another piece of the puzzle

Sleep has always been an issue for Drew. I should say waking up has been a problem for Drew.  I have always said he loves his sleep.  He is impossible to wake up.  We suspected sleep issues for a long time.  I have heard him stop breathing (apnea) when we have shared a hotel room.  I had mentioned it to doctors in the past.  But no one ever did anything to see what the issue was.

UNTIL we moved here and got hooked up with the children's hospital.

A week ago Drew and I traveled to Broomfield for a night.  It was not a pleasure trip but me found some fun.  Drew had a sleep study scheduled at the satellite Children's Hospital.

First we stopped for dinner.  We went to Gunther Toody's for dinner.  Drew was in heaven.  they had monitors with old Popeye cartoons on.  He didn't say much while he was drinking his root beer float

Then off to the hospital. After getting Drew hooked up to all the machines and ready for bed our night started.  Drew barely stayed awake while they were getting things hooked up so he was out cold.

I wish I had been so lucky.I could not sleep.  The "bed" for the parents is not a bed it is a slab with a pillow.

About midnight the respiratory therapist came in and told me that Drew had yet to go in to REM sleep.  He had been asleep three and half hours. That was the first clue as to the explanation of the sleep problems with Drew.  He also said that there had been some dips in his oxygen saturation. 

The RT came in at 3 and said Drew FINALLY had gone in to REM sleep and he could finally put a CPAP mask on him.  He immediately went into REM sleep.  They woke him up at 6.  The RT told me it took about 2  - 3 weeks for the results to be scored.

On the way home (after a Starbucks stop) I asked how he felt. He said he felt a little more awake than usual.

I was surprised when the sleep doc called Thursday.  Yes Drew has sleep apnea.  The numbers were astounding.  I am not publishing them.  We now know why Drew is IMPOSSIBLE to wake up in the morning.  

Tuesday afternoon Drew will be fitted for his CPAP.  We are hoping for improvement in Drew's sleep.

Stay tuned for an update once we see what happens