Technology Breakthrough Allows for Full Night of Rest
Fullerton resident Gaetano San Paolo is 79 years old and finally after more than 50 years of suffering each night trying to sleep, his life has changed. The Viet Nam veteran has struggled ever since he returned home from the war.
“I was in Vietnam in ’68 and ’69 and I saw some things that would affect me most of my life,” he said. “By the early ‘70s, my nightmares had become so severe that I finally got help from the VA.”
His PTSD counseling ultimately gave him some relief, but sleep was still hard for Gaetano. His nightmares became less frequent, but he would wake up gagging for air as much as 90 times per hour. Doctors removed his tonsils and prescribed CPAP therapy, but Gaetano couldn’t endure it.
“After my time in Nam (Vietnam) and my exposure to Agent Orange, I couldn’t face wearing the CPAP mask, it was too much,” he said. “Then I met Dr. Martin, God bless her.”
Elaine C. Martin, MD is a head and neck surgeon at Providence St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton. She told Gaetano about a new medical device called Inspire that’s implanted just under the skin in the chest.
The device stimulates the tongue, so it doesn’t block airways. It’s programmed to start the stimulation after the patient falls asleep.
“I felt better the first night after the procedure,” said Gaetano. “I slept all the way through the night for the first time in more than 50 years.”
Gaetano’s nightly snoring and gagging ended and Marsha, his wife of 58 years noticed it as well.
“She’s been my rock through all my problems,” he said. “I couldn’t have made it without her; now she can sleep, too.”
