Drvn2skcede
The journey is starting...
May 05, 2015
I've just discovered this blog feature and thought what a great idea to track progress, emotions, times and dates etc. So here goes the first one. Today is May 5th 2015 and so far i've gotten through the referral process and had my orientation. I didn't learn much from orientation as I had already asked most of the questions on here or did my research ahead of time, but it was still interesting nonetheless. The orientation was April 20th and I still haven't received my appointment for my intake assessment yet. It's only been 2 weeks, but another girl got her appointment a week after her orientation so I'm getting anxious about that phone call. I check my answering machine first thing when I get home each day to see if they've called. I was told i'd probably hear from them within the month, but of course this doesn't stop me from thinking thoughts like "with each passing day does that mean I am falling to the bottom of the pack within my orientation cohort?", "will I be the last one to get the call?" etc.
I'm also a little frustrated about my sleep test and the sleep clinic. I knew to get the test done before this process started so I would be ahead of the game, but I thought I should get it done at the hospital where WLS will be done to facilitate the results. It took 3 months to get the study done (I was referred last October and got the study done January 12th), I didn't get the results back until April 20th when I saw my GP, and then they came back as 'mild' apnea. I only had 9 episodes that night, mild enough that they didn't even disturb me. The report said that I 'could benefit' from a CPAP machine. The problem is that because I was considered a 'mild' case, I'm very low priority on their list. They tell me it will likely be 6 months to a year before I get into to see the consultant again. Then i'll have to get a machine (an exorbant cost for only a 'mild' case that will almost assuredly go away right after surgery - and I suspect this because I only started snoring/having sleep issues with the last 30 pounds or so). Once I get the machine, I'll have to wait for another sleep test, and then i'll have to wait to see the consultant again! So I fear that because of this ridiculous diagnosis a) that this process is going to be about a 2 year process, b) if I truly do need the help, I'm not getting it in a timely fashion (and yes I have daytime tiredness, although this is going away now that my thyroid is being treated) and c) that it will delay my WLS process, only to buy that damn machine for the sake of making the WLC happy and have it useless a couple months after surgery anyway. Needless to say, I'm extremely frustrated over my whole experience with the sleep study and sleep clinic at TOH. My GP told me that we only get one free sleep study and if we need to get another later, OHIP would not cover it. If it were not for this, I'd consider getting the study redone at a local clinic instead of waiting for the hospital.
So that's it. Waiting (not so) patiently for the next step and trying to learn all I can in the mean time and making small changes as I go along....
