Kevin Standlee: Fandom Is My Way of Life

Last night, I managed to break my CPAP mask, or rather, one of the two clips that attach to the mask on the headgear. Fortunately, I have several older masks that still work, more or less. As luck would have it, the place from which I buy more CPAP supplies announced a sale this morning, so I could buy a replacement set of headgear and also restock on other supplies. Annoyingly, my Healthcare Savings Account debit card, which works in most places and even worked when I was in the UK, is not accepted by CPAP.com. However, I was able to buy the supplies with one of my ordinary credit cards and reimburse myself from my HSA account, so it's mainly just an extra bit of annoyance, and I'll have new headgear in a few days. It was probably time to buy a new set even if the clip hadn't broken, as I've had this set for more than a year now.

Fortunately, the clip didn't break while I was traveling, as it would have been a little bit harder to get it replaced there, and I depend upon that CPAP to get sufficient sleep.

Yesterday afternoon, I replaced the main hose on my CPAP, along with the headset and mask. The only piece I didn't have new was the short hose between the long hose and the mask, and that I cleaned with the medical-grade disinfectant I bought for CPAP cleaning purposes. While I was at it, I dusted and disinfected the area where CPAP normally sits by my bedside. I also ended up falling into bed around 4:30 PM and sleeping until 3:30 AM the next morning. When I woke up this morning, I felt a lot better. While I'm still coughing some, I'm no longer have as much of a stuffy head and thus the sore throat caused by the nasal drainage is mostly gone. I wouldn't say I'm completely out of the woods, but I'm now starting to think that, in effect, my CPAP was making me sick; that is, I hadn't cleaned it as often as I should.

On top of all of this, I bought a new supply of tertiary filters for the CPAP, labeled as "anti-bacterial filters." That's in addition to the two different types of filters that the machine comes with: an outer washable and reusable filter and an inner single-use filter. Given that I'm breathing on that machine all night long, it's important to keep it clean.

Last weekend I was at a series of in-person meetings and related events for Westercon 74. This weekend, I have four separate (online) meetings: two board meetings today back-to-back for CanSMOF followed by SFSFC, and tomorrow a meeting for one aspect of Westercon 74, followed later in the day with a Costume-Con 39 staff meeting. CC 39 will happen in 2023, one year after CC 40, as Costume-Con engaged in their own version of "Operation Leapfrog," with the additional matter that there will be no Costume-Con 41, and the 2024 convention will be styled as CC 42. Both Westercon 74 and Costume-Con 39 are conventions run under SFSFC. I'm rather grateful that CC39 moved to 2023, because now SFSFC won't be running two conventions only a few months apart from each other.

It's just as well that I'm spending most of this weekend indoors, because the local air quality is getting bad due to fires in the Sierra Nevada. The AQI here in Fernley is up to about 93 (moderate), but just west of us in Fallon earlier today it was in the 100-150 range. It was cool enough this evening to sit out on the porch, but there was light ash falling from the sky, and I soaked one of my cloth masks in water and wore outside not against COVID, but to make breathing easier. Also, I can feel the smoke in my eyes and will use some of my saline solution eye drops before going to bed.

Smoky times like this make me glad I sleep with a CPAP machine and that I have a third inline filter installed besides the two main ones.

I use a CPAP machine (technically a VPAP) to deal with sleep apnea and have done so for years. It was life-changing, but it does mean periodically doing maintenance and replacing accessories on the machine. In December 2019, I lost the mask on my machine during our road trip (remember those?) between Loscon and SMOFCon in Albuquerque. It's a good idea to change the mask annually or so, and this was the weekend for it.

( Masks New and Old )

I retained the year-old mask as an emergency spare (although I have an unopened mask as well), but that really old mask is now discarded.

I also bought a new CPAP hose as well as additional consumables, like the filters.

In addition to the primary and secondary filters on my CPAP machine, about a year ago I bought some additional in-line filters that sit between the hose and the face mask. These are to be replaced every six months, and yesterday was the day. After washing out the hose with the medical-grade disinfectant and leaving it hanging up to dry, I broke out a new filter, labeled it with the installation date, and examined the old filter.

( What a Lot of Gunk )

I've been having difficulty sleeping the past two days, and it caught up to me today, when I went back to bed shortly after noon and slept for about six hours. I hope this doesn't completely scramble my sleep cycle for the week.

I use a CPAP machine, as I've mentioned, and it has made an immense difference in my life. The machine as I received it came with a primary gray reusable filter that I swap out with a clean one and wash every two weeks, and a secondary white disposable filter that I replace monthly. Both filters sit in the machine's air intake to clean the air that I'm breathing.

( Filters before and after use )

I figured the double-filter system was sufficient, but now I'm not sure. A little over six months ago when I restocked on CPAP supplies (new mask, hose, headgear, and filters), I decided to try something CPAP.com called an anti-bacterial filter that installs between the main hose from the CPAP and the short hose that attaches to the mask. The instructions say to replace this every six months. The first six months ended this week, and I was astonished at what this tertiary filter collected.

( I'm not breathing that -- and I'm glad )

I was slightly skeptical about this additional filter, but now that I've used it for six months and can see just how much it's filtering out, I'm convinced that it's worth it even if it's not actually capturing any bacteria. Just the amount of additional particulate matter it's intercepting is worth using it.

Today I replaced the filter on my CPAP unit. It was interesting seeing how much smoke the machine was preventing me from breathing.

( New and Old Filter )

Places like Gardnerville have had serious air quality warnings, whereas Fernley is only "moderate."

I've been needing supplies for my CPAP machine for a while now. I was stretching out the last few disposable filters, and I was down to one washable one that should have been replaced months ago. Unfortunately, I'd used up the balance of my Flexible Spending Account, so I needed to wait until the first of the year when it reset (with more money in it this year than last) in order to take advantage of it. So this afternoon things calmed down at work sufficiently for me to go get the supplies. While I was at it, I took advantage of a sale offer from the supply vendor to buy a complete replacement headgear. I think you're supposed to replace the mask and tubing at least once a year, and I've never replaced mine, ever, and I've had the machine for several years. Ditto with the hose. Although those last items appear sound, I figured I could replace them and use the old stuff as spares should anything break.

Right after I submitted the order, however, I remembered that I'd meant to also buy the DC power connector for my machine. Had I had that with me when the power went out in Mehama during the storm, I could have run the CPAP off of the trailer's batteries; there are standard 12V sockets throughout the trailer. I've e-mailed their customer support to see if there's a way to piggyback the DC cord onto the existing order without paying additional shipping.

Meanwhile, time to get myself together and get up to The City with Cheryl for dinner with danjite and khaybee.

The straps that hold my CPAP mask onto my head have been wearing out for some months now. Fortunately, the most expensive parts of the mask assembly aren't worn; even so, replacement straps cost more than $40 including shipping. But I did need it, as the Velcro had worn out and I had been holding the straps together with safety pins. My mask was tending to come loose and with pins instead of Velcro, it was more difficult to adjust, particularly late at night when the sound of leaking air on my mask woke me up. Anyway, the new straps arrived yesterday. I may be imagining it, but I woke up this morning feeling as if I'd slept more soundly than usual, and that's a good thing.

Last night I put on my CPAP mask and started to fall asleep normally. A few minutes later, I was back up, coughing like crazy. I tried again; same result. I then examined my CPAP machine more closely. Although there may be another explanation, I found a whole lot more dust than usual inside the machine, and the rear cover of the air intake dislodged. My luggage (which did have the TSA notice inside) was more rumpled than usual. I suspect that TSA dislodged the rear cover and that a bunch of dust got inside the thing. I replaced the disposable filter (which was filthy and due for its monthly replacement), washed the reusable one, and slept much more easily.

I expect that at least one person reading this is about to tell me, "You shouldn't check your CPAP machine -- always carry it on." Well, I'm already carrying on two pieces of carry-on luggage (including my "personal item" briefcase) on most flights, including my computer, and the stuff is heavy. If you say, "There's an exception for medical equipment," I say, "I'd rather not have to risk the inevitable TSA goon who doesn't know about the exception, won't listen to me quoting regulations, and has the perceived authority to arbitrarily confiscate my goods and imprison me." Checking my CPAP machine and spare laptop are calculated risks, I know.