#I need a cpap machine for real

[phemiec]

I hate sleep apnea dude I’m like a sim who’s energy bar is permanently capped at yellow

[storm-of-feathers]

christ.

[snailmail444]

Bachelor Head Cannons

18+ 🌱 NSFW 🌱 MDNI

Head cannons for all the bachelors masturbation habits under the cut! Send me asks if you want to see more head cannons from me 💞

Harvey-

💚 Harvey spends so much time antsy and anxious, poor guy.

💚 So when he’s getting himself off he needs a gentle touch. Literally and figuratively.

💚 He has a few favorite videos he likes of porn, which he goes back to when he’s getting off.

💚 Professional porn takes him out of it. He’s so worried about if everything is consensual and comfortable and compensated he’s not horny anymore. Even when he can get past that, he just isn’t into the fake porn premises.

💚 Do you really expect him to believe she’s stuck in that washing machine? Get real.

💚 Harvey can really get into it when it’s amateur, and the couple seems like they’re genuinely enjoying each other. Giggling, bumping the camera, whispered “I love you’s.”

💚 Uses a lot of quality lube. As a doctor, he’s going to take proper care of his body. Especially his dick. The last thing he wants is a friction burn on his junk.

💚 Goes nice and slow. He doesn’t want to rush himself when he’s working to relax, so it’s not a race for him.

💚 Eyes fluttering, cheeks flushed, hitching breath when he’s close.

💚 Can only get off when the people in the video have. Cums with a sigh, leaning back in complete satisfaction.

💚 Takes a long shower after and gets excellent rest. It really helps alleviate his stress, so he sleeps like a baby.

Elliott-

❤️ When I tell You this man makes it an EVENT!

❤️ He’s breaking out the candles. He’s got a bubble bath run. He’s got a glass of red wine.

❤️ Elliott is first and foremost a man of luxury. So when it comes to taking care of himself? He is taking CARE of himself.

❤️ We’re talking a long edging session that starts in the tub and ends in his bed. He’s so coy that he even teases himself. Gets him worked UP!

❤️ This is an erotic novel kinda guy if there ever was one. I mean come on. You KNOW he’s reading those flowing sex scenes with flowery language to get off to.

❤️ One hand holding his dick the other holding his book.

❤️ It doesn’t matter if he’s alone, he is talking. Elliott is a wellspring of words, so they’re flowing. Praise and curses and sweet names, all of it. He gets so wrapped up in the fantasy that it feels real to him, and that’s his way to engage with it.

❤️ He’s a romantic, but the stuff that really gets him off is hot and desperate and needy. The love interests of his novel devouring each other after a slow burn or a long break. The passion is where it’s at for him.

❤️ Secretly kinda loves it filthy. Chaste and loving is good and satisfying, but it doesn’t do a ton for him sexually. He wants his sex sloppy, spitty, and utterly human.

❤️ Probably gets off the least out of all the bachelors simply because it’s a whole process for him. He wants to enjoy it with unabashed hedonism.

❤️ Sometimes he’ll eat fruit while he’s doing it just to engage all his senses.

Alex-

🤎 Alex would absolutely be a morning jerker if Evelyn and George weren’t up at the crack of dawn.

🤎 Man wakes up rock hard and would love to do something about it, but since Evelyn knocks on his door for breakfast at a routine seven am, he has to will it away.

🤎 The tradeoff, though, makes it worth the wait. Both of his lovely grandparents are hard of hearing, go to bed early, and George has a loud CPAP machine.

🤎 So when I tell you Alex can be as loud as he wants at night. He can be as loud as he wants. Unless you’re physically shaking his grandparents, they’re sleeping through it.

🤎 Which is a good thing, because Alex is a mouthy guy. Moans, groans, curses, whines, whimpers, you name it. If he has a hand on his dick, he’s making noise.

🤎 It’s a little old fashioned, but Alex has sexy magazines stashed between his mattress and box spring. Video porn is overwhelming to him—he doesn’t know what to search, he just wants some eye candy—so this is the best option he can think of.

🤎 He’s not very fussy, honestly. Low maintenance kinda jerker. As long as he’s looking at somebody he finds attractive, he’s gonna get off.

🤎 And Alex is such a secret romantic, he’s thinking about sweet, tender sex with somebody he would love a whole lot. His hand takes the same rhythm he imagines he’d use fucking slow and deep.

🤎 This is the way that Alex ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper. Man is whining as he strokes himself through his orgasm.

🤎 Has a few tissues he uses to clean up and then passes directly out. Rinse and repeat three times/week.

Shane-

💙 Okay it depends.

💙 If he’s still drinking he doesn’t jerk off that much because he’s got chronic whiskey dick.

💙 BUT. After that? Oh boy.

💙 Shane’s surprised by his own libido when he’s sober. It’s, like, all the time. He thinks maybe it’s because he didn’t get off for so long that he’s making up for lost time.

💙 He gets a surprising amount of privacy in the old ranch house, which he has never been more thankful for. It doesn’t hurt that Marnie snore pretty loud and Jas sleeps like the dead, so most of the night is free to him.

💙 However. Some nights it’s just not feasible. Cough, cough, thanks Lewis.

💙 Luckily, Shane’s got his secret spot. The dock never gets any foot traffic, literally ever. He absolutely will go out there to take care of himself if he needs to.

💙 Big lotion guy. He needs it especially because his hands are rough from all the work he does with them. The callouses feel good if he’s got enough lubricant, though.

💙 Can go either way on porn. Sometimes he likes to watch a good video of what he’s in the mood for, but he doesn’t need it.

💙 He gets off more on memories than anything else. Some of his best fucks are vivid enough in his mind he almost feels like he’s back there when he gets off on it.

💙 And if he has a crush on somebody? Man doesn’t need much. Getting off thinking about how they looked on their knees the other day, about how his cum would look on their face. In the moment he has no shame in thinking about the object of his affections. That’ll come later.

💙 Bites his wrist to keep himself quiet. Not because anybody can hear him, but because he gets embarrassed about the noises he makes and how into it he gets.

💙 Gets desperate for release towards the end. Bucking his hips up and fucking his fist until he cums over his tense stomach. His face is complete bliss, and typically he forgets to muffle that last moan anymore because he’s too caught up in his pleasure.

💙 Post nut clarity hits him a little too hard sometimes. He feels a lot of guilt and shame he’s still working through. Therapy’s helping, though.

Sam-

🩷 Poor Sammy never gets any proper alone time. It’s not the easiest for him to just get off whenever the urge comes on him.

🩷 Which is incredibly unfortunate, because the urge comes on him…often, to say the least.

🩷 Let’s be real. It’s probably once a day, sometimes twice. Man’s sex drive is insane. Truly just insatiable.

🩷 But the walls of his house are paper thin, he has no lock on his door, and his mom and Vincent are always busting in. He only gets a shred of privacy in his shower, and even that’s difficult because he shares with Vincent. Hard to get off when his tiny fists are constantly pounding on the door.

🩷 So Sam can’t just jack it at a moments notice. He has to wait until everybody is asleep, because blessedly Jodi and Vince go to bed early, and Kent is usually in bed by ten pm sharp. Thank God for that military sense of routine.

🩷 As soon as it’s lights out, Sam’s got an earbud in and a hand in his boxers. He’s so desperate and needy by the end of the day that he has to bite his shirt to keep from moaning with relief.

🩷 Man adores porn. LOVES. Porn. He needs a visual aid for his fantasies, and some good audio doesn’t hurt his feelings.

🩷 Sweet Sam has a possessive streak. He tries to find videos where one of the people looks like whoever he’s into at the time, and he imagines it’s him fucking them.

🩷 And if the video has a good cumshot? He’s gone. Fucking wasted. His hand will slide feverishly up and down his cock until he’s cumming right along with them, the whole time imagining it’s him marking up his crush and making them his.

🩷 By the grace of Yoba he hasn’t been caught yet, but he’s always rushing because he’s paranoid somebody will find him with a hand around his dick or cum all over his abdomen.

Sebastian-

🖤 Unlike Sam, he has almost complete privacy the majority of the time.

🖤 Robin spared no expense on soundproofing their house, so nobody can hear anything unless they’re pressed up against his door.

🖤 And since nobody bothers him, and he’s got a sturdy lock, it’s never a problem. He can get off really whenever he wants to.

🖤 When he was in high school, it was all the time. If he had a second alone, he was probably jerking off.

🖤 Now though, it’s tapered off. He only has to get off once a week, maybe a few times if he’s really worked up about something.

🖤 And with his computer setup? He has a full Cinematic experience. Full screen, over-ear headphones, reclined back in his gamer chair. His dick pulled out of his boxers and his shirt rucked up to his chest. Sebastian is taking complete advantage of every luxury he has available to him.

🖤 Let’s be real. He’s an Only Fans kinda guy. Sebastian has specific tastes, and he likes the convenience of having content he likes ready and available. Plus, he’s not about to risk any viruses on his computer.

🖤 It doesn’t hurt that it’s more ethical that way. Sex work is real work, and deserves proper compensation, which he’s more than happy to give.

🖤 As for the content? We circle back to his specific tastes. He likes soft BDSM. No intense stuff, but the dirty talk aspect especially does it for him. Spanking or light choking are about as hardcore as he likes.

🖤 But the thing that’s guaranteed to get him off? Oral. Every single time. He loves to go down on people—he’s borderline obsessed with it, actually. It’s something he can’t personally put his finger on (it’s called an oral fixation buddy), but he cums so hard thinking about leaving purpling hickies along thighs and using his tongue to get his partner off.

🖤 And since he prioritizes heavily on having a clean space, he has everything ready to clean himself up. Especially important since he cums a lot.

[chaos-lioness]

Happy Rosh Hashana guys have some marker experiments with my new favorite Jewish character of all time, Brian Jeeter. And Krejjh!!! ID below, lengthy design decision ramblings below that :)

[ID: A marker drawing of Krejjh and Jeeter from The Strange Case of the Starship Iris. Jeeter is a light-skinned human with short curly hair. Krejjh is an alien with four arms and mid-length hair in elaborate braids. They are lying on a mattress together with their arms and legs overlapping, partly covered by a blanket. Krejjh is face down and their limbs are spread out across most of the mattress. They are drawn in purple. Jeeter is face up and smiling slightly in his sleep, and drawn in blue. He has visible top surgery scars and oxygen tubing leads from under his nose to a machine beside the mattress. Also on the floor are two pager-like devices, a pile of notes and books, and a tablet showing two figures in elaborate hats. END ID]

Marker test number two has been marginally successful!! Still trying to figure out how best to get a degree of smoothness. My main regret with this is Krejjh’s sleeping position honestly. ‘Krejjh is exhausted flops face down and takes up the whole bed’ is, I maintain, a hilarious idea. But now we can’t see them smiling back at Jeeter! Their fancy braids are supposed to be a Dwarnian thing, I wanted to give them something appearance wise that could have cultural significance. I figured Dwarnians might have a variety of hair textures just like humans, so I wanted to go with something that works similarly for lots of different types of hair. I have them on a mattress to drive home the makeshift way they’re using the new ship (I intended this to be set mid season 2). The stuff on the floor is supposed to be coms, linguistics research, and everyone’s favorite Dwarnian soap. Also, big thanks to @high-voltage-rat for answering my hopefully spoiler free vague questions, this was a good drawing to have a resident Biomed Person for! Believe it or not a lot of work went into figuring out where Krejjh’s extra arms should go that would not have been possible without her anatomy textbooks and well-informed suggestions. (The muscles for the bottom arms are upside-down versions of the musculature in human shoulders (and Krejjhs’s top arms) if anyone was wondering. Also the bone structure is behind their digestive organs, so their stomach pokes out more than a human’s… which you could also see if I chose their sleeping position better. Alas.) Also for telling me enough that I could Google the right words to figure out an oxygen tank but Future but like the Right Amount of future. (The nose piece is name dropped so I left that pretty much unchanged, but rat said you’d usually need pressurization at night so the ‘tank’ is a little more flexible and technologically advanced than what we have right now in the real world. So it can act like a cpap and it squishes but you still gotta lug it around, keeping it nice and cannon aligned.) Finally, they’re so uh. Scantily covered because the ship is allegedly kept at 37 degrees… which for a while I thought was Celsius but maybe it’s Fahrenheit?? Anyway. 37 Celsius is really warm. So. It was the only logical way.

[pinehutch]

Brief Dispatches

The good:

It stopped being so outrageously hot today

Have made and executed plans the last several weekends in a row (I missed the world, over the last year and a half)

Extension on a work deadline kind of

Drove for about 4 hours today and can still walk

Good sandwich, great (sour) pickle for dinner

My benefits continue to cover my exorbitant prescriptions

My American friends seem to be experiencing something like hope, or at the very least the lightness that comes with the lessening of despair. I like that.

The less-good:

Car making weird noise when it gets too warm?

Extension on a work deadline is only until 9 tomorrow morning

Driving for 4 hours has resulted in a serious case of Knee Hurty that I'm not sure I can tape my way out of

I can't eat as many gigantic sour pickles as I want to because the number is >5 and no one needs that much sodium

My benefits have still not figured out that they're supposed to cover my CPAP machine

My TBQ7 submission was rejected after almost a year (BUT extremely kindly, specific feedback, "we loved this", looking forward to seeing more etc., and it was one of the last to get the no, so a very fine rejection all things considered)

The quietly unhinged:

I played Disco Elysium for the first time in March of this year. I've completed 2 or 3 playthroughs and started others. I have talked about it to my therapist. I've wondered if i could write fic and I can't, because I don't know what else I would say. I leave enthusiastic comments on the fic I read. I'm in playlist-making mode now. It's really great to have fallen so hard for something. (I knew I would love it but Not Like This. Yes I recognize that capital has the ability to subsume all critiques into itself, and if i were a real one I'd have bought it in 2019 - or at least in 2020 - or at least before 2024. Fortunately there is no timeline on being moved by things, even if capital has subsumed them etc. to a degree many find distasteful-to-intolerable. )

Still me. Still cry at the drop of a hat but - and this is kind of a big deal - it stops, now. Letting myself feel something isn't an unstoppable off-ramp to Sob City for the next 4 hours. It's a relief. I suspect this means my nervous system is being restored by actual sleep at night.

I dream, now. (I had stopped, mostly, for a couple of years, while the OSA was going through the roof.) Instead of my childhood home I keep dreaming of my grandparents' house, as it was 15, 20 years ago. The old electric kettle, the kind that didn't whistle or shut off but would boil dry, if you let it. The flour-bin my grandpa made. The pine hutch in the dining room, designed by my grandmother, built by her brother and my grandfather and their friends. Boxes of cereal for the grandkids that were slightly more fun than the ones we had at home. Scraps and ends and cuttings and seeds; pressed plants and flowers in the pages of the field guides; a steel desk from an old office; a root cellar and a pantry and a summer kitchen in the basement. My subconscious is rooting away down there, these days.

[rachelsquill]

grrrrr i passed out at like 7 unintentionally because today was so fucking stressful and draining which means i wasted my whole goddamn evening sleeping and not doing the things I enjoy and now i need to try and go to sleep for real like with my stupid fucking CPAP machine because i have work tomorrow lololololol

i really am not doing well rn

[regalvoid]

Having to go a week+ without proper glasses has really cemented in the fact that having poor vision is a disability.

Its the one disability that society has kind of "normalized" so people dont view wearing glasses in the same vein of using a mobility aid or like a cpap machine.

At home ita easy, I will just mostly do things in front of me like read or use my phone, no real need to see more than 8 inches away. But at work, I cant do that, I need to see so I am left swapping between my prescription shades and the taped together broken pair, noth of which cause headaches if worn for too long.

This has been a humbling experience and once I finally get my new pair of glasses in I will not take being able to see without difficulty for granted.

[undeadorion-archive]

I recently had a sleep study done and t he whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. It felt more like dealing with a slimy salesman than a medical professional. Insisted I absolutely had sleep apnea and needed a CPAP machine. Didn't give me a chance to say no or think about it.

Most of my sensory issues involve touch and sound. Especially things touching my face. Especially near my eyes. Especially between my eyes. I asked the doctor how intrusive the mask would be and she literally laughed it off. She said "it depends on the person." Yeah. The person is me. I tried saying I had sensory issues and she just completely ignored it and went on with her speech about what would happen next.

But the real kicker is when I finally opened the data she'd barely given me a chance to look at. It wasn't a nice, modern dashboard showing the results. There were no graphs to click or expand. It wasn't even a PDF. It was 4 extremely crunched down PNGs. at 72dpi. And scanned printouts from some other software, that printed it out with an absurdly massive margin. So the actual text that should have filled a letter sized page was shrunk down by 25%, then reduced further to likely meet the attachment limits. Using the image format that puts out images that use the most data. Just print to a PDF for fuck's sake!

[humanbyweight]

This Post Contains Spoilers for the Spare Parts VN

Okay so I’ve been thinking a lot about how to fix some of Melanie’s most pressing technical problems. 

Disclaimers:

1. I recognize that the problems the characters face in @spareparts-vn’s story are plot devices and not actual technical problems that need to be solved. But I’m gonna do it anyway. >:3

2. I’m a mechanical engineer and not an electrical engineer (and certainly not a magic android engineer), so take my suggestions with a grain of salt.

Technical Solutions:

1. The VN states that Melanie’s batteries themselves aren’t the problem, right? The way her body is wired just causes them to charge slowly. So... Get this girl multiple batteries! Swap them out whenever they’re low and charge them when they’re outside of her. Unless her body actively damages the batteries’ charging capability, this should be doable. I know 01 mentions trying this, but she didn’t actually explain why the batteries couldn’t be charged separately. 

2. Give Melanie a plug and a DC adapter that splices into her battery ports for emergencies. She can pretend to be charging her phone or something. I know the story states that the robots can definitely definitely only be charged in their special VT-brand charging pods, but - unless the batteries use something other than electricity - there’s not actually any reason that should be the case. 

3. Have 01 install an emergency cooling system in Melanie’s body. Her nose has no function. There’s likely not a lot of internal real estate to work with, but it might be possible to run metal tubing from her nose to a heat exchanger near her EI core so it can be rapidly cooled in the event of an emergency. 01 could then disguise a tank of liquid nitrogen as a mobile CPAP machine (with tubes that she can insert into her nose), and then Melanie could wheel it around with her and brush it off as a means to manage a chronic illness. It’s not a perfect solution, but it would afford her slightly more freedom, and it would keep her from literally dying in a coffee shop. 

4. Give the robot girl cataplexy. I know it sounds weird, but bear with me. The robots feel tired when their batteries are low, right? Well, that should be a super easy signal to fake! 01 could rewire Melanie’s “low battery” signal to both her battery and her thermometer, and set it to output a signal as a function of temperature. Then, whenever Melanie's emotions spike too high and her EI core overheats, she’d just fall asleep! It even mimics a human condition, so it would be possible to explain to non-robots. Again, not ideal. But! Again! It would keep her from literally dying in a coffee shop. 

5. I suspect that 02 doesn’t actually hate the outside world (and instead probably just has a crush on Violet) but if she truly doesn’t like being in real-world space, she could swap her chest with Melanie so she feels more comfortable in her own body. Would she agree to this? Probably not. But it should be technically feasible.  

To whomever may read this, thank you for listening to me rant about how to help fictional robot girls achieve their dreams of safety and independence. 

[regesteringbettersleepwithdrmat]

Can I Use a CPAP Device to Rule Out Sleep Apnea?

Got sleep apnea? Maybe. Want to know for sure? Don’t count on your CPAP machine to tell you. Sure, it’s the MVP when it comes to treating this pesky disorder, but it’s not the detective you need for a diagnosis.

CPAP Machines: Your Breathing Buddies

Here’s the scoop: sleep apnea messes with your breathing while you snooze, causing you to wake up gasping for air. A CPAP machine steps in like a superhero, blasting a steady stream of air through a mask to keep your airway open. No more breathless nights!

Mask Up: Finding Your Perfect Fit

Our Top-Rated CPAP Masks for Sleep Apnea Relief | Order Your Supplies

Let’s talk masks—because a CPAP machine is nothing without its sidekick. You’ve got options:

Full-Face Masks: These bad boys cover both your nose and mouth. Great if you’re a mouth breather.

Nasal Masks: Just for your nose, perfect if you keep your mouth shut while you sleep.

Nasal Pillow Masks: Minimalist and snug, they rest right at your nostrils. Ideal if you feel claustrophobic with bigger masks.

Don’t forget the headgear—it’s the unsung hero keeping your mask in place, making sure you don’t wake up tangled in your own equipment.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea: Leave it to the Pros

Here’s the kicker: diagnosing sleep apnea isn’t a DIY project.

You need a sleep study (aka polysomnography). This is where the real magic happens, with sensors tracking your sleep patterns, breathing, and more. Only then can a doc say, “Yep, you’ve got sleep apnea,” and hook you up with the right CPAP gear.

Bottom Line

While your CPAP machine is a champ at keeping your airway clear, it’s not your diagnostic buddy. If you’re suspecting sleep apnea, it’s time to call in the professionals for a sleep study. Once diagnosed, your CPAP masks, nasal masks, and headgear will be your best friends in the battle for a good night’s sleep.

[wanderingrustus]

I don't post much about my life all that often, but I feel the need to talk about personal life things for a moment. Don't worry too much, not trying to be doomy gloomy. Just gotta get things off my chest for a moment.

I was recently given instructions to participate in One Night Ultimate Mulbruk Simulator (which is my joke term for a sleep study) and got full confirmation that I have one of the most clear-cut cases of sleep apnea the tech had ever seen.

And now I have to do it again, this time with a CPAP machine.

Look, if it means an actual restful sleep I'll take it. I can't remember the last time I actually slept a full night's worth. It's drastically taken its toll on my mental well being and my energy.

I miss live streaming, even if I don't know what to stream anymore. I know I never had a big crowd or following but I was having fun. Even if it could also be anxiety inducing sometimes, I realize now that if I'm having fun, that's all that really matters. Technical issues be damned lol.

My only current event relevant remark: Palworld is Survival/Crafting with Creature Capturing, not Creature collection with survival aspects. Though you can focus on either one really. It's still fun no matter how you look at it. If anything, I hope it shakes Gamefreak AND Wild Card awake to be better devs. Is that not the goal of competing in the same space? Won't hold my breath about it though. Either way, thanks, Game Pass for letting me try it.

On the note of games, I can finally add Final Fantasy 2 to the list of Completed Games. Time has been overly harsh on this game, and most injustly so. It dared to be different, kinda like me. While that difference is not for everyone, I found it interesting. And considering thanks to the Dissidia games I was picturing Johnny Yong Bosch every time Firion speaks, it was glorious. There were some story hangups, but otherwise had fun with it. Now to save up for some art of Leila, Ricard, and Gordon...

Other than this, I am just floating on, enduring winter and the drop in mood it brings, and contuing to game, in hopes to find something to fully rekindle that flame within.

If you made it this far, you're a real one, and thank you.

May fortune smile upon the road ahead of you.

[phillipcole]

Post-AGT Appearance 1270: Scott Shannon in the Morning October 4

Nothing unusual would be happening in the House of Representatives this week.

Word that Charles III was not the last name on Phillip's list would quickly reach Britain and my agent would wake up with dozens of interview requests and some proposals for me to perform there.

I would sleep in New York then visit Scott Shannon in person about 8:30.

Shannon: That last song of course is not a classic oldie like we usually play but a song actively working its way up the pop and country charts. It's called Canadian Wildfires, sung by Anthony Martin Murphey with some assistance from our friend Phil Cole, who joins us now in person. Phil, how are you?

PBC: I'm doing better after a touch of heat prostration.

Shannon: Well, it's getting hot today in New York. Can you handle it?

PBC: This is nothing like New Mexico and Arizona, so yes. Out there it's 85 with the air conditioners going full blast.

Shannon: So, you also have some breathing trouble...

PBC: Yes, the smoke from the California wildfires never left me. I sleep with a cpap machine and take 3 inhalers daily.

Shannon: Speaking of wildfires, that song is doing alright on the charts, with all the profits going to help victims and firefighters.

PBC: yeah.

Shannon: How much money have you raised to date?

PBC: I don't get daily updates, but the record sales and related products have taken in over $50 million for the various charities.

Shannon: Great! Now you also have a movie playing Demon Dress. I saw it. It's quite a story and not too dirty for a family.

PBC: That was our goal.

Shannon: And did it exceed expectations?

PBC: Yes, by a long shot. That's good. We really need the money.

Shannon: Because of lost revenue from lack of performances?

PBC: Yes, I performed only 6 times in the month of September and it took a lot out of me every time.

Shannon: Yes, now I have to talk about last night on The Late Show. King Charles is not the last name on Phillip's list.

PBC: Yes, he is not.

Shannon: How soon may we find out who it is?

PBC: If the person dies it won't be long. If Phillip dies, it won't be long.

Shannon: Now, for those of you who don't know, our friend Phil here is the leader of Phillip and Cole's Variety Team. Phillip is one of several characters, parts of Phil's personality, but he treats them like real people with real medical and personal problems. Did I describe the situation right, Phil?

PBC: Yes, just like I wrote it.

Shannon: Ha ha, well, recently one of the characters, the Ranting 109-Year-Old Man passed away. Why is that?

PBC: Because there aren't many living 109 year old men, and I don't want to defy nature.

Shannon: By that reasoning though, Batman for example would be about 115 years old now.

PBC: And if it was up to me he would have died and stayed dead over 15 years ago.

Shannon: So you believe in realism at all cost.

PBC: Yes.

Shannon: Now, though the 109-Year-Old Man is gone his routines remain and you said you have an album coming out.

PBC: Yes, November 15, his best routines.

Shannon: It's a spoken word album I take it?

PBC: Also available in Braille for the hard of hearing.

Shannon: For the hard of hearing ha ha. you...you cracked up my whole studio team with that one.

PBC: He does sing his theme song Ode to Smarties.

Shannon: I don't recall that one.

PBC: You know Sinatra...And though I love my wife, I prefer Smarties.

Shannon: Oh yes, what else is on the album?

PBC: A little story about his days playing minor league baseball, a story of life before the great depression.

Shannon: Because no one remembers that anymore. We have to take a break. Phil has another song going about the wildfires. We'll play it after the break. Don't go anywhere.

[zagreataphobic-blog]

It's too fucking hot in my house. I should've gone to sleep on the sofa but I need my cpap machine. My SO is sick and has been sick for days. The house is a wreck. My first days of nursing orientation are kicking my ass, because they give us so few breaks and they also have my deadname up all over the place even though I was hired AFTER my name change went through legally. Like, I don't understand the fucking problem.

I wish I had more help. My MIL is sick and we need to move her stuff from her old apartment to the new assisted living and also break our lease and move into the old house and then sell the old house. And my SO is not getting much done and I'm panicking on the inside about it. SO thinks he can get the house sold without us having to move but like...it should have been done fucking years ago.

I thought I would finally get a break at this point. I thought I would finally be making real money but my SO won't even help me buy new scrubs. I have to wait until my first paycheck. It's pathetic.

I think the realest reason I'm angry lately is because the real problem is ME. I have poor boundaries so even when my SO is feeling well I don't push back on them using all their free time on shit that's non-urgent. It becomes this dead end. I'm so tired. I hope it cools down tonight. I need a break.

[medicinemane]

Ok... I'm gonna talk about my mom and what's up with her and why she's being impossible to live with right now, and it's probably gonna take a while so... putting it below a break

She gets home yesterday after seeing the pulmonologist and says "well, I can't eat normal food anymore"

And I'm going... ok... and that's because...? (Cause like does she have some allergy that's just in everything or something?

No, she went to discuss her sleep study and she found out her 02 levels are tanking every night, and the doctor basically said "well there's nothing wrong with your lungs, so it's because you're fat"

(I think this is bad medicine, but I won't be able to say this for like an hour)

Anyway, now her plan is shes just going to eat a single can of fruit a day

(Also keep in mind that as I'm doing all this, I haven't eaten at all that day, and it's like 4pm, so I really really really need some of that costco pizza before I can think, but no, I'm trapped there with her)

She's just super sulking and not at all willing to listen to the fact that while I sympathize with why she's upset, this isn't like... a productive course of action. Eventually I'm trying to leave because I've got a hot plate in my hand that's burning me cause it's been microwaved and is just real hot, and she's still talking to me while I'm switching it from knee to knee

Well finally after I've eaten I've come back down and she's in a better mood, and we talk and I point out that like my gramps was a skinny man but needed a cpap machine, and that I don't think being fat really has much to do with it or should be a prerequisite for getting important care

I point out that she's been getting stronger and had more stamina since she moved out here and started doing yoga, and that I think that's a better goal than weightloss

I talk about how really if we could find one she ought to have a patient advocate. Like as much as she's pissing me off I'm on her side here

I tell her the self advocacy phrases of "what would you do for a thin person presenting these same symptoms?" "why don't we do that then?" and if they don't agree to do it "I want it noted on my chart that you're not doing those tests/that treatment"

By the time we're done she's in a relatively good mood. I'm not, but she is (I'll get to that at the end)

Today I talk to her and she's sulking, and now she's only going to have a single sandwich a day. You know, fuck everything we discussed yesterday, it's back to the sabotage

Then she goes to the mechanic, she gets back and it turns out she got there late (cause she fucking has always sucked with time, I... I spent a half hour just sitting there most days after school waiting for her, one time literally 3 hours cause she... anyway... yeah... she does show up late even though she's better these days)

Well, they couldn't get her in, so now she's a stupid evil worthless monster

Now here's the two problems. See, I wouldn't mind so much if like... one of you was down, but with her, her I mind a lot

First of all, she constantly lashes out when she's like this. She gets snippy, or she gets... she pretty much... well I mean fuck, do you get how her diabetic ass refusing to eat basically places me in the same position as someone threatening to kill themself in front of me if I don't deal with it and fix them?

But she really does lash out a lot and get short with me and it's like... fuck you... I'm one of the few people actually nice to you and on your side all the time despite everything you've done to me... why are you so mean to me? Why am I your emotional punching bag when you're down?

But the other thing to understand is there's so much shit that happened in the past... like I was literally having to do this same stuff when I was like 5... fuck... fuck, that's literally it... isn't it?

That's the real reason it bothers me this much, it's cause it's fucking identical to how it was when I was little, and that messed me up so bad, and it forces me back into that

I knew that was why her night terrors or her sneezing fits make me bash my head with the heels of my hands; just so fucking overwhelming I lose control because they bring back such horrible feelings but... yeah... that's a lot of it

But also it's just I can't be close to her, it hurts me to be close to her

In addition to making me be her parent she said stuff like how I'm a loser that no one could ever love (when I was like 12), did a bunch of other shit that skeeves me out... just... I do not want to be in anyway emotionally touching her with a 20 ft pole

I feel bad for her, but I just fucking can't be the one to deal with this cause she messed things up to bad in the past, but... tough shit for me, gotta try to keep things functioning so... so things don't get even harder

But like... the way she was when I went down and she's sulking and saying she'll make dinner but she's not having any rice, it brings up a memory so bad I can't even fucking focus on it enough to tell you what happened with it, and I know enough to know I'm glad I can't cause it would mess me up

bad bad bad abdabd a abdadbaa bdadb adbda sadsbljk fadsl khawsfe y

kill me

[pingnova]

another health update from the living (not breathing) medical mystery blog

so I've been told I test as though I'm like death defying sleep deprived for decades but I also sleep 10-17 hours per day so the idea that I'd be deprived is preposterous. after extensive testing apparently I wake up 13 times per hour in REM sleep. REM sleep is "true" sleep, deep sleep, you need that to like, function. when you wake up it takes time to get back there. so basically I haven't had REM sleep for two decades, I haven't had real sleep for 20 years! and why?? I stop breathing, I damn guess. I already knew that, I had told doctors that for years, but they never listen to me, so it took a fuck ton of testing for them to go, hey right when you begin to sleep well you stop breathing and then wake up, so you never really get required sleep. so now I've got a CPAP machine that shoots oxygen down my throat to keep me asleep and buddy! this shit is great. all of my problems are not solved but I feel less like I'm directly on the precipice of death or insanity during the waking hours. they didn't want to give it to me at first because it's really weird that I only stop breathing during REM, normally people with sleep apnea do it during any phase of sleep, but like yall I'm fucking dying, give me the space mask.

anyway, on top of that I've had pneumonia for 9 months and after three nuclear level rounds of antibiotics it just *spread* and got worse. Rip in pieces my ability to breathe ever.

[cpapdepot]

How Do I Avoid Water in CPAP Hose and Mask?

The best way to avoid water in your CPAP hose and mask is by trying to closely match the temperature inside and outside of your tubing, but sometimes that isn’t enough to prevent CPAP rainout. You may have to incorporate a hose cover or adjust your CPAP humidifier settings to prevent water from collecting in CPAP hose.

Solutions for Rainout

Sleep disruptions from CPAP tubing gurgling or CPAP machine rainout can cause you to feel tired the next day, even if you were in bed for a full eight hours. With sleep apnea, it’s important to set yourself up to get the best sleep possible—and that includes preventing rainout.

Here are six impactful things you can try for a more peaceful night:

Use Heated CPAP Tubing

Made to manage humidification in real-time based on the ambient temperature levels of your bedroom, heated tubing helps reduce CPAP rainout by keeping the temperature of the air consistent as it travels from the humidifier to your mask.

Many popular CPAP manufacturers offer heated tubing options for their equipment, like the ClimateLineAir Heated Tube for the AirSense 10 and AirCurve 10 machines and the Heated Tube for any DreamStation machine. One of the best CPAP hose options available is the non-condensing ClimateLineAir, as it helps prevent rainout and permits movement while you snooze.

Wrap Your Hose to Keep Air Warm

Additionally, wrapping your CPAP hose with a specially-designed tube cover helps insulate the hose and blocks the ambient temperature of your bedroom from causing CPAP rainout. As an added bonus, you can run the tubing underneath your bed covers to provide additional warmth for the hose. Ultimately, having the right CPAP hose accessories go a long way in preventing CPAP rainout and helping you stay asleep.

Adjust the Ambient Temperature

As mentioned, the difference between the temperature of the air in your tubing and the temperature of your bedroom is what creates CPAP rainout. If you keep your room extra cold at night, you’re more likely to experience condensation in your tubing. This is a quick and simple fix, but many people enjoy sleeping in cooler rooms so you may want to adjust the humidifier settings instead.

Adjust Humidifier Settings

The right CPAP humidifier settings can make all the difference. In general, the best humidity level for CPAP machines is a setting of three. To help address CPAP rainout issues, you can adjust the settings by 0.5 increments, but visit with your doctor first. Before changing your humidifier settings, talk to your equipment provider to help discover your best temperature setting for CPAP therapy.

Look for Machines with Automated Adjustments

Most insurance companies will replace your CPAP mask after 90 days and your CPAP machine every five years. A lot can change in five years, including technology upgrades and smart functionality that make your sleep apnea journey more comfortable.

The S9 and Air Solutions CPAP machines from ResMed, for example, feature automated adjustments designed to maintain humidity levels. This special climate control feature constantly monitors the temperature of the air in your mask and how it is affected by ambient temperature. As needed, it simultaneously adjusts the humidifier and tubing levels, providing an optimal temperature that helps prevent CPAP rainout.

Move Your CPAP Machine

Make gravity work for you! Place your CPAP machine at a lower level than your mask so condensation can’t flow to your mask while you sleep. If your CPAP equipment is currently on your nightstand, try moving it to a lower shelf—or even the floor. Any water droplets that do form will flow back into the humidifier instead of sprinkling across your face.

Final Thoughts

Even when treated with the proper CPAP equipment, having sleep apnea can make it challenging to get quality sleep each night. Some experience bloating and some experience skin irritation, but it’s important to maintain compliance since untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious complications.