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October 29, 2012
News Releases
Join
us for our special holiday event on Monday, December 3, 2012, and meet Sherry
Johnston from The Biggest Loser, Season 9. When Sherry and her daughter Ashley
arrived at The Biggest Loser’s Ranch, they already knew they had sleep apnea.
They just hadn't been able to treat it. At 5'1," Sherry weighed in at 218
pounds.
In a
National Sleep Foundation article, Sherry said one of the best parts of being a
contestant on The Biggest Loser was receiving free, brand new CPAPs for her and
Ashley. "[It] was one of the greatest gifts I, or Ashley, have been
given...it was the first really good night's sleep I'd had in a long time.” She
went on to say she didn't realize how important CPAP was, and how she was
putting her life in jeopardy by not using it. Of the 22 contestants that
season, 20 of them had sleep apnea.
Sherry has
lost 99 pounds, and is now the same size she was on her wedding day (105
pounds). She and Ashley are still using their CPAPs and are doing well.
Do
you or someone you know suffer from sleep problems? If so, you are
encouraged to attend this support group meeting on Monday, December 3, from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Parrish Healthcare Center at Port St. John, 5005 Port St.
John Parkway (east of the I-95 Port St. John exit). Meetings are held in the
Conference Center by the south entrance (near the sleep lab). This is a free
community service. Please call 321-268-6408 to register.
Join us and hear Sherry’s
inspiring story. Then enjoy the Holiday Sleep Style Show as “models” wear newer
CPAP machines. Refreshments and door prizes will also be available.
If you’ve struggled with
using your CPAP machine, don’t wait to get help. It could be a matter of life
or death. The care partners at the Parrish Sleep Disorders Center can help you.
Free sleep evaluations are done by a registered technologist at every meeting.
One of the most common signs of obstructive sleep apnea is loud and chronic
(ongoing) snoring. Sleep apnea can result in depression, diabetes and morning
headaches. Sleep apnea also contributes to high blood pressure, which an
estimated 50 percent of sleep apnea patients have. The greatest risk from this
sleep disorder, however, is stroke or heart attack. Everyone (you, someone you
know or anyone with a sleep partner) who suffers from the sleep apnea warning
signs mentioned above should take these symptoms seriously.
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