Alright, I'll have to fess up. I have an ongoing resentment towards doctors. It's my problem, not theirs.
I went to the sleep clinic. I slept hooked up to machines. It wasn't that bad. The interesting thing was that I met three guys with commercial licenses who all got tagged for the same sleep disorder thing as me. They all told me that they are now forced to sleep with a mask and all that, but they all said it was the best thing that ever happened to them.
See, I don't like to admit to the fact that I have certain chronic medical conditions. I'm an alcoholic from a long line of alcoholics. I've had a life long history of depression and related problems. I've had ear nose and throat infections since I was an infant. I have type II diabetes. I've had quite a bit of luck managing those problems, but I've also had quite a bit of help. In fact, I've done nothing about any of those problems until someone stepped in and made me pay attention to them. After I've been convinced of the severity of a problem, I will usually, grudgingly, accept help. When things turn around and I get some relief from the problem, I like to believe that I did it all myself, or that the problem wasn't all that bad.
So when that doctor looked me over, he was looking for potential problems and, as I've just admitted, I don't like to look at health problems if I think I don't have to. Given all that it's no surprise I got mad. Not that I feel justified by my resentments. I just have to live with them until I can let go of them.
I haven't heard back on the test results, but I'm willing to accept them and do what I have to. I don't think I have sleep apnea, but I've been living alone for a few years with no one to tell me about any weird snoring. What do I know? I know I don't have most of the self diagnosable symptoms of apnea, but I suppose it's time to get a second opinion.
Here's the cool news. I heard from my friend and ukuleleical inspiration, Madame Pamita, not only here at this blog, but by email, or, if you will, electronic missive. The good news is that she and fellow ukulele heroine, Tippy Canoe, will be returning to Santa Rosa this summer. I'm looking forward to showing up with some more friends in hopes of bringing together a few more post punk ukulele enthusiasts.
Madame also informs me that she will be returning to the United Kingdom this fall. She is interested in performing in Glasgow and she is looking for venues that might be open to the wonders of Euphonious Prognostication. Brother Ib, your help is needed.
Do Whatever You Please- Madame Pamita (buy)
10 comments:
Sounds like exciting news and something to look forward to.
Life is funny, you never know what the day will bring.
Thanks to one of your previous entries, you turned me on to Madame Pamita. I can't thank you enough! Her CD is delightful and amazing in many different ways. Thanks for sharing the goodness.
Thanks Sarah, Pam seems like she's mostly a California girl, but if she ever ends up in Mississippi, go see her. She's very much a performance artist. Her music is part of a package along with her persona and her appearance. She's also a lovely person, full of fun and good will to all. I'm pleased that I came across her.
A big logging company started putting their guys, most of them over 50, through physical tests a few years back. The guys rightly felt humiliated to have to go through a bunch of tests, every last one of them designed to weed the old loggers out, after having worked and survived over three decades in the bush. Not too sure what came of those tests. I'll have to ask around.
People mostly just leave Mississippi instead of come here. ;)
Well. Of course, if Madame Pamita is interested in performing in Glasgow on her upcoming UK visit, I will gladly attend. I would suggest a couple of venues: the 13th Note in KIng Street:
http://www.13thnote.co.uk/index2.html
And King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Saint Vincent Street:
http://www.kingtuts.co.uk/
Of the two, the 13th Note is not only a little more intimate, but is also located closer to my residence just over the bridge on the South Side. Good venues, both of them.
I manged to catch Madame Pamita's LA Radio Show last week just before I got press-ganged into some house painting which prompted the disconnection of internet services and the complete disassembly of my workstation and all peripherals.
Very good it was too; her performance was quite enchanting.
Oh, and I just filled out a membership to her site, although the page seems to have hung on my profile details. Ghosts in the machine, as they say.
This piece on sleep apnea prompted me to think on my own disordered sleep patterns and accompanying snoring. Kind of alarming. Rosa tells me I appear to skip breaths throughout the night, but maybe that's just my subconscious contribution to the environment.
Naturally, I detest compulsory health screenings too. Fortunately, one of the fringe benefits of not working is that nobody gives a rat's ass in the first instance...
Hope you are well, Jon; all this shit aside. Apologies it took so long to leave a response.
Ib, Always good to hear from you. Info has been passed to Pamita. The 13th note page had a links page with tons of information on resources for performer in Glasgow. I'd imagine it will come in handy.
I'm having a slow day at work and reading some of your old posts. I had that sleep apnea test, and was given a diagnosis of severe apnea. But that fucking machine they want you to sleep with is horrible. I have a friend who says it changed his life; but for me I couldn't do it. It was awful; a torture device...and I couldn't stand the idea of depending on a machine. I guess I rather suffer the effects of apnea than that machine.
Yeah, that's about how I feel. I'm not that sure I have apnea, at least not as severe as they claim. If I was breathing freely when I was awake, I might see some merit in what they say, but I am snorting and wheezing when I'm awake. Of course I have trouble breathing when I'm asleep.
Post a Comment