I Only Got 4 Minutes!!!

I've been complaining to my primary care physician for the past year that I've been struggling with chronic fatigue for the last two to three years. His first thought was that, perhaps, I had low blood iron and was anemic, a problem I've battled since my teen years. But I've been taking pre-natal vitamins since my preganancy with Daelyn (who's now 3 1/2) because they have many of the vitamins I need for my blood clotting disorders while still being fairly inexpensive. They also contain large amounts of iron, so my hemoglobin turned up normal.

His next avenue was to check my thyroid. Low and behold, I have an underactive (hypoactive) thyroid. He started me on a synthetic thyroid hormone and, for two weeks, I felt great and had boundless energy. Then the bottom dropped out and I was worse than before the synthroid. After a couple of months of treatment, he sent me back in for more bloodwork and a follow-up appointment with him. I was sure he was going to see that my body was compensating for the thyroid hormone and my numbers were low again, thus the fatigue. Instead, my blood work (again) looked great - my thyroid levels were perfect.

Then he suggested sending me for a sleep study. I finally got in one day last week. I had a terrible night, remembered waking 9 times, but the technician told me in the morning that everything looked pretty good. Based on the questions they asked me before the study, I was pretty certain I didn't suffer from sleep apnea, but thought perhaps I didn't get enough NREM (or deep) sleep, for some reason. The technician that had wired me up when I went in explained that some people, for no explanable reason, just don't get into NREM or stay in it for long enough and that they have medications to help with this problem. I was convinced my issue was a disproportionate amount of REM sleep versus NREM.

Yesterday, I got a call from the Sleep Study Secretary will the incredible news that I DO have sleep apnea - in fact, I stopped breathing 14 times per hour each and every hour of the night-long study. This means I am actually sleeping for a little over 4 minutes before being woken by my brain to force me to breathe.

NO WONDER I'M TIRED ALL THE TIME!! I'm only getting 4 minutes of sleep a night. Can you even imagine this? I can't. It's mind-boggling.

The pre-study questions they asked me forced me to think back over my life and re-trace sleep patterns. The truth is, I've NEVER slept well. Even as a young child, sleep was not only elusive but I woke up tired in the morning. I think it's begun having such a detrimental effect on me within the last 3 years because I'm older and less able to cope with lack of sleep. My brain and body require more rest and I can no longer compensate for not getting any.

They're scheduling me for another study using a device that forces you to breathe. They have to try the device as part of a study to adjust the amount of air pressure needed for my particular case. The device is a mask that fits over your mouth and nose and shoots air into your nose, forcing you to take a breath. They don't want so much pressure that the shock of the air wakes you, but enough to keep you breathing during the night.

I went back to see my primary care doctor today. He said that some people with sleep apnea get fitted with these masks and sleep so well, it's like a miraculous recovery. He says after a single night of sleep without apnea, they feel like a new person. We agreed to pray that my results will be as dramatic.

I took Daelyn with me to my visit this morning. He packed a backpack with toys and books, including his brother's book on bait fish that we bought in Hilton Head this summer after our crabbing trips. While we were in the waiting room, Daelyn asked me to look through the "fish book" with him. They listed 5 or 6 different types of crabs, all of which fascinated my little fisherman. Reaching up to rub my ear and discovering an earring in his way, he began fussing at me about wearing earring.

"I like to wear earrings when I go out so I look nice," I told him.

He thought about that for a minute and then asked, "Mama, do crabs wear earrings?"

I tried explaining to him that crabs don't have ears, which he completely rejected because, "then, how do they hear?" In frustration, I glanced up from the book, rolled my eyes, and happen to catch the eye of a person sitting across from me. I glanced around and the entire waiting room was watching, most people laughing, and waiting for my answer.

I would have totally ignored the response if it wasn't for all these people expecting more from me. "Well, son," I started, "crabs don't go out much."

What more can you expect on 4 minutes' sleep?