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Well, I'm going to get blasted for this, but I'm okay with that.
I've talked with several people the last few weeks and comparing how I feel, my mood, and over all being... it's shit. Each person I've chatted with once felt the exact same way I do now. Waking up with a head ache, drowsy all day, and fighting to stay awake most of the day. My wife and I were sitting around the camp fire at deer camp the weekend we were there and one of the ladies there (her husband is the "head guy" of deer camp) asked me about my shoulder and also asked about my sleeping. My wife kinda "faded off" (ignoring the questions) and the lady had asked me if I had done a sleep study at all. I haven't yet.
She asked why and I told her because of my surgery and I feel that I could drop some weight and possibly start sleeping better. Asking if I have ever woke up not breathing or anything, I told her that my wife has had to wake me up several times because I had stopped breathing. She insisted that I get a sleep study done. Well, with surgery coming up and just barely making my deductible, I figured I shouldn't and plus the fact it's "more money" we don't have. She asked if I had met my deductible and I stated I know I have several bills from my MRI and other visits, that it's going to be covered. She insisted that I get it done since it's met (or will be) and it alone will help with my recovery too. (I later found out she was a nurse and almost nurse practitioner.)
Well, I stated that I'd look into it and see what I could do. So, Monday I set out to see what I could do. I called my dr and she stated that she will get a sleep study lined up for me and someone will call to confirm. Cool. An hour later or so, I got a call from the sleep study at the hospital and the earliest date would be Feb 9th. I asked if there was any way to get it earlier and it was a big fat no. I said go ahead and schedule it and I might need to push it back since the surgery. I then did some GoogleFu and found several sleep study clinics locally. I called the first one and they were booked until mid or end February as well. Told them thanks and hung up. I called another and asked when would be the earliest I could get a sleep study. She asked if IO'd be okay with a consultation and the sleep study on the same day. Absolutely I would. Dec. 17th (next Thursday)!
I said before we do it, can you run my insurance info and see if I met my deductible and whatever else. She ran it and I haver no co-pay and I have met my 1000 dollar deductible. Plus, I'll only have to pay 20% of the bills. Still a lot, but cheaper over all. So, I asked her to go ahead and put me down. I was going to go in at 8:15, but I forgot my youngest has a school party I have to go to. So I called back and I go in at 10:15. Then that night, I haver to show up at 7:30 and get started with the study.
This is where I will get blasted. I'm keeping it from the wife totally until that afternoon. Why? I don't feel like arguing about it until the day I go. I know she'll throw a fit, but like many (on FB) has stated, the cost of the study and CPAP machine won't mean shit if it saves my life. Plus, if I start to have more heart issues (currently high BP), more mood swings, memory loss, and many other causes, that'll cost more in hospital bills than what a sleep study and machine would cost.
So, Dec. 17th, I'll get my sleep study done and hopefully get a CPAP before surgery and get semi used to it.
I've talked with several people the last few weeks and comparing how I feel, my mood, and over all being... it's shit. Each person I've chatted with once felt the exact same way I do now. Waking up with a head ache, drowsy all day, and fighting to stay awake most of the day. My wife and I were sitting around the camp fire at deer camp the weekend we were there and one of the ladies there (her husband is the "head guy" of deer camp) asked me about my shoulder and also asked about my sleeping. My wife kinda "faded off" (ignoring the questions) and the lady had asked me if I had done a sleep study at all. I haven't yet.
She asked why and I told her because of my surgery and I feel that I could drop some weight and possibly start sleeping better. Asking if I have ever woke up not breathing or anything, I told her that my wife has had to wake me up several times because I had stopped breathing. She insisted that I get a sleep study done. Well, with surgery coming up and just barely making my deductible, I figured I shouldn't and plus the fact it's "more money" we don't have. She asked if I had met my deductible and I stated I know I have several bills from my MRI and other visits, that it's going to be covered. She insisted that I get it done since it's met (or will be) and it alone will help with my recovery too. (I later found out she was a nurse and almost nurse practitioner.)
Well, I stated that I'd look into it and see what I could do. So, Monday I set out to see what I could do. I called my dr and she stated that she will get a sleep study lined up for me and someone will call to confirm. Cool. An hour later or so, I got a call from the sleep study at the hospital and the earliest date would be Feb 9th. I asked if there was any way to get it earlier and it was a big fat no. I said go ahead and schedule it and I might need to push it back since the surgery. I then did some GoogleFu and found several sleep study clinics locally. I called the first one and they were booked until mid or end February as well. Told them thanks and hung up. I called another and asked when would be the earliest I could get a sleep study. She asked if IO'd be okay with a consultation and the sleep study on the same day. Absolutely I would. Dec. 17th (next Thursday)!
I said before we do it, can you run my insurance info and see if I met my deductible and whatever else. She ran it and I haver no co-pay and I have met my 1000 dollar deductible. Plus, I'll only have to pay 20% of the bills. Still a lot, but cheaper over all. So, I asked her to go ahead and put me down. I was going to go in at 8:15, but I forgot my youngest has a school party I have to go to. So I called back and I go in at 10:15. Then that night, I haver to show up at 7:30 and get started with the study.
This is where I will get blasted. I'm keeping it from the wife totally until that afternoon. Why? I don't feel like arguing about it until the day I go. I know she'll throw a fit, but like many (on FB) has stated, the cost of the study and CPAP machine won't mean shit if it saves my life. Plus, if I start to have more heart issues (currently high BP), more mood swings, memory loss, and many other causes, that'll cost more in hospital bills than what a sleep study and machine would cost.
So, Dec. 17th, I'll get my sleep study done and hopefully get a CPAP before surgery and get semi used to it.
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