Sleep Study Time Again!

Jack had another sleep study last night. He had little preparation (it was a last minute work-in because of a cancellation) but he handled it like a champ. I took the pictures from my previous sleep study post (see left sidebar) and made a little book telling Jack where he could expect to have wires. We used the word "wires" instead of "stickers" because, in a hospital setting, Jack tends to hear only the "stick" (as in getting stuck for an IV or blood draw).

We reviewed the book before we left the house and then reviewed it when we got to the hospital and once more just before the technician began hooking him up. I used the exact phrasing I used in the book (wires on your face and head and probe in your nose, wires on your chest, wires and tape on your legs, straps on your chest and tummy) as the technician wired him up. The sweet technician realized very quickly that Jack did better if she just did her wiring and let me do the talking. He was so good with just minimal fussing and that was mostly because he was sleepy and ready to lie down.

He slept pretty well even though he is congested. They keep it super cold in the sleep lab and that always helps with his breathing. The pulmonologist wants to increase Jack's maximum inspiratory pressure to 26 since Jack still obstructs a bit even at 24. We'll do that tonight.

AND Dr. Lozano says that once we know a date for the midface surgery, we can come into the lab and adjust Jack's settings so he can wear nasal prongs instead of his usual face mask. He won't be able to wear his regular mask under the rigid external distraction (RED) device so we thought Bipap would not be an option after surgery. His obstructive sleep apnea is so bad that we were concerned that he might have to have a trach until we advanced his midface far enough. Dr. Lozano says that nasal prongs are not ideal for Jack and not a good idea for his general use because he is a mouth breather and his tiny nasal passages will make it pretty uncomfortable BUT the nasal prongs may help us avoid a tracheostomy after Jack's midface surgery.

So all in all it was a good study and we got great information.

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