Sleep studies

Yesterday, Ethan and I were browsing the Christmas aisle in our local Wal-Mart when my cell phone rang. I answered it even though I didn't recognize the number. It was DME Health services. She was calling about my sleep study and wanting to know if I could do it that night. I was happy to learn that I was going to be able to do the study at home, in my own bed, my own room, with no one watching and only one small wire attached. (I was, however, wanting an excuse for some new jammies- I'll have to find another reason)

So about 5 pm, a worker dropped off a pulse oximeter at the house and told me how to use it. This is what it looked like. When I got ready for bed, I strapped it on my left arm, put the clip on my fingertip, taped the wire to my hand and went to bed and pretended to sleep like I usually do. Then this morning I filled out a simple questionairre- did I feel rested (no), did I get up in the night (yes), what time(3:00), and has anyone ever told me I snore (no).
About 20 minutes ago he came and picked up the oximeter and will take it to DME where they will download the results to their computer and then send it over to my doctor to read and decide what to do.

He will be looking to see if my oxygen saturation goes down- if it does that means that I stop breathing for brief periods of time, and he will then order a more intensive sleep study. That is when I get the new jammies and sleep with all the electrodes taped to me. Or if the saturation dips are not bad, he may do nothing, or may call for the study anyway. But today I can be thankful that I got to sleep in my bed last night.

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Indeed.