Six weeks ...

Today marks six weeks since that steroid shot, and it's still holding up, thank you very much.

I'm starting to see signs of it's waning, though.

Like, my leg is objecting to being extended (ie long strides).  Now, it had been objecting to very long strides all along but I've noticed that I'm being forced to take shorter and shorter strides all the time.  So I'm walking more slowly now than I was a week ago.

That kind of sucks.

But there is still no pain on impact.

My physiotherapist tells me that because the pain is evident on extension, that is another indication that the problem is in the joint itself.  Score another point for diagnostic proof of the need for hip replacement.

Obviously, I'm not going to enjoy the same twelve weeks of heaven as I had with last year's injection.

Oh well.

You can't have everything.

I'll take what I can get.

From the way things are progressing now, I will predict about another two weeks of bliss.  That would be eight weeks of relief, total.

Not bad, all things considered.

If I'm right, I should be in agony again just on time for my birthday.

Let's hope I'm wrong and I get at least nine weeks of relief, allowing me to enjoy a pain-free birthday celebration.

OK, OK, yes I like to dream big.

On another front, the CPAP/APAP rep guy was delighted with our meeting on Tuesday.

My average AHI for the week is down from 10 to 3.9 -- "mission accomplished," as he declared.

The new machine is working precisely as he had hoped it would.

I'm a lot more comfortable with the new machine too.  The heated hose has solved the issue of condensation in the mask, and the dry mouth is lessening each night.

Turns out that just over half of my apneas are central (as opposed to obstructive).  He tells me that there is nothing he can do about central apnea (coming from the brain).  The machine only addresses obstructive apnea.  I will have to discuss the CSA with the sleep specialist when I see her.

I'm wondering if we should be bringing my neurologist into this discussion.  Seems to me if I'm having central sleep apnea, that is a matter to be addressed by my neurologist.  Perhaps my seizure medication is not doing its job adequately?

The fact that I'm having central apneas kind of explains a lot for me, I think.  Like, my difficulty with anaesthetic perhaps.   And the problems I have with most sedatives.  I've always said that it's like I "forget to breathe" when I'm given stuff like that.  Sounds to me like that's exactly what's going on.  But it's called central sleep apnea and I can apparently have episodes during non-sedated sleep as well.  I'm surmising.

The sleep specialist will make the final decision next week as to whether or not I continue on this therapy.  That decision will be based on the report she receives from the respirologist combined with what I tell her about how I feel having used the machine for a month.

As far as I'm concerned, the first two weeks of the trial didn't count since they were a disaster.  I've really only had one week of trial so far.  And I will have had another week of trial by the time I see the sleep doctor.  She will have to rely on two weeks' trial for her assessment.

I'm already sold on my need to continue with breathing assistance.  I hope the sleep doctor agrees.