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Morning FS, Not much to say about this development. Even though I've been following the meal plan set out for me relatively well, my exercise has been slacking so boom!, weight gain. I know what to do. I just need to do it.
This past month has been emotional. There's a possibility that I may not get to have my surgery. Apparently, I didn't meet the standards of Medicare for the C-pap machine last year when I first got it. so Medicare won't continue to rent the machine and, according to sparrow's rules, if they've determined that you need a c-pap and you don't have one when it comes time for surgery, they won't do it. funny, they don't use the machine during the surgery. It's only after you get out of surgery that they want you to have it. really, I struggled with that thing for the first two months. Seriously sleeping that way just isn't normal for me. I've finally gotten to the place where I don't wake up and fight the thing off or freak out because there's this weird loud breathing in my bedroom when I wake up. I have to remind myself that no Darth vador isn't coming to kill you, girl. that heavy breathing is you. And then there's the plastic accordion tubing thing that I always get tangled up in. The medical supply company also said that they didn't receive a report 30 days after I was first given the machine telling them how much the machine was helping me. this apparently was supposed to come from sparrow. well, I didn't know anything about that. and I talked with the staff every time I've had an apt. with sparrow cause they always ask if I'm using the machine. I honestly haven't seen any improvement. so when they ask that's what I told them. I don't even know what kind of improvement they were expecting. I mean, I know the machine sends air (oxygen) into your nostrils. Okay, it does that and...? I still sleep the same. I still wake up the same time every night or morning I should say. It's been 7 months, same thing. what were they expecting. My score was 5.8. to give you the scale they gave me 5 is the lowest and 20 is the highest to determine if you have sleep apnia. (Ithink I spelled that wrong) My therapis says go get breathe Right strips for a 5.8. I swear I think she's right. and here's the other thing that trips me out, I've never been retested. does the machine change my score? am I now after 7 months of waking up to dry nasal passages and sinus headaches at a 5.6? what's the end goal here?
Okay, enough ranting. I had my freak out time about this last week. Now I'm just ready to fight them on this thing. The way I see it, I have two options. I can either convince Medicare to re-evaluate the medical supply company's info based on what's going on now and not 7 months ago. I'll have to show that I had a hard time adjusting to the machine and now that I'm adjusted, my percentage is in the range they want. I talked with the medical supply company and they said I'm now at a 77% rate. the minimum is supposed to be 70%. the other choice is to convince sparrow to give me another sleep test. then I'd have to show that I really don't need a c-pap machine after all. I've come up with a few strategies for that. things that I think will even out the playing field for me. first, Breathe right strips, Echnecia tea before the test, valerian root when it's time to sleep and sleeping sitting up in a chair at the testing. if you've had a sleep study, you know that they hook you up with all these wires and cords and glue, etc. kinda hard to relax and rest with all that gear on. also, here I am going from my comfortable bed and bedroom to a place where I don't feel safe and don't know my way around to sleep in what must be the worst hospital bed in the world. I swear, sleep study departments must be where hospitals send their old beds to die. The first time (brilliant me) I tried to recreate my bed's position by having them get me a hospital bed that allows you to raise your feet and head. No go. the second time (when they were checking me with the new machine) I slept in a regular bed. No go. so let's see what happens when I sleep in a chair sitting up with my portable ottoman for my feet. Yeah, I know, I'm a sleep diva. I've got a Craftsmatic adjustable bed (for the edema) and a 9-inch memory foam matress with a body pillow. Try to recreate that in a sleep study environment. Okay, girl, ranting again. Stop!
anyway, I think i'll try both strategies at once; convincing Medicare and getting Sparrow to retest me. I've enlisted my therapist's help in this. so, maybe between the two of us; we can get one of these things to work out. Phew! I feel better now. thank you for letting me rave on about this. and if you've stopped reading about half way through, I totally understand.
blessings.
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376.6 lb
Lost so far: 20.8 lb.
Still to go: 26.6 lb.
Diet followed reasonably well.
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Diet Calendar Entry for 30 April 2017:
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311 kcal
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Fat: 14.13g | Prot: 8.56g | Carb: 34.48g.
Breakfast: English Muffin Toasting Bread, 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese. Snacks/Other: Grape Tomatoes, English Muffin Toasting Bread, 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese. more...
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gaining 0.1 lb a week
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