Sheila Bean

Nasal Mask

A couple of years ago , I ’ d had it with my rickety sleep . So , I contacted the Centre for Sleep and Human Performance in Calgary , where a doctor deciphered whether my main problem was difficulty falling asleep , waking up in the middle of the night , or waking up too early in the morning . Another clinician chatted with me about my habits and factors that might affect my sleep . This came at no charge .

What did cost extra was a full-on sleep study at the clinic ; basically , a sleepover in a private bedroom , hooked up to wires and gizmos that were monitored all night by a technician . Everything felt safe , respectful , and surprisingly comfortable .

My insomnia wasn ’ t as bad as I thought — my snoring was worse . I was told solutions might be found with surgery , a dental device , or a CPAP machine . I opted for CPAP to treat my mild sleep

Distilled water

Power cube plugs into wall outlet apnea and epic snoring . My machine cost $ 2100 , partially covered by my ARTA benefits .

Let ’ s be honest : the mask is a medical device and not a thing of beauty , but neither is snoring . More details to consider :

• I clean my CPAP machine daily . This takes only a couple of minutes .

• My machine uses about 250 millilitres of distilled water every day . I currently buy a fourlitre jug for $ 1.93 at the supermarket .

• I recently replaced my nasal mask and will need to replace other pieces on occasion .

I have travelled to Europe and the United States with my machine . Disassembled , it fits into a special case , which doesn ’ t count as a carryon because it ’ s a medical device . I enclose each component in a clear plastic bag so that security can examine it without touching or setting it on a not-totally-sanitary surface . I securely pack 250 millilitres of distilled water into my checked luggage to get me through the first night in a different country . I also print a translation for “ Where is your distilled water ?” to help me locate it in a grocery store .

My sleep journey has cost me money and changed some of my habits , but the end of snoring has been a huge win ( especially for my husband !).

Sheila ' s CPAP Machine

White component pushes humidified air through the grey hose into the clear nasal mask ( with grey head strap )

Sheila Bean taught elementary school in Calgary for seventeen years . One of the best things about retirement ? No alarm clock ! Also , no anxiety dreams about goofing up on the first day of school !

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