Dear Marion,

Irreverent matitudinal thoughts about obstructive sleep apnea.
Just as with the hats that Margot sold, there are fashions in medical
diagnosis.  OSA may be one of them. My own professional experience
is with "dry eyes". Here's a blurb on the Internet from
the Sjoegren Syndrome Foundation:

"Millions of Americans suffer from dry eye. 
There are two main causes: decreased secretion
of tears by the lacrimal (tear-producing) glands
and loss of tears due to excess evaporation.
Both can lead to ocular surface discomfort,
often described as feelings of dryness, burning,
a sandy/gritty sensation, or itchiness.
Visual fatigue, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision
are also characteristic of dry eye."

That kind of information is great for business.
I've been in the eye racket for 48 years, I've had
many a patient complain of "dry eyes". I've written not
a single prescription for "artifical tears." My treatment:
stop rubbing your eyes, stop using all eye drops,
don't try to "wash your eyes", let your eyes wash themselves.
All the patients who stayed with me got better. Maybe all
those who didn't, went elsewhere. The drug companies peddle
many different eye drops for "dry eyes." A sales rep
confessed to me in a moment of weakness that the company
preferentially promotes "artificial tears" on which it
makes a big profit. "Artificial tears", being glorified
water, cost little to produce and didn't require
FDA approval; and best of all, to prevent bacterial
contamination, they contain a preservative which often 
causes redness and irritation and does wonders to keep
the disease alive.

Turning now to a novelist's view of treatment for obstructive
sleep apnea as marital therapy. She: I can't stand it any longer,
your snoring keeps me awake. He: I can't help it. I can't stop
myself from snoring when I'm asleep. She: For God's sake,
get something to knock yourself out. He: O.K., I'll get a bottle
of Jack Daniels. She: Hell no, I don't want a drunk in my bed.
Go to the doctor. Doctor: Hypnotics or sedatives are very dangerous
for you. They might cause you to wake up dead. Tell your wife
you have obstructive sleep apnea. I'll prescribe a C-PAP (continuous
positive airway pressure) machine. Medicare will pay for it.
At night you wear a face mask, - good excuse for not having to
kiss her; a face mask connected to tubes that connect you to the
machine. Will make your wife think she's bedded down in an ICU.
May make her wish she'd never complained about your snoring.
Use it for a few weeks, and probably she'll be cured.

Jochen