Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
Regarding one of last week's comments:
Really, RV Shrink, is that the best you can come up with for this poor woman? She can try ear plugs and/or a white noise machine. For her own snoring, there are Breathe-Right strips, which may even help her own sleep. Have her Google "trouble sleeping next to someone with a CPAP" for ideas. I just did, and the consensus seems to be that white noise (like a fan) or a white noise generator is the most helpful, but there are many other suggestions there.
Lastly, if she hasn't already had herself tested for sleep apnea, she should, especially if overweight. Not sure whether her own CPAP would help or hurt the cause, but it might help her sleep more soundly.
--Caring Karen
Dear Karen:
Okay, I guess my feeble attempt at a little humor didn’t go over so well. Maybe enough people just are not familiar with this commercial: Funny Snoring I didn’t take it too seriously because it makes no sense that sleeping together in a 5th wheel would be any different than sleeping together at home. If he had already been through the process of ending up with a CPAP I would assume they were already up to speed on what options were available for patients with sleep disorders. But I agree, I should have pretended I was an MD, instead of pretending I was a Shrink, and covered the subject in more detail.
So now I’m pretending I’m sorry. (Relax, I’m kidding). Remember, laughter is the best medicine. Sleep is very important in maintaining a healthy, stress-free lifestyle, at home or on the road. If you have sleep disorder issues you should seek professional advice. All you’re going to find here is my baloney.
In fact, I have been trying to come up with some sound advice. I remember Phyllis Diller always said,
“ Never go to sleep mad. Stay up and fight.”
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Sound RV sleeping
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
Living in a 5th wheel takes some adjustment. My husband suffers from sleep apnea. He snores like a foghorn. He now uses a breathing machine and it feels like I'm sleeping with Jacques Cousteau. When I complain he says that I also snore. Do you think we should buy a larger two bedroom RV? We have been married for 42 years and never had this problem until we moved into the 5th wheel. My husband doesn’t want to sleep in separate beds or rooms. I'd love to hear some sound (sleeping) advice.
--Not Sleeping in Seattle
Dear Not Sleeping:
It appears you are both sound sleepers. He now has a machine to control his sound. It sounds like you are still snoring, yet he wants to continue sleeping with you. I think you should be able to put up with his mask and apparatus. I think it means a lot that he doesn’t want to have separate sleeping arrangements. Forty-two years with this character -all the moodiness, all the complaining, every night with the snoring, forty-two years of it, and yet he still loves you.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
Living in a 5th wheel takes some adjustment. My husband suffers from sleep apnea. He snores like a foghorn. He now uses a breathing machine and it feels like I'm sleeping with Jacques Cousteau. When I complain he says that I also snore. Do you think we should buy a larger two bedroom RV? We have been married for 42 years and never had this problem until we moved into the 5th wheel. My husband doesn’t want to sleep in separate beds or rooms. I'd love to hear some sound (sleeping) advice.
--Not Sleeping in Seattle
Dear Not Sleeping:
It appears you are both sound sleepers. He now has a machine to control his sound. It sounds like you are still snoring, yet he wants to continue sleeping with you. I think you should be able to put up with his mask and apparatus. I think it means a lot that he doesn’t want to have separate sleeping arrangements. Forty-two years with this character -all the moodiness, all the complaining, every night with the snoring, forty-two years of it, and yet he still loves you.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Hubby does not like making reservations
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
Now that so many camping facilities are on some type of reservation system, I think it is important that we begin making arrangements before we begin a trip. My husband, Dan, does not like making reservations. He thinks it puts us on a schedule and forces us to move whether we are ready to or not. If we don’t make reservations we cannot get into many campgrounds that we enjoy. It’s a “Catch 22” and causes many arguments. How can we solve this dilemma?
--Book 'em, Danno, in Delray Beach
Dear Danno:
It is getting harder every year to schedule a trip, or stay where you want, when you want. I just heard of a software program that some campers are using that works similar to an Ebay Auction software. It will actually monitor a reservation site, snag cancelations and keep them open until the users decide whether they want them or not. I have seen people scalping reservations on Ebay and Craigslist for popular sites. Competition for campsites is heating up as more and more RVer’s hit the road. The process of supply and demand continues to increase camping costs, along with government decisions to farm public campgrounds out to concessioners who find it easier to raise pricing and switch to a reservation system. Many people who have been fighting the urge to reserve a site are now finding it much more convenient to secure a few great places, and put themselves on a schedule. The alternative is to constantly play campground Bingo on the computer or show up and hope for an opening. It is all part of the stress of combat camping. In your case you might want to compromise and do a bit of both. Reserve some of the places you both know you want, and wing it with the rest. Not making reservations also forces you to move constantly from site to site when you do get into a park and often move out during busy weekends that have been entirely booked. I know it’s tough when the fish are biting and you have to move on to your next reservation. Welcome to camping in the 21st century.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
Now that so many camping facilities are on some type of reservation system, I think it is important that we begin making arrangements before we begin a trip. My husband, Dan, does not like making reservations. He thinks it puts us on a schedule and forces us to move whether we are ready to or not. If we don’t make reservations we cannot get into many campgrounds that we enjoy. It’s a “Catch 22” and causes many arguments. How can we solve this dilemma?
--Book 'em, Danno, in Delray Beach
Dear Danno:
It is getting harder every year to schedule a trip, or stay where you want, when you want. I just heard of a software program that some campers are using that works similar to an Ebay Auction software. It will actually monitor a reservation site, snag cancelations and keep them open until the users decide whether they want them or not. I have seen people scalping reservations on Ebay and Craigslist for popular sites. Competition for campsites is heating up as more and more RVer’s hit the road. The process of supply and demand continues to increase camping costs, along with government decisions to farm public campgrounds out to concessioners who find it easier to raise pricing and switch to a reservation system. Many people who have been fighting the urge to reserve a site are now finding it much more convenient to secure a few great places, and put themselves on a schedule. The alternative is to constantly play campground Bingo on the computer or show up and hope for an opening. It is all part of the stress of combat camping. In your case you might want to compromise and do a bit of both. Reserve some of the places you both know you want, and wing it with the rest. Not making reservations also forces you to move constantly from site to site when you do get into a park and often move out during busy weekends that have been entirely booked. I know it’s tough when the fish are biting and you have to move on to your next reservation. Welcome to camping in the 21st century.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
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