My 1st A.W.A.K.E. Support Group Encounter

I found the Albuquerque area AWAKE group on the AWAKE web site. I went to their web page and it was on a page for a sleep center located in Rio Rancho, NM. They had a schedule of when and where the meetings would be held in NM. The dates and times were listed on the web page, so I decided to go over for a free CPAP check they offered between 1:00 and 5:00. The meeting would be held at 6:00. The web page had an e-mail address for further information, which I didn't think I needed. The people at the desk looked at me kind of weird when I asked for my machine check, but they went ahead and looked at it and said it was OK. I asked about the meeting later that night and they told me it would be held right there. I showed up to go to the meeting about 10 minutes early and no one was there. Waited until 10 after 6:00 and no one showed up. Needless to say I was a little angry cause all they had to do was tell me there was no meeting and I wouldn't have bothered.

Later that night I received a phone call from the woman who sponsored and ran the meetings. She had been out of town and was just getting home and she was very sorry that I had come to her office for a meeting with no one there. She said she would wait for me at her office if I wanted so she could talk to me. It turns out she runs the sleep center and is an RT. I told her it was getting kind of late and that I would just go to the next meeting, but we had a nice chat about my therapy and the problems I am having with masks. She asked me to come to her office today and she would try fitting me with a different mask so that I would know what I wanted to order when my insurance would buy me a new mask, if I wanted to try something different. She did this while knowing that her business is not a provider for my BCBS insurance and that I was going to have to get my equipment elsewhere. When I got to her business this morning she was happy to see me and she checked my equipment out. I brought my backup machine and told her I got it off e-bay and I wanted to make sure it was working properly. She did tell me it was illegal to get one off e-bay but she checked it anyway. She was a little surprised when she asked me who adjusted the settings on the machine and I told her I did.

She looked at my face and saw my irritated nose and brought out a NEW large ComfortGel FF for me to try on and she adjusted it an got rid of the leaks. She then said it was a gift from High Desert Sleep and Neurology and she really wanted me to give it a good try. She told me that the web site should have mentioned to RSVP if one was wanting to go to an AWAKE meeting and that the web site has been corrected. She took down my contact information and said she would keep me informed about future meetings. I am looking forward to attending some meetings in the future although it doesn't sound like there are very many people who are interested. The clinic seems like it may be a good place and they do travel to many small cities in New Mexico to provide service to people in them. Overall a very nice experience after starting out on the wrong foot. I am looking forward to trying my new mask over the next nights. I hope there are meetings with some people in attendance in the future.

Dale

Damn, Angels ARE real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You sure got lucky with her. Marry her, if you can. Just kidding.

I'm so happy to hear a GOOD STORY!!!!!! You just made my day!!!!
Babs

I was amazed at the low attendance at the two AWAKE meetings that I have been to. The last one, I was the only one there. Are all the hoseheads just too tired to make a 6:00 meeting?

They need to run ads on TV. Half the people I talk to have never heard of sleep apnea, and those that have heard of it don't think it applies to them.

I lost another friend of a friend last week. Dead at the age of 56. The death certificate says "cardiovascular disease". I've heard that she snored, and I know that she was always watching her sugar intake. Evidence found in her house indicated that she did have diabetes. She was a tall woman, but not obese. I can't help but wonder if she had sleep apnea.

I would go if it was 2 hours or less away. But otherwise, the expense of staying somewhere in a motel for the night, in addition to the cost of driving there is pretty much a limitation too great to overcome. Charlotte and Richmond are too far for me. I've never heard of one around southwest Virginia. alas..... oh well....
Jay

I am impressed that Ginger, the RT that runs the AWAKE meetings does it all around New Mexico. I was disappointed that apparently i was the only person interested in last
Thursday's meeting in Rio Rancho. I hope there is actually more interest because I think a support group can be very helpful.

Dale

I am curious if the A.W.A.K.E. group meetings are worth the expense of travelling 2 hours to attend. I want to go to one to see if I can gain more insight on OSA and matters relating to it. How long do meetings usually last? Do they check over data printouts? The next one anywhere near me is in July but I am hoping to attend so I can meet others like me. Any info or advice is greatly appreciated.