CPAP Diaries: Days 3 and 4

It's getting better, it really is. I left the mask on until 6:00 this morning, when I took it off in the mechanical equivalent of the "snooze" button. I was afraid going into this that the mask and hose would make me feel claustrophobic, that in my sleep I would rip them off and away, but such hasn't been the case. I accommodate them, without much thought.

I'm a side sleeper, always have been. I find that when I roll to my side the straps securing the mask to my face loosen and the mask pushes away just enough to annoy. Simple to adjust and deal with it though. I'm working on changing my sleeping habits, to sleep on my back. That's tough.

I had been running the air hose behind the lamp to help control it, keep it above my head. What I didn't think of was that behind the lamp is a very cold exterior wall. I shifted the hose to the front and turned the humidity down. Condensation problem solved.

I feel somewhat better today. Not good enough to proclaim victory, or that even the device has anything to do with it, but, as always, I am hopeful. The real challenge remains having my mouth fall open. I awoke feeling like I'd been chewing fibreglass in my sleep.

CPAP Diaries: Days 3 and 4

It's getting better, it really is. I left the mask on until 6:00 this morning, when I took it off in the mechanical equivalent of the "snooze" button. I was afraid going into this that the mask and hose would make me feel claustrophobic, that in my sleep I would rip them off and away, but such hasn't been the case. I accommodate them, without much thought.

I'm a side sleeper, always have been. I find that when I roll to my side the straps securing the mask to my face loosen and the mask pushes away just enough to annoy. Simple to adjust and deal with it though. I'm working on changing my sleeping habits, to sleep on my back. That's tough.

I had been running the air hose behind the lamp to help control it, keep it above my head. What I didn't think of was that behind the lamp is a very cold exterior wall. I shifted the hose to the front and turned the humidity down. Condensation problem solved.

I feel somewhat better today. Not good enough to proclaim victory, or that even the device has anything to do with it, but, as always, I am hopeful. The real challenge remains having my mouth fall open. I awoke feeling like I'd been chewing fibreglass in my sleep.

Audio project

Audacity's got a new version of the software out (1.3.10 beta) with several improved plug-ins, including a better noise removal algorithm.

I'm converting a couple of reel-to-reel and one 8-Track (yes, really) to CD. It's a challenge because the language on the tapes is Samoan, which naturally I do not speak, and noisy as Hell's kitchen. The level of ambient noise is very comparable to the level of the desirable signal, so any satisfactory amount of noise removal makes the voices sound like they're coming from the end of a long storm drain. I made it clear to the client that I can't take bad audio and make it good audio, but at least he'll be able to understand what's being said.

Audio project

Audacity's got a new version of the software out (1.3.10 beta) with several improved plug-ins, including a better noise removal algorithm.

I'm converting a couple of reel-to-reel and one 8-Track (yes, really) to CD. It's a challenge because the language on the tapes is Samoan, which naturally I do not speak, and noisy as Hell's kitchen. The level of ambient noise is very comparable to the level of the desirable signal, so any satisfactory amount of noise removal makes the voices sound like they're coming from the end of a long storm drain. I made it clear to the client that I can't take bad audio and make it good audio, but at least he'll be able to understand what's being said.