Sleep Study

So last night I went for my sleep study. For those of you who don't know me, it is rather odd for me to be having so many weird things like this going on at the same time.

I reported to the sleep clinic at 9pm as instructed and had to fill out some paperwork, and then was shown to my bed room for the night. It had a good feel about it in that it wasn't a generic hospital room or anything like that. It had a bed, nightstands, dressers and a TV. I was told to change into my night time clothes, which for the purposes of the study was shorts and a t-shirt. Typically I'm a boxers and t-shirt guy or less, but the shorts and t-shirt works just fine.

Next, the technician came in to wire me up. First were sensors for each of my legs to measure limb movement and then two bands across my chest to measure respiration. Next she started to take measurements on my head, making marks on my scalp where various sensors were to go. She then scrubbed the skin around where she was going to put sensors. Next up was putting glue at these spots, and then affixing the sensors to my scalp at these locations. My face was the next to get the treatment with senors placed at my temples and below my eyelids, on my jawbone. Then sensors were placed on my chest for an EKG to measure heart function.

I was then told to get into the bed, and the final two sensors were hooked up- a sensor that went into my nose to measure air flow, and a sensor on my finger tip that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. I'm not sure how it's able to measure that without piercing you, but I'm OK with it. After these sensors were on, I was plugged into the computer and had to go through a calibration procedure with the technician to make sure all of the sensors were working properly.

I was then left to my own devices (keep in mind there's a camera in the room shooting me at all ties) to fall asleep. I finished watching the show that was on TV and the news through the weather like I would want to do if I was home. As uncomfortable as those sensors sound, I was able to fall asleep rather quickly. My nights sleep was as most of mine have been lately, awakening many times through out the night seemingly for no reason, lying there for a little bit and then going back to sleep.

When I woke up like this at 5am, I was told that they had enough data and it was time to go. It took about 20 minutes to get all the sensors off of me, and then I was left to fill out a questionnaire about my sleep that night, get dressed and go home. I got home just as the sun was coming up and promptly went to bed. I woke up around 9:30 or 10am.

I'll get the results from the sleep study in 5-7 days.

The Lady in Red

If there was a second, super secret blog, I think this belongs in it. But there's not, so oh well.

I met the Lady in Red for drinks on Monday afternoon, and I was expecting things to be a little awkward at first considering how we know each other. I couldn't believe how wrong I was. I had arrived a little before her since where we met was closer to me. I was sitting next to annoying guy at the bar who was telling me about his gas problems, how he started eating spinach and all sorts of crazy things. This was at 3:30 in the afternoon.

The Lady in Red walked in and rescued me from him. She had mentioned that she looks good in red. She was right. We retreated to a back table and after getting the waiters attention, ordered a drink and started chatting like old pals. We continued to chat for a few more hours, enjoying a few beverages, and a lovely salad and mozzarella stick dinner. Well, she had the salad, and we shared the mozzarella sticks. They weren't that good, but the company was great. I think we could have stayed for hours, but she had to get home to tend to much more important matters.

Have a Good Sleep...

I had an incredibly full day yesterday. I had to get up early (for me) and bring the car with no name (that is it's name) to get some work done on it. Afterwards, I went to a pulmonary specialist since I've been having problems getting the deep breaths. I figured I should get that checked out and not just chalk it up to the asthma. My lungs were functioning perfectly normally at that time. He said that they sounded clear. They drew blood to run a full panel of tests since I've also been unusually tired lately. He is thinking that I may have a sleep disorder.

He said i have large tonsils and a large neck, and yes I am overweight so that does make me a candidate for sleep apnea. He's not convinced that's my problem though. He ordered a sleep study for me, and said it usually takes a month or two to be able to get in to get it done. Then today, I got a call from the hospital saying they had a cancellation tonight and asking if I was available. I said yes, and they called the insurance company and it was approved and it's a done deal. I can't imagine how someone can sleep well hooked up to all sorts of wires. I'll be there tonight, and report back tomorrow on how it went.

Add a trip to my parents for the night last night to get X-Mas decorations out and that's a full day.

Continental's Response

This was received back from Continental less than a day after I sent my original email to them. I never got an automated response or anything like this. It's great to see a response so quick and seemingly honest from a company nowadays.

Dear XXXX:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding your flight from Chicago. Your email came to the attention of Corporate Customer Care and, I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.

I regret you found our flight attendant to be less than helpful when trying to find space to stow your carry-on bag in the overhead compartments. Please know that our planes have some of the largest over-head storage bins in the industry but carry-on space is limited and available on a first come first serve basis. During peak travel seasons, we may ask customers to check their intended carry-on luggage at the gate just before boarding. Normally, if we are operating a full flight, we will gate-check carry-on luggage for safety reasons.

I am deeply concerned about the behaviors of the gate agent at Midway Airport, as you described in your letter. The service you received is not typical of what Continental Airlines expects from our employees. Our airport agents are expected to provide a friendly, efficient service, and I regret this is not what you experienced. Your comments will be included in a monthly Customer Care report that is distributed to senior management. I am confident that every effort will be made to locate the employee involved and that immediate corrective action will be taken.

Thank you again, XXXXX, for bringing this situation to our attention. Customer service is one of our top priorities and, the only way for our company to improve is to know where it is failing. We will use your feedback for future coaching and training.

We value your patronage as well as your opinion and, look forward to welcoming you back onboard soon.

Regards,

XXX XXXXX
Customer Care Manager

Please tell me....

Why did I wake up at 2:15 in the morning, and why can't I fall asleep?

An Open Letter to CAL

I'm sorry to do this, but I have to express my displeasure with the way in which I was treated on flight 1145 from MDW to EWR this morning. I was sitting in seat 1B, a bulkhead seat. I was on a phone call and chose not to board right away when first class was called, but about midway through the boarding process so I was not rude to anyone by being on the phone while getting on the plane and getting situated. The flight was fairly full, but not completely full. I had one carry-on, the same Travelpro computer bag I always carry with me. When I got on the aircraft, they were turning away rollaboard suitcases as I have often seen in the past. As I get myself settled at the seat, I go to put my bag in the overhead bin, but everything is completely fully in my area since someone who is sitting much further back in the aircraft has just put their rollaboard and small duffel bag in the last remaining space in the first class overhead bins. Yes, if I had boarded the aircraft earlier I could have used this space, but I chose not to. Putting my back under the seat in front of me is not an option since I am in a bulkhead seat with a small cubby cut out for more leg room (thank you for that by the way), but clearly marked "No Stowage".

I asked the Flight Attendant if the bag (again, a small computer bag) could be placed in the closet for take off and landing and was quickly told no. She made a cursory search and said that my bag would have to be checked. I was not happy about this, considering it is my ONLY carry on bag and has items in it such as medicine, work identification, keys, my passport and travel documents in it, not to mention the computer, but if there is no space, there is no space. I was told by the gate agent that this was my only option, and she started to take the bag from me. I told her I'm sorry, but I have to take a few items out of my bag before she could take it. I was going through the bag, not really wasting any time, and about 20 seconds later I was told that she had to take the bag at that time. I again said i just need a minute more to make sure that everything I needed that was valuable was out of the bag. She responded with "Well you're just going to have to go on the next flight because I have to close the door now." We were not past our departure time. If she had taken me off the flight, did she really think that would help get the flight off on time? I can assure you if that happened, that would have been the last Continental flight I would have flown. I finished going through my bag within the next 30 seconds and my bag was snatched from me and the door remained open for at least another minute or two. As it turns out, I realized after my briefcase was gone that I left my keys in it. I also now have to carry all of these items loose to baggage claim to get my bag since this was my ONLY carry-on.

I have feared that this very thing would happen to me for some time now. I do not know that this is what happened in this case, but something I have seen before is the flight crew puts their bags in the overheads right at the front of the plane at the bulkheads because it is convenient for them to get at. Unfortunately, passengers seated at the bulkheads are unable to put anything under the seat in front of them, so they are the ones who need that overhead space the most. The other culprit here is people bringing several carry-on's. I'm not going to say that I've never had more than the allowed carry-on bags, but that's only been a handful of times. In the winter time when you have someone with three carry-on bags plus putting their jacket in the overhead bins, it's no wonder how the bins get so full so fast.

Not once through this whole process was I rude or combative in anyway. I have been flying 100+ flights a year for over 10 years and roll with the punches fairly well. I don't think that it's right to have been threatened with being removed from the flight because I took a minute to take out items which I could not have gotten by with out. On the whole, your airline does things right, and much better than the others. I have flown as an elite member on other airlines when I lived in different cities, and Continental generally has the best service hands down, which is why I was so surprised at this situation. Ironically, of all the flights I have taken on your airline and all of the situations I have been in, I believe that I have only written one other time, and that was also regarding a flight out of MDW and exemplary service shown by the flight and ground crew.

Male Grooming Products

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point over the past few years, I've given into the craze. I no longer wash with just soap and water. Now I have to use a body wash gel for men. I have changed nothing about my washing procedure other than swapping in the Axe for bar soap, but I end up much cleaner. I should actually say, the wash cloth ends up much dirtier. I'm beginning to think that thre is some sort of chemical reaction between the body wash, water and human skin that turns the wash cloth to a dirty color immediately. It has other benefits too, I like the smell, and it is not nearly as drying as regular soap is.

For my shampoo, my first choice is Paul Mitchell's tea tree. After you've used that, everything else is just shampoo. If you haven't tried it, you really should. It feels like my head is getting a massage while I use it. The tingly sensation is amazing.

Last year while traveling I ran out of shaving cream or lost it or something. I went to the hotel gift shop, and all they had there was this foo-foo stuff caled Kid Glove Shaving Gel by Sharps. Since it was all they had, I had to get it. I have never used anything better. I haven't been able to find it anywhere else. This year, I'm back at the same hotel, and made sure to buy some. I haven't had a shave this close since last year. I never thought that something so simple would make a difference. I'm now hooked. I've been to the website, and will be buying much more.

While I don't think I'll ever be called a metrosexual, I'm starting to act like one with all the product I now seem to need to get by on a daily basis.