Now some of you are saying, "Big deal.! I spent several nights in the maternity ward and did the real thing! "Others may say, "Ya,visiting?" Others are saying,"Ya , visiting your wife!" Ya, I know . You were born there.
None of these are true. I was admitted overnight twice to a maternity ward.
Two beds in a regional hospital are dedicated to sleep testing. Those two beds just happen to be carved out of a maternity ward.
I was sent twice to sleep overnight for sleep testing. Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing in your sleep. You'll always start breathing again. The problem is that your blood oxygen level gets low. You wake up the next day feeling very fatigued.
I have allergies so sometimes I get nasal drip which irritates my throat. What really sent me to sleep testing is one time when my daughter stayed in the same hotel room as us. The next day she complained about all the noise Mom and Dad made all night. She said, "One of you snores and one of you makes choking noises." I knew who snored , so that left me with the choking noises. That's what prompted me to get some testing done. The test showed that my oxygen level stays above the minimum level.
You check into the hospital about 8:00 PM. About 10:00 PM they put you to bed but not until an awful lot of wiring is done to you. This equipment will keep track of your sleep patterns and your blood oxygen levels all night. Sleep is almost impossible with that much wire on you. You can't roll over without worrying that you pull some wires off. Going to the bathroom is a major event. However, morning comes and they take all the wires off and you're good to go. You make your way to a restaurant for breakfast. The cheapos don't even give you breakfast.
Now getting back to maternity. The first night I was there there were no maternity patients, just one other guy for sleep testing. The second time there was a young couple on the ward and the baby had been born in the afternoon so Mom was staying over night. So the heavy work in the maternity ward is done in the day and everybody is sent home.
So there, I did spend the night admitted to a maternity ward!
too funny! the choking at night is not, though.
ReplyDeleteThe choking sounds were the sounds of starting to breath again.
DeleteI'm glad that your oxygen level is acceptable. How do you manage to sleep at all under those circumstances. Being in a different place and knowing you're being monitored would be enough to keep most people (okay, me) from drifting off.. much less being wired and uncomfortable. Do they give you something to knock you out?
ReplyDeleteYou're right about very little sleep. They can't give you anything as the want to try to get a regular sleep pattern. Light sleeper? My son said that I caught him every time he was trying to sneak downstairs and watch a movie after midnight.
DeleteDid you actually sleep there in the hospital with all the wires on?
ReplyDeleteYou don't get very much sleep. It's a long night.
DeleteWHat, no breakfast?!!! I am awake right now because SOMEBODY was snoring in my bed (and no, it wasn't me.) I don't know how anyone gets enough sleep to get any testing done, with all that wiring! Glad your oxygen levels are okay.
ReplyDeleteApparently it doesn't really matter how much sleep you get. I got more sleep than I thought.
DeleteI don't know how anyone could sleep there being hooked up to all the machines and wires. I might drift off but sleep on both sides, so I don't think I could sleep. Did you have a hard time falling to sleep or did you just get so tired that you drifted off? Also good that your oxygen level stays above the minimum level.
ReplyDeleteYou use the right term drift off to sleep. There's not much sleep. Then I had to drive 125 km home but there was a beautiful sunrise.
DeleteI can only imagine how hard it is to sleep with all those wires. I'd have a really tough time of it considering I like to sleep on my stomach!
ReplyDeleteMy brother went for this type of test not too long ago, and he stressed about all the wires and how uncomfortable it can be.
It's great that your oxygen level is above the minimum!
You don't get much sleep and they don't seem to worry.
DeleteSo this must mean you don't have a CPAP machine? I have several friends who use them and they help a great deal with apnea. I can't imagine sleeping all wired up! :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't have a CPAP but I tried one. I couldn't sleep with one of those ,but like you,I have friends with them and they swear by them.
DeleteCoincidently this was the subject at our regular Saturday morning breakfast in a local café. I learned a lot on sleep apnea today! It must be a fairly common problem.
ReplyDeleteIt's more common than we think. Many over weight people have serious problems. A low oxygen level can damage a whole lot of stuff like the heart.
DeleteI'm very glad your tests turned out okay. I was curious about the maternity ward title :))
ReplyDeleteThe maternity ward is a special ward set up for delivering babies.
DeleteI always wondered how anyone could relax enough to go to sleep for that testing. I have a hard time sleeping through the night in my own bed! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm normally a very light sleeper. I got less sleep that night. I had to drive 125 km (100 m) home in the morning.
DeleteYour stories are so entertaining!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Many people don't see the odd side of many situations.
DeleteThis is worrisome, isn't it? What adventures you have! I've know people with this. Hubby does, too. You guys, we worry so!
ReplyDeleteIt's not a big issue with me but for many people it is a serious condition. It's very hard on the heart.
DeleteI am thankful that your blood oxygen levels stay okay. It is a fairly common problem. A neighborhood fellow had it didn't know it and died during the night....it was quite a shock to us all:(
ReplyDeleteThe oxygen level gets too low for the heart to function.
DeleteThat's a remarkable achievement that not many men can claim.
ReplyDeleteWell, for all it's worth it's a different situation.
DeleteSounds altogether rather unpleasant but at least you came out re-assured.
ReplyDelete