CPAP: another apnea adjunct.

[Mental Fairy]

Well done my friend, your positive words are flowing out of my computer screen and onto my desk! Great start to the day.

[Mental Fairy]

I am thinking maybe your asleep currently and it’s weird being over here and hoping someone over where you are is sleeping ok!
I wish you progress my friend.
If it stops dreams I want one!

[rivergirl]

Oak,

I'm so glad that you were able to try out the new device and that the support here was helpful. It's easy to lose hope when we expect perfection right away, and I really like this take it easy and cool approach that MM recommended. Please continue to keep us posted.

rg

[oak]

Thank you Mental Fairy and RiverGirl!

I am wearing it right now, and sort of like it.

I have three months to get “compliant” (4+ hours a night, 4 nights a week), which is a pretty long time.

For reasons I can explain later, I’m taking easy and cool this week, and more seriously next week.

Btw, very preliminary data from the machine shows that I still have events (instances of not breathing), so I continue to be all-in for facing and curing this sleep apnea, doing whatever it takes.

[oak]

Friends!

I am five weeks in:

Good news: I don’t hate it. Many of the little struggles I have with it are the most common: mask not fitting great, taking it off.

Bad news: To be “compliant” (read: so insurance pays), I need to wear it four hours a night, (on average) four nights a week during the third month (which begins in three weeks).

Going forward:

1. I think most of my CPAP troubles are actually sleep hygiene issues.

2. There are a number of steps I can take this week to address my issues. I can get some help.

I’ll post more late this week, but for now I have a plan, however inchoate.

[Mental Fairy]

Five weeks, wow that went fast. Can I ask how the weight loss is going? I’m honestly your biggest cheerleader right now. So want this to work for you, the CPAP and new journey with your mind and body.

I was on you tube last night and saw the mental health happy hour post from a couple of days ago and laughed so hard at the dog one. I’m still trying to work out the dog I would be. Check it out.

Then the seasonal one, you I understand Oak are coming into winter and wondering what changes that means for your diet?

Keep me posted, so look forward to your progress.

[oak]

I’m honestly your biggest cheerleader right now.

Thank you, Mental Fairy! I appreciate it. I hope you're doing well.

Can I ask how the weight loss is going?

It is good. (TW: mention of numbers and scale stuff)

I am down 25 pounds since this time last year, so a reasonable half-pound a week.

I can hardly stand added oil anymore: I ate fried chicken ten days ago, and while it was divine, I was nauseated all day.

Said another way, I'm loving my peppers/onions/tomatoes/lentils so much that my palate has changed from the one inured to the Standard American Diet.

Then the seasonal one, you I understand Oak are coming into winter and wondering what changes that means for your diet?

Thanks for asking, Mental Fairy.

This winter I am going to try to (1) expand my palate and (2) do a little better with meal prep.

I say this because I'm ramping up my kettlebell competition preparation. While the competition is not until September 2023, I want to start planning backwards to see where I'll end up, lifting-wise, and when.

Said another way, I may transition, based on NIH studies, from everyday Mediterranean diet to a more fitness-based one, if that makes sense.

There is excellent research out there about the Mediterranean diet and fitness, particularly that one about hand strength that I want to revisit.