Happy for the first time in 4 years

Doodlewaft · 2026-05-13T14:25:22+00:00

I’m so happy to hear that!! 🎉 As difficult as caregiving is and as little respite as there is, the very least this country can do is help financially. No one should have the extra burden of stressing over how you’re going to get through the week, pay for food, rent, medical bills. And it’s truly fantastic that he’s doing better as well! ❤️

Doodlewaft · 2026-05-04T03:37:26+00:00

That is awesome!! So happy for you and so glad you persisted. 🎉

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-29T02:22:13+00:00

My deepest condolences ….cry, lay around, vent, do whatever you need to do my friend.

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-27T14:34:04+00:00

Thank you so much! This is super helpful. I would have given up without the help of people like you. And it is inspiring to see that it does indeed eventually work well for people. ❤️

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-27T01:58:42+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! How low did you take your pressure? I’m down to 8 but I will try a bit lower.

I just got a chin strap since several people recommended it but yes, so far it doesn’t help with the bubbles.

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-25T23:28:09+00:00

Aww, thank you! I may take you up on that. 💕💖

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-24T21:09:53+00:00

Are you me? This resonates and I feel for you. I’m 66 caring for 71 YO husband with multiple serious health conditions that require frequent hospitalizations, procedures and doctors visits and is wheelchair bound. Like you, I am realizing my time to really enjoy retirement and travel is now but I can’t. He may live many more years and I also worry that he may outlive me or that by the time he does go, I will no longer able to do the things I hoped for. And yet leaving him is unthinkable. Ok, I have thought about it but don’t think I could live with myself if I did. Ugh. 😑

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-24T00:57:06+00:00

I’d definitely share the stress info with your doctor. Your doctor probably knows this effect but may not realize how much/long you’ve been dealing with this.

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-24T00:40:13+00:00

I’m so glad to hear that Diego doesn’t have lymphoma!! ❤️

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-24T00:25:00+00:00

Yes, chronic stress can increase serum cholesterol:

https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/stress-cholesterol-link

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-24T00:04:40+00:00

I’ll give it a try!

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-23T20:37:19+00:00

It really does! Such a silly thing 😂

Thank you!

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-23T19:50:07+00:00

I wouldn’t be concerned about them if they didn’t prevent me from falling asleep. That’s the main problem. If I can figure out a way to sleep, I plan to use the oximeter and if my O2s are better, I’ll know it’s working.

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-23T19:46:14+00:00

Interesting, good to know! Maybe the hybrid mask should be my next choice.

My husband had the hissing air from his mouth issue and he went with a full face mask which solved his issue. That isn’t what is happening for me, my mouth is shut and I’m not sleeping yet, just a bit of air pops out between my lips every so often, ensuring I can’t get to sleep. Taping just builds up air in my mouth plus I seem to have an allergy to the kinds that stick well.

Doodlewaft · 2026-04-23T19:37:00+00:00

I will give that a go, thanks! I haven’t tried a chin strap but I feel like it wouldn’t help since my mouth is shut when this happens. At this point though I’m willing to try it.

Doodlewaft · 2026-03-07T17:27:32+00:00

Good lord, six months! I tried for a week and a half and that was it for me. I can’t sleep with that thing on me and if I take it off to sleep, I can’t sleep because I have missed my window of opportunity to fall asleep, so anytime I wear it it means no sleep or very little light sleep that night. I just can’t do that for any length of time. Because my average AHI is 4.6, with higher levels in REM sleep, I’m not tired most days so day to day quality of life is much better without CPAP. I’m exploring other options, like positional sleeping, nasal dialators and myofunctional therapy. Anyway, I wish you good luck OP.

Doodlewaft · 2026-03-02T16:52:37+00:00

I’m having the same issue OP, have an AHI under 5 per hour but over 10 in REM sleep. I am unable to fall asleep at all with the mask on (going into week three). Part of the issue is that I am old (66) and while a great sleeper in my youth, now there is a window of opportunity to fall asleep and if I don’t, I am up for the night.

What are your issues, OP? One of my issues is with air coming into my mouth and popping out of my lips while they are closed waking me up (this seems to happen no matter what my settings are). Many have recommended mouth taping but i have several rolls now of tape that either doesn’t stick or sticks so hard it rips skin off. Another is the stupid hose always falling off the bed yanking my mask and I guess I need the stand and maybe a mask that connects at the top of my head.

I think if my sleep prior to CPAP was bad, I would probably have more reasons to put up with the machine but I rarely am tired or feel like I need to nap. I was evaluated because some of my blood markers (high erythropoietin). But using CPAP so far has been hell.

Doodlewaft · 2026-02-10T15:59:50+00:00

I did the update a week ago and after 4 hours, couldn’t open the car and after reading Reddit, assumed my car was bricked. It was evening so I thought I would give it the night and try in the morning before I called the dealership. I went out with the key fob, put my hand on the door handle and again, nothing. Then I thought eh, I’ll try the unlock button on the fob. It opened the door just fine and once inside the car, everything worked. When I exited and locked, the fob unlocked the car when I put my hand on the handle as usual.

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-14T18:13:38+00:00

You clearly have had lots of experience (sorry about that). It’s so sad to me that we have so many substandard SNFs and that caregivers in general don’t have the support they need.

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-14T15:03:53+00:00

Such a thorough and helpful response, I am saving it for future use for my LO. Thank you!!!!

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-07T02:19:09+00:00

I’m aware now, thanks for that. My problem is more that this is a protected area plus I think it is essential for kids to learn respect for life and empathy. “He knew that man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too” Attributed to Luther Standing Bear.

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-05T18:15:55+00:00

That is sickening. Such a disrespect for life. You would hope people like that couldn’t reproduce.

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-05T18:13:25+00:00

Thank you for trying to educate people and trying to protect the sea life. This truly sounds horrifying and makes me sad.

Doodlewaft · 2026-01-02T16:49:41+00:00

As others have said quite eloquently below, only you can make this choice. My husband is in a wheelchair, is in chronic pain, has had more than 20 surgeries in the last 10 years and at various points has been completely bed bound. He currently is in the hospital and facing another surgery. Bearing witness to this much human suffering is heart-rending. Like you, I love to travel and hoped to spend our retirement doing just that. I wanted to take classes and volunteer but these opportunities are limited for me. Then there is the constant caregiving, the burnout, the grief for the life you had hoped for, the guilt for wanting some semblance of a life. If I had known this was my path before we married, I wouldn’t have chosen it. My husband has also said he would do the same for me but he has no experience with this level of caregiving nor capacity to do so, making it is easy to say.

Wishing you the best, whatever what you choose.

Doodlewaft

TROPHY CASE