Hi all,  

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm wondering what the possibility of starting an AWAKE meeting for those of us here in southern California, say, West L.A. the vally, and points north.  There may even be people from other parts of Los Angeles that would be interested in having something like that.  I'm not saying that I'm willing to start it; I'm not as knowledgeable as many people here, but I'd sure love to have a group closer than, say, Long Beach.  Has anyone in this area heard of anyone expressing an interest in starting an AWAKE group here?  


Sleepytime

I'm in Thousand Oaks and have been planning to start one out here as soon as my life calms down (that may only be when I'm dead   ).  You would have the same resources as anyone else to start one.  The ASAA provides guidance and a starter package.  Linda started one, so you could talk to her if you are interested.  Or maybe we can get together and start one.

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

There are a few AWAKE groups in southern California (see list in the FAQ section, link provided below at bottom of my message), but I don't know how active they are or if they are close enough to your area.

It's good if you can collaborate with someone.  There's some work involved so it's nice and less stressful to share the work.  For example, if one co-coordinator can't make a meeting, the other one can.  

It's also a good idea to partner with a sleep study center or DME.  It seems most of the AWAKE groups are partnered with sleep study centers.  In some cases someone of the sleep center staff coordinates the group, or in other cases a  private individual coordinates the group but the sleep study center provides space or other assistance.  

If you partner with a sleep center or DME, the advantage is they will help with mailing costs, if you mail meeting or event notices.  Plus they have access to patients, they can offer patients the chance to sign up for the group and with permission provide contact information.  It's a good source of AWAKE group participants.  I've heard of one sleep study center that runs a group but is successful in having recruited other area competing sleep study centers in helping, by providing space, speakers, etc.  That's got to be difficult to do, but it's possible.  

Even if you do not partner with a sleep study center or DME and are independently run, it's good to have a relationship with them.  They are usually good sources for speakers because they know the area's doctors.  And the sleep study centers know the local manufacturer reps.  If it can be arranged, often the reps are happy to attend an AWAKE meeting.  


The success of an AWAKE group varies from place to place.  You can put a lot of work into it and still few show up.  Or you may have large attendence.  And it doesn't necessarily depend on how much work you put into it.  My group is independent.  At best I had 13 attendees, and now it's at best 3 or 4.  But both me and my co-coordinator had gotten lax in everything.  But some groups have consistently good turnout.

Some groups meet monthly, but many have gone to every other month or quarterly.  You can notify people of meetings different ways.  You can have notifications in local newspapers.  And once you have attendees you can contact via phone, email or mailings.  Not everyone uses email.  I've heard that most sleep center AWAKE groups will mail notices of meetings, so going quarterly or every other month is easier when it comes to notification.  You can rely only on announcing a regularly-scheduled meeting, but usually notification helps.


For next year I am planning a public program on Sleep Apnea Awareness Day in March.  I had done one during my first year with my group, but I  had not done one last year.  The first one was pretty good, even though lots went wrong.  And it's a pretty rural area here, even though this is a kind of medical center for the local region.  I'm fortunate because the hospital has a separate building for educational purposes and has conference rooms and an auditorium, all free for medical non-profit groups.  What's nice about Sleep  Apnea Awareness Day is that it is held during National Sleep Awareness Week.  

Although I've selected the date and arranged for the auditorium, I'm struggling over how to arrange this program.  At the first one, the media arrived.  A local TV news station sent a camera crew (sure, it was a station noone watches.  lol ).  And while it was nice to have a news story (even if noone saw it), the patient participants were not wild about them being there.  So I'm going to have to try and separate some of the activities.  At my first program I had a couple of speakers.  (one or two also failed to appear!)  But a DME brought a variety of masks for folks to view, and we all love to look at the masks!  I had handouts of info.  Depending on the area, a public program can be good for promoting public awareness.

Although I've struggled to organize my regular AWAKE group and it's dwindled to almost nothingness, I did manage to have some speakers.  A F&P rep came with equipment to show and describe.  A Respiratory Therapist came to talk and was good at answering questions.  But mostly people like to spend much of the time talking to each other, comparing notes.  Like here, it's helpful.  Plus locally it's of a help, because people exchange experiences they've had with local DMEs and sleep study centers and about doctors.  That's a good reason to have a group.  As you know, patients aren't always told things (or they forget them because of their brain fog).  So many times I heard "I didn't know that!" or "I wasn't told that!"



Linda


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Click here for link to FAQ and topics
Click here for link to section on machines and masks

Thank you, Vicki and Linda.  

I'm not sure how much I could do, Vicki, but it would sure be easier for me to work with someone, so when you're able to organize a meeting, let me know.  Maybe someone more capable than me will come along before then.   

None of the meetings are really close enough for me to go to, Linda, especially since I don't drive.  I'm willing to deal with public transportation, though, even though ours isn't the greatest.  

Thank you very much for all of the helpful and interesting information about your group.  It gives me an idea of what kinds of things go in to organizing one  

Thanks again, ladies.  

Sleepytime.

Hi, I am new to this forum and I am kind of finding my way around.

My name is Dr. Jonathan Greenburg and I have a sleep center in Valencia. I used to be a "Dentist to the Stars" but I have a new passion for helping people with sleep disorders, snoring, CPAP intolerance or any other type of OSD. I see many of my associates in the medical community willing to prescribe CPAP, however there is NO follow-up and over 85% of those patients that are prescribed are not even using the equipement.

I consider myself a soldier in this army trying to bring attention to how easy it is to treat this, however because there is no money in it....well, I could go on, but I'll save myself for any of you that want to know more.

I am willing to educate and treat people in the Southern California area, and if you are interested I will invite you to a FREE live teleseminar that you can register for at my website. <link removed>

Thanks for having such a great forum and let me know how I can be of assistance.  

Welcome Dr  

Once the members realize you are here the questions will pile up faster than you know what  

This IS a great forum. As you wind your way through the posts and issues, I'm sure you'll be impressed with the amount of knowledge that has been amassed through experience, trial and error.

Having apnea and usually along with other medical conditions is a difficult affliction. By the time we smarten up and realize we are really suffering with *something* other than getting older, much time has passed and body damage done or started to weaken. We are so happy to know that there is a cause/reason for us feeling as we do and that there is help..... and THEN we learn about being married to the machine and THE MASK    

Anyway, welcome, hope you stick around and enjoy our company as I'm sure we'll enjoy yours.

ed to ad: I'm going to recommend your post being pulled from this thread and put in a more prominent place on the main apnea board.


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Sleepytime wrote:

Hi all,  

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm wondering what the possibility of starting an AWAKE meeting for those of us here in southern California, say, West L.A. the vally, and points north.  There may even be people from other parts of Los Angeles that would be interested in having something like that.  I'm not saying that I'm willing to start it; I'm not as knowledgeable as many people here, but I'd sure love to have a group closer than, say, Long Beach.  Has anyone in this area heard of anyone expressing an interest in starting an AWAKE group here?  


Sleepytime

I would like to join a fairly local group, I live in Pasadena. Please let me know. Mariam <contact me by private message>

I would love to help start an A.W.A.K.E. in the Pasadena area! The westside would be a little far - I live in Azusa, so the drive would be a bit much, but I work in Pasadena.

Is anyone else interested?