On January 10, 2009, I became aware that my short term memory has been progressively getting worse since I saw Dr. Workman in November and I have problems concentrating and completing tasks.  My wife reported that I was repeating stories more often when I had no memory of telling the story the first time.  She made me aware but I was in denial about my ability to concentrate and complete tasks.  When I missed dead lines, I would give excuses until finally I just couldn't do it anymore.  I sent an email to one of the RNs at Cox who had asked me to keep her informed about my progress and I cced a copy of the email to my primary care physician and to some of those I had been making excuses to for not getting their projects completed.   It is difficult to admit when one can't do something they have always been able to do in the past.   Because my BP was in a good range and one of the side effects of Metoprolol is short term memory loss, my primary care physician upon reading my email took me off the Metoprolol.  Now that I had started my APAP therapy the hope is it and the Hydrochlorot will keep my blood pressure in an acceptable range.  In addition my physician started me on Cerefloin which is a B vitamin combination that is designed to pass though the blood brain barrier and boost short term memory.   It will take some time to know if this treatment is going to have positive effect  but at least I have faced up to the fact that while I am very lucky to be alive and not to have any mental or physical damage from my Aneurysm, I am not 100%.  My physician continues to remind me that it can take time for me to totally heal and there is a possibility that during this healing time my brain my rewire and use other areas to compensate for my loss of concentration and short term memory so there is hope.  Since I have an Exchange Email Address, I use my Outlook to set more reminders to help me through my short term memory issue but the loss of concentration and the inability to complete tasks is a much more difficult nut to crack and since I make my living on completing tasks it is one that I have to find some resolution. 

My APAP therapy is going well.  I just completed my first full seven days with few difficulties.  At the recommendation of a friend, and approval of my physician I take two Benadryl before bed, put the head gear on which is a nasal masks as I am a nose breather, and then go to bed.  In another week I will try this without the Benadryl. 

The first morning I awoke a little earlier than normal, but ready to go.  After a full week, I still find I have more energy and while I am aware I wake up when I roll over taking care not to entangle myself in the hose, I don't seem to remain awake more than a few seconds.  Getting the heater comfort level figured out took longer that getting use to the head gear.  I find I do best at a .5 setting.  Anything higher and I get too much moisture and heat making me hot and it becomes more difficult to breathe.  Keeping the mask on and keeping my mouth closed doesn't seem to be a problem, or at least that is what the APAP machine indicates.  My APN-HYP Index started at 1.6 but is now 1.3 which I understand is excellent.  I return to Dr. Brown to have my APAP card read at the end of January.

One complaint about the APAP that I have is why is this process so expensive?  The only reason to require a sleep study and a prescription is because misuse could cause death or serious injury so I have goggled and I have yet to find one death or serious injury, or any injury due to misuse of a CPAP device so why has the medical industry been allowed to keep such a tight control over one's ability to obtain a CPAP machine?  To me this borders on criminal conduct to use the FDA to deny someone something they could afford if our government got out of the way.  Dr. Brown admitted to me when my wife and I first met with him in October that even if my December 3rd sleep study didn't find I needed a CPAP, that in his opinion he believed most people over the age of 50 would receive health benefits from using CPAP therapy.  He confessed he used one.  What this means is either the physicians, or the CPAP manufactures, or the FDA are for no other purpose than greed denying people who can't afford a sleep study and the CPAP from having one by intentionally keeping the costs of this process high by requiring a sleep study and a prescription to obtain a machine.  Heck my APAP machine is so intelligent that anyone could use this machine for 30 days then send in the card and learn if they are being benefited without the unnecessary costs of a sleep study and the costs of obtaining a prescription.   It bothers me to know that many in America may die an early death just because they can not afford a sleep study and the artificially inflated costs of a CPAP and supplies.  My APAP is going to costs $1800 just for the machine not including the mask, hose, and supplied but if these were permitted to be sold in the medical aisle of Wal-Mart or Walgreen I have no doubt this machine would sell for under $200.  In my opinion this is shameful and shocking.