his “problem solving” and “self assessment” abilities are compromised, along with the other abilities contained within what we call “executive functioning”. He is likely in a fog that he is unlikely to find his way out of.

Others observing him will see times when portions of his executive functioning are able to work well and will wrongly conclude that there is hope. His reported long term unemployment and homelessness are very good evidence that there is not.

The better living conditions and access to health care from Medicare would be, I think, his best hopes of becoming better.

What a surpise he gave up ....Didn't get his brand new machine..

Bonsoir mes amis

I check in from time to time each day to look at this thread and answer postmail.

I will continue in the future to check from time to time on threads to see how I may contribute or learn from you good folks.

Its been in the 30s the past few nights which is great sleeping weather for me. It helps me to breath fresh air even if cold else I struggle.

I do not tell all about my life and concerns to keep some privacy.

But, I am serious about walking in snow with bare feet. With diabetes and the nerve damage/pain I feel nothing and find my feet are not cold. Mostly I did that last winter when I needed to bio suddenly in the middle of the night. It was difficult to install my shoes just to take a stroll out of the car. So, I just step out and walk a distance away.
Some time during the winter I found some summer flip-flops and would wear those even during the day. I may have looked odd wearing the sandals with bare feet during the winter. The idea to wear the sandals had to do with my feet being so swollen that my shoes did not fit.
Since the Pulmonary embolism I have had problems with fluid collecting in my feet and legs. Its all good I am used to it now. It scared me for some time and still concerns me.

Maybe I can take a picture of my feet and use it as my avatar some time. Nah. lol... I think I have good looking feet with pink nails except for the swollen part.

Good grief, please forgive me for sharing so much of my good fortune. I do not mean to go on and on.

I am going to take good care of the equipment gifted to me.

I may try and earn enough in the next months to obtain a battery pack with inverter for the power needs. This idea sounds better than being dependent on gasoline with the generator.I will easily be able to charge it with my solar equipment or I know a few business owners in the area that like talking to me and may let me charge the pack during the days while I job hunt and go to the library here.
I am looking at a Duracell 600 watt which seems to fit the power requirements with reserve energy.

I do not like most inverters as they are hard on electronics with there saw/square waveform. Either direction taken, I will have good power for the older pump that Linda has sent to me.

have a great evening.

Merci!

jos

You may be legitimate or you may be a creative soul entertaining yourself at our expense. But I will go along for now.

Sorry if this has already been covered but I did not want to read all the posts.

Its been in the 30s the past few nights which is great sleeping weather for me. It helps me to breath fresh air even if cold else I struggle.

Are you aware that obstructive sleep apnea is very often the worse when sleeping on the back? Gravity pulls directly on the soft palate and tongue base into blocking the airway.

So, while you are without CPAP, you may get some relief from sleeping on your sides or stomach and totally avoiding sleeping on your back.

If you are legitimate, you are the most unique member in the time I have been here.

Naaaw, you are not legitimate.

Bonsoir mes amis

IMHO, Jos is having great fun with you all good heart people.

Au revoir

Rosie

Trust but verify.

Work with someone long distance – eyes, ears, nose, feet on the ground. You absolutely must find someone to vet the person in person!!

From my experience:

First choice – Salvation Army – best of the best no contest!!!

Second choice – Find a local mosque, synagogue, or church (or whatever) from your own familiarity and work with the local leadership and congregation.

Third (and distant) choice – local social worker government program connected.

First confirm the person (or people) you are working with independently – then let them vet the person face to face.

Truly there are people much closer to you that you should be helping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The greatest “time of need” for the up North poor begins January 1. the Holidays are over so people forget them. But it is the coldest time of year, the missions are full, and there is little help. Want to help the poor. Sign up locally when you are most the needed. Jan to April. Go for it!!

Great post Todzo.

Speaking of the Salvation Army, last year at a dinner, I met two people who had worked there for many years. I was very impressed.

49er

Todzo wrote:Trust but verify.

Work with someone long distance – eyes, ears, nose, feet on the ground. You absolutely must find someone to vet the person in person!!

From my experience:

First choice – Salvation Army – best of the best no contest!!!

Second choice – Find a local mosque, synagogue, or church (or whatever) from your own familiarity and work with the local leadership and congregation.

Third (and distant) choice – local social worker government program connected.

First confirm the person (or people) you are working with independently – then let them vet the person face to face.

Truly there are people much closer to you that you should be helping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The greatest “time of need” for the up North poor begins January 1. the Holidays are over so people forget them. But it is the coldest time of year, the missions are full, and there is little help. Want to help the poor. Sign up locally when you are most the needed. Jan to April. Go for it!!