Day 26: The CPAP Machine Says: "Keep On Losing"

Last night I submitted voluntarily to my first ever-sleep test. I did this for a lot of reasons, but most of all my concern that I have Obstructive Sleep Apnea—a condition by which you stop breathing during the night. To take the test, you have to show up at around 9:00pm, and they wire you up like a character in a movie—with electrodes all up and down your body—coming out the back like a rasta's head (this image was purloined from my brother's description). With wires hanging from all of your exposed parts, you enter a strange room that looks a little worse than an off-the-highway motel six, and a strange bed and try and go to sleep for the night. From a 2-way window, a group of trained technicians watch you (and presumably, giggle and say rude things). If they see a lot of activity they'll wake you up, and if not they'll let you sleep. When I woke up at 5:30 they said I had done pretty well during the first three hours, but not as good during the second three hours. They suggested that I need a followup study (ugh) and that I might think about "losing 30 or 40 pounds." No joke, they said it just like that. I thought "you (*#&(*$ that's what I'm trying to do." As I drove home in the early morning frost, I decided that I was really going to take this excercise thing seriously, one day. Soon. It's either that or live on a CPAP machine (a machine that forces air into your mouth so your throat doesn't close during REM sleep). I may have finally found something I dread more than excercise.

Breakfast
Turkey Bacon
Eggs Over (Both Yolks Survived)
Tea
1 Tsp PB

Snack
15 Cashews
10 Peanuts

Lunch
5 Shrimp
6 Oysters
Cheese off a slice of pizza

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Salad
Avocado with Onion

After the sleep study, I came home and tried to rest for a few hours, as you do not get a good night's rest from being there (which one would argue makes it a bad test). About noon, I had breakfast then set out to Boston to accomplish what could not be accomplish online (egads)— to get Ruby's birth certificate. We needed it ASAP to register for Kindergarten. After navigating the halls of bureacracy, I realized I was famished—tempting, non-SoBE treats lurked around every corner. I ducked into the Union Oyster House and quickly downed some items. It was packed with tourists (I thought I had avoided that by avoiding Faneuil Hall). Still hungry, I had to go to Haymarket Pizza and get a slice, and just eat the cheese. Honestly, I felt kind of pathetic, but it had to be done. I came home and had dinner, and once again skipped dessert. I am going to wear the CPAP mask (which they gave me at the study) around my neck as a talisman from now on (but not to social functions).