During that year, my husband started expressing concern about my snoring and restlessness in bed. Embarrassed, and realizing that is not lady-like, I tried all sorts of pillow arrangements and sleeping positions to try to control snoring. Nothing worked and one morning, he told me that I had literally kicked him out of the bed over a dozen times during the night! Time to look for answers and treatment!

Our family doctor instantly suspected sleep apnea and referred me for a sleep study, which was scheduled in early January 2004.  Back then, the patient had to spend the night in a hospital, hooked up to all kinds of cords and electrodes.  The result of the study was a diagnosis of mild to moderate sleep apnea.  My oxygen saturation was  84 during the night. The physician told me that usually with that result, the patient would have emphysema and be on supplemental oxygen. The next step would be to schedule another night in the hospital to be connected to a CPAP machine and titrate it to control the sleep apnea.

Before the second night was scheduled, a tragic event occurred in our family.  My older sister, Sarah, died instantly at age 59.  Sarah had polio at age 9 and had some deformity in her sinuses as a result.  She was a heavy snorer and lived with sinus congestion at night. She actually became addicted to nasal decongestants.  Her death prompted me to research the effects of sleep apnea. Although she was never diagnosed, she had all of the symptoms of the condition.  I was terrified to learn that sleep apnea was closely associated with chronic fatigue and instant death!  How I wish that we had known more about sleep apnea sooner!

My second sleep study was on March 8, 2004. I was connected to a CPAP machine and it was titrated during the night.  I needed 11 pounds of pressure to keep my airway open and prevent apneas.  The physician referred me to a company to order my machine.  As I left the hospital around 6:30 the next morning, I had one of the most amazing experiences!!  I felt WONDERFUL!! The sky was blue, the birds were singing, and I felt rested and full of life!  It just took a few minutes for me to realize the power of having normal oxygen amounts in my blood.

Adjusting to the CPAP machine was difficult but was worth the difference it made in my life every day.  The machines in 2003 were VERY different than they are now. I adapted better than most to life with it. After several years, I learned about dental appliances that possibly could treat sleep apnea.  I was fitted with a very high-end (at that time) one and life was even better!

Fast forward several more years and I began to have problems with tonsilliths.  It began with infrequent ones and progressed to having them in my throat almost constantly.  They were chronic, uncomfortable, and nasty.  In 2014, I finally consulted an ENT and was told that my tonsils were large and the tonsilliths would probably continue to get worse unless we removed the tonsils.  The doctor told me that having a tonsillectomy at my age (66 at that time) would entail about 14 days of severe sore throat.

I happened to notice a banner in his office about sleep apnea surgery.  I was hesitant to inquire about it because I had always been told that sleep apnea surgery didn’t work.  The ENT described the procedure and was very encouraging about the chances of it being successful in my case.  I made the difficult decision to go ahead with it since I was already going to have a tonsillectomy.  I had surgery on May 13, 2014, and, while the recovery was two weeks of extreme discomfort, I am now free of sleep apnea as well as tonsilliths! Understanding that I am very fortunate to have this result, I trusted a wonderful and well-respected doctor to evaluate my case carefully, give me the options, and perform the procedures that I needed to have life-changing results.

If you are still reading this story, thank you for taking the time.  If you are in need of treatment for sleep apnea, PLEASE do whatever you need to do to find the medical professional that is best for you and follow his or her advice.  Your life, or at least your quality of life, literally depends on it!