Anything For You, Honey

Episode 10

Curt had always been big. He came into the world at eleven pounds and never slowed down. When he was in third grade, he had to play football with the sixth graders because of the weight restrictions. In high school he was always in the highest weight classification on the wrestling team. Now, in his early 40’s, his natural size, lack of physical activity and a desk job has Curt in an extremely unhealthy state. And his wife was letting him know about it.

Her concern had genuine origins. Judy truly loved Curt but knew that if he did not get control of his weight and overall health it was doubtful he would live to see 50. She encouraged him to start eating better and try to get 30-minutes a day of physical activity. Curt tried but after a long-day sitting in a causeway toll-booth the last thing he wanted to do was come home and walk 2-miles around the neighborhood. So, Judy would plead and Curt would scoff and no progress was made.

Judy knew her efforts regarding eating and physical activity would only lead to agitation and resentment. But she drew the line and told Curt that he either had to move to another bedroom or get a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine because she was not going to continue having sleepless nights because of his incessant snoring. Curt wanted no part of sleeping alone so he quickly agreed to investigate the CPAP, “Anything for you, honey” he mumbled under his breath.

Curt spoke with his doctor and they were able to quickly get him into a sleep study. The CPAP titration study was not as intrusive as he thought it would be. They got Curt settled in a comfortable bed, hooked him up to a mask and encouraged him to try and sleep. Once he fell asleep the technicians gradually increased the air pressure until they reached a pressure that kept his airway open, allowing him to breath and sleep normally. The settings in the sleep laboratory would be used when he took his CPAP machine home. When Curt was awoken, he realized it was the best he had slept in years. He was very excited and very much looking forward to using the equipment in the comfort of his own bed. Judy was looking forward to a nights sleep where she was not constantly telling Curt to roll over or poking him in the back to disrupt the snoring.

Morning broke and Judy opened her eyes, astonished at how well she had slept. She looked at the clock and saw it was already 6:25 and that Curt was still in bed. He was usually tossing and turning by 5:45 and almost always up before the alarm set for 6:30. From 6 to 7:30 was generally the best hour and a half of sleep Judy got, once Curt was up and out of the bed. She said a quick prayer of thanks and reached over to turn off the alarm.

Curt’s back was to her and she could hear the soft hum of the incredible CPAP machine that had allowed him to sleep so soundly and for a full eight hours. He must have slept like a log, as her father use to say. She patted him on the back and asked how he slept. Getting no response, she poked him harder and with more volume told him it was time to get up. She sat up in bed and leaned over him and gasped as she realized Curt was not sleeping at all. He had died quietly in the night with the oxygen line wrapped around his neck.