People define success in many ways. Several successful people define success by who we are, what we believe in, and what we think it means to be successful. For some it’s money, for others it could be relationships, family, jobs, religion, or education. A blind high school student once said “Success is possessing the capability for self-determination”. Self-determination is the ability to decide what we want to do in life, and then to act on that decision. You cannot let anything stand in your way; friends, family, other foregone circumstances or the many barriers that life will throw at you. One particular barrier that limits us in life more often than not is our health. Stories of Cancer patients are often portrayed on television and in the media. Today we are going to share with you the story of another very common health barrier hurdle that can limit us, sleep apnea, and the story of someone who would not let it get in her way of leading a happy, fulfilling life.
53 year old Rae Lamon is one of the happiest ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure to speak with on the phone. Once a Nurse for 10 years, Rae is now enjoying life living in her Dexter, New York house that she grew up in. It’s her 2nd go around in her home that was built in 1846, living there now with her best friend, Dolly, her 5 ½ year old cat. She is part of a very big family consisting of 1 brother, 3 sisters, as well as 7 nieces and nephews. She spends her free time writing, having written numerous works of poetry and children’s books and is in the process of completing her first adult novel, titled “A Twist of Fate.” Rae is the type of lady that you can’t help but smile if you ever get a chance to meet her.
Things haven’t always been peachy for Ms. Lamon, however. For years, sleep apnea was interfering with her job, her family, and her way of life. Ms. Lamon would snore a lot. Her sisters would complain to her all the time about her snoring habits. “I snored 3,333 times per night” Rae said. Despite her symptoms of fatigue, she was still able to go to work every day and enjoy family time, but she was tired all the time. When a close family friend passed away due to side effects from sleep apnea, she decided it was time to get tested herself. Enough was enough.
“I felt much more rested, kept my CPAP mask on all night!”
– Rae Lamon after her first night on CPAP
She went to a sleep lab to get tested, but wasn’t pleased with the conditions of the sleep lab she went to. As if sleeping wasn’t difficult enough, sleeping in a lab with machines and having people watch over her made it even more difficult. Rae wishes Easy Breathe’s Home Sleep Test and Easy Sleep Apnea Test Packages were around when she was initially diagnosed. “I certainly wish I could take the test at home… You sleep better in your own bed than somewhere else” Rae said. After being diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, Rae’s experience as a CPAP user began. She began feeling results instantly! – “I felt much more rested, kept it on all night!”
It did not take her any time to get used to her CPAP. She makes sure to use her CPAP on a nightly basis as she’s been doing for over 5 years now. She recently switched from using the S8, a machine that she loved but upgraded to the S9, taking advantage of the newer auto-titrating technology the machine offers. Sleeping well helps Rae feel better, making it easy to enjoy her life at home with Dolly! Further success may on its way for the Lamon family, as she tells us her children and grandchildren are very smart with big aspirations to do big things!
If anyone out there thinks they may be suffering from sleep apnea, Rae has some advice for you that will help you live a happier life – “If you’re having symptoms you need to get tested!” Easy Breathe has removed the hurdles by offering solutions to get a machine quickly and easily. “It’s the easiest treatment you’ll ever have. You don’t have to take a pill, you just put it on and go to sleep.” Rae commented. We can all learn from her words and continue the fight against sleep apnea by keeping the awareness alive. If you think you or someone you know may have sleep apnea, encourage them to get tested right away! We don’t know what the future holds for any of us, but what we can control are the decisions we make in the present to try and mold our future. Many of us out here certainly hope we are fortunate enough to have a future as joyous as Rae’s life today, a life that has become this joyous with a significant role from CPAP therapy.
