Thoughts on Improvement

As I was driving to my aunt and uncle's home for Thanksgiving, it occurred to me that my efforts to get there had changed greatly.

I have other medical conditions that have been treated (finally) before I started CPAP 8 months ago. Those treatments definitely helped, but still left me tired, lacking energy, sleeping 12-14 hours a day, and NOT living the life I would choose.

Last Thanksgiving, I had to drag out of bed, shower and dress, and hurry to the car. This was the result of a sheer force of will. It took me much longer to do these tasks than it should have, and I was about a half hour late arriving. I had NOT A CLUE where the time had gone while getting ready.

This year, I did the same routine, but left on time. I was still late--3 minutes. Actually, I do not even consider that truly late! What a difference. No problem getting ready, no problem leaving, and no sheer force of will to get myself moving. I actually even dressed up. Last year, I wore jeans and a sweater.

This is all an indication of my slow, but subtle, improvement. CPAP is the only major change in my treatment. I am now more active, sleeping less than 9 hours a day, and feel better. This improvement just crept up on me slowly.

This had to be shared with the forum. My hope is that another person who is feeling that none of the effort is paying off will see this posting, and stick with xPAP for a while. It IS worth seeking that slow, subtle improvement over time.

We are ALL different, yet there are similarities among all of us. Celebrating the differences is as important as recognizing the similarities. Kudos to all of us as we adapt and adjust medical support and equipment to get effective treatment for ourselves.

We are already tweakers of equipment, and vast improvements have occurred in the equipment from manufacturers over the years. However, the most important factor is compliance and patience—the rest will come if these two are present!

Improvement from quality sleep is not something that can be speedily delivered. Although it does happen for some, it is not true for all.

Best wishes for a thankful and restful weekend.