Greetings blog followers and readers. I have had an extended absence from La Mia Passione due to my busy summer. Summer this year included two trips home to visit family. That was followed by my first international mission trip to Honduras and a trip to Virginia Beach! This fall I am excited to get back to writing, and I cannot wait to tell you all about my adventures! But first things first...here's what's currently on my mind. Today I had the rare luck of being able to squeeze in two health appointments in one day, and in so doing I was able to take the day off. This morning I had an appointment bright and early with the Sleep Center to talk about how I have been doing with my weight loss and CPAP Use. My CPAP use is up...and sadly so is my weight. I've gained 3 pounds since my last visit to be precise. That probably does not sound like much, but for someone who's goal is to lose weight and say goodbye to the CPAP machine forever, those 3 pounds were discouraging.


 

The Sordid Tales of Obstructive
Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Picture
I'm sure the picture to the left doesn't look very glamorous, and I am aware that talking about and showing pictures reflecting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) just isn't sexy. Marketing people have figured out that sex can sell just about anything - except for this. Well, if they have, I haven't seen it done. Real talk about health is never deemed sexy, but it could save someone's life. I am a pretty private person but I want to share my story. Maybe it will help someone else on their journey with OSA, or prompt them to talk with their doctor.

In November 2011, I went to my doctor for what I thought was a cold or a sinus infection. I figured she would give me some antibiotics and send me on my way. But she didn't. And because of that, I am confident that she saved my life (or at the very least helped improve the quality of my life). She told me that she didn't think I needed a prescription, and "as long as you are sleeping well at night, you should be fine." What she didn't know is that I have rarely slept well my entire life. I go through periods of insomnia, periods of frequent nightmares, and on rare occasion, periods of restful sleep. I knew this wasn't "normal," but I just figured it was something I would have to learn to live with. I usually take it where I can get it. I told her about my history of poor sleep patterns, and she referred me to a sleep center for an overnight sleep study.