First off, our local apnea support group meetings are no where near so stimulating as the Manhattan A.W.A.K.E. meetings. Kudos to you guys!

 I attended most of our local apnea support group meetings the past 2 years until last fall when I had to be out of town at the time of one meeting, was sick the next and then just kept forgetting them.

But last night I managed to remember and go. Quite truthfully most meetings are so basic if it weren't for the opportunity to chat w/the manufacturer reps I wouldn't bother to go. But I always manage to pick up some useful tips or new information from the reps that make the meeting worth while.

Last night was so REFRESHING! A new Respironics Rep who right off the bat at the get go told the meeting: you should KNOW what brand and model CPAP you are using; you should KNOW what your pressure setting is; you should KNOW what mask you are using and what style it is. WOW! So funadamental but too long unsaid or even encouraged. One lady spoke up that she was unhappy w/her pulmonologist because he/she wouldn't address her sleep and exhaustion issues, how could she convince him/her to refer her to a sleep doctor. The Rep right up front asked her how her relationship w/her family doctor or other doctors was/were and told her to sit down and discuss her sleep and exhaustion issue w/one of them and ask for the referral to the sleep center. Such basic, obvious issues that haven't been addressed or stressed until he took them on. Wow! Did I wake up and take notice!

In talking w/the Philips Respironics Rep after the meeting I mentioned how much I like the Simplicity simple nasal cushion mask and he told me to stock up on them as quite likely they willl be discontinued in the not too distant furture!!!

Just a heads up for you Simplicity lovers!!!

The sad thing is the Simplilclity would be much more popular IF Respironics had enough SENSE and interest to provide a reasonable size headgear for it instead of the headgear for Goliath that comes w/it!!!! Sheesh!!

And then our Resmed Rep, always a pleasure to meet and talk w/her, gave me some tips on the Quattro FX that never occurred to me or that I didn't realize. The Small Quattro FX comes w/a Medium headgear. Duh! Don't ask ME why. But there is a Small headgear available for it. She gave me the part number for the Small headgear. I've come up w/my own "fixes" for the Quattro headgear but they aren't totally satisfactory so I'm going to order a Small. BUT - it turns out I just wasn't thinking things far enough thru w/my "fixes".

1] the back portion of the headgear where top and bottom straps form a "square" should sit on the back of the skull, NOT the lower strap at the base of the skull on the neck

2] the over the top of the head strap needs to be shortened for me. Duh. That pulls the side straps up into proper position in the back. AND that allows the too long top straps to be set in line instead of way off line as I have had to do w/them.

So I got busy w/my folds and velcro last night and had all I could do to refrain from using my scissors too until I was sure I had the fold just right.

Its pretty much the same idea I used w/my Simplicity Small simple nasal cushion huge headgear. Pull the center headstrap up to what feels to be the right position, put a fold in the strap to hold it at that length, hold the fold in place w/a strip of velcro and sleep w/it a couple of nights, making any further adjustments as needed. When you are sure you have it the length you want it, cut the fold out and put the cut ends back together w/velcro. IF the top or bottom straps are too long and overlap at the back of your head you can cut a half inch or inch out of them and put the cut ends together w/velcro as well.

So I came home happy from the support group meeting feeling that the trip had been much more than worthwhile!! Goshes, I do like happy endings!!