Kettering Health Network is a faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare system that improves quality of life through healthcare and education. The Network has eight hospitals: Grandview, Kettering, Sycamore, Southview, Greene Memorial, Fort Hamilton, Kettering Behavioral Health and Soin. Kettering Health Network’s Sleep Centers diagnose and treat sleep disorders at seven locations in the greater Dayton and northern Cincinnati areas.
Tim Grimes is not the typical patient for obstructive sleep apnea. Many sleep apnea cases are diagnosed in overweight patients, but when Tim’s 160-pound frame wasn’t to blame, he sought specialized care for his unique case.
After his diagnosis, Tim struggled to use his CPAP, a machine that regulates breathing during sleep. After undergoing a throat surgery that only made his condition worse, Tim was still exhausted. It seemed as though he had run out of treatment options.
Sleeping easier
After receiving a personalized treatment plan from Michael Valle, DO, at the Kettering Health Network Sleep Centers, Tim can now use his CPAP. Tim went from feeling exhausted by lunchtime to being able to landscape his new house after work and on weekends. Before being treated by Dr. Valle, Tim woke up 30 to 40 times an hour each night, putting him in a mental fog without the energy to think critically at work.
His family life also suffered. Anytime he was home, all he wanted to do was sit on the couch or lie down in bed, putting an end to the outdoor activities he enjoyed with his wife and two daughters. “A lot of people don’t think it’s a debilitating problem, but it was in the sense that I wasn’t really living my life to the fullest,” Tim says.
Tim advises people to take their symptoms seriously. After a friend of his passed away in his sleep, Tim felt compelled to have his sleep disorder checked out by a doctor. Sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke—health conditions that run in Tim’s family.
Tim shares his story with others, hoping they too can find a solution to their sleeping problems. When he hears someone joke about a snoring spouse or complain about constant fatigue, Tim takes that opportunity to tell them about his experience with Dr. Valle, especially the personal care and connection.
“To me, that’s what it’s all about,” says Tim. “Having that connection, that relationship with the physician where you feel like you can tell them what you need to tell them, and they’re going to listen and give back.”
Reclaim your rest: If you or your spouse notice symptoms of sleep apnea, contact your physician and ask for a sleep consultation. Take a sleep disorder risk assessment at ketteringhealth.org/sleep
Signs of Sleep Apnea
Anyone can have sleep apnea. Here are the most common signs:
• Snoring
• Pauses in breathing
• Awakening choking or gasping
• Dry throat when you wake up
• Morning headaches
• Daytime sleepiness
Approximately 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from a sleep-related disorder. They either have trouble falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or staying awake during the day. In some instances this can be life threatening.
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