December 5, 2010
Almost a year since my last post
I can’t believe this year has almost gone already. It’s been a pretty good one for us, except that I just found out I have obstructive sleep apnea (explains why I’m always tired in the afternoons — I’m not getting good sleep). There are a lot worse diagnoses to have, and there *is* treatment, but the one that apparently works the best involves wearing a mask that forces air to keep the airway open while you sleep. From what I can tell, it’s very hard for most people to get used to this. Although there are other options, they are not so great either. There’s surgery, which supposedly is very painful and doesn’t work for everyone, and there’s a dental appliance which doesn’t work well with people who have TMJ (temporomandibular jaw syndrome), which I apparently have. Then, there’s doing nothing. Obstructive sleep apnea means higher risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. I already have a higher than average risk of both, so I should take it seriously. Waiting to see the dentist and ENT doc before making a final decision about what to do.
Still, to put things in perspective, a friend of mine found out a few months ago he has pancreatic cancer. He’s bravely fighting, but this is one battle that most people don’t win. Keeping fingers, toes and paws crossed for him.
