AWAKE Support Groups

[Sparkle]

Hi Everyone ~
The snow is causing a state of emergency and I have the next two days off - WooHoo!

I wanted to share this - though you all probably know about this.

In my recent internet searches I came across these AWAKE in person support groups. They have a link to a list of the various support groups throughout the country - the link is at the bottom of this email.

There is a support group that meets quarterly very close to my home at a hospital. I contacted the group administrator and there is a meeting Feb 26th. The meetings are free and open to the public.

She asked me if I had any questions she could help me with prior to the meeting. I told her I had a full face mask and I was thinking about getting a second mask - maybe a nasal mask and asked if that was recommended. I told her I hesitated to switch masks and that I got a full face mask because I thought I might sleep with my mouth open though I couldn't be sure.

She replied saying that insurance won't pay for a second mask and they could be expensive but she had a nasal mask she could give me.

So, I am really excited that I reached out to her. I will let you know how the meeting is. If you want to check out and see if there are meetings in your area here is the link:

http://www.sleepapnea.org/support/a.w.a....k-map.html

[SuperSleeper]

The AWAKE groups are really a good alternative for sleep apnea patients to help each other, especially for folks that don't have Internet access or aren't too technically-minded. My dad has sleep apnea, but doesn't get into Internet forums, and he has found the local group here helpful. Not quite the plethora of info and instant-help you can find on a world-wide forum, but the groups are helpful, nonetheless.

It would really be good if some of our more experienced and knowledgeable folks here would start their own AWAKE group in their locale. Most groups meet about once a month and have a special speaker or someone who's knowledgeable concerning OSA and treatment to speak to the group with questions afterwards.

[TheManseHen]

Hi Sparkle,
Let us know how it goes. I was going to go to the December meeting of our local A.W.A.K.E meeting (I mean come on they were having refreshments and everything! Not to mention my Sleep Doctor was the speaker) but I was....wait for it...TOO TIRED to go! It was after I was diagnosed but before I had my machine. (which I think I got in record time by literally perkily happily friendly like... sitting on the DME folk, okay, not literally, but I had them everything they needed to fill my script in an hour and kept asking for a report on where we were in the process and when can I come get machine? Same folk, can't be gotten ahold of now for love or money...So common)

I will try and go to the February meeting. Here they are every other month. So when you tell us about yours, how many folk were there, were there just super newbies or newbies and oldbies? Did they have SNACKS? (-:

Susan

[Sparkle]

Hi Sparkle,
Let us know how it goes. I was going to go to the December meeting of our local A.W.A.K.E meeting (I mean come on they were having refreshments and everything! Not to mention my Sleep Doctor was the speaker) but I was....wait for it...TOO TIRED to go! It was after I was diagnosed but before I had my machine. (which I think I got in record time by literally perkily happily friendly like... sitting on the DME folk, okay, not literally, but I had them everything they needed to fill my script in an hour and kept asking for a report on where we were in the process and when can I come get machine? Same folk, can't be gotten ahold of now for love or money...So common)

I will try and go to the February meeting. Here they are every other month. So when you tell us about yours, how many folk were there, were there just super newbies or newbies and oldbies? Did they have SNACKS? (-:

Susan

Hi Susan!

Ugh - I know that feeling all too well. I would ask myself "When did I become this person of good intentions but no follow through?"

I will absolutely post about the meeting. I am looking forward to it. I am grateful to the organizer reaching out to me and being interested in my interest in their group I look forward to meeting her as well. I am so curious about who will be there and what it will be like. All I know right now is that it is from 6:30 to 8:30.

I'll be sure to keep you posted! :grin:

[TyroneShoes]

Bummer. Closest one to where I live (a city of 4 million people) is 200 miles away. I would really go. If the reports are good, maybe I'll try to start my own here. I'm going to raise the question with my sleep doc in March.