As a veteran who uses Veteran's Administration Health Care in conjunction with general health care, I feel I must disagree with you on the subject. I have found that a cooperative and communicative atmosphere and attitude between the two is extremely helpful and improves overall care for individuals. My opinion may come from anecdotal information and experience, but I have heard similar information from many different areas of the country. VA care and support has improved greatly over the past couple decades. I believe it will continue to improve with the support of the general population and the government. Remember we veterans are responsible for the non verterans having the freedoms, rights and liberties afforded them in this great country.

End of rant.

On a different note, sleep studies and sleep apnea treatments are hit and miss at best. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea several years ago and find the use of a CPAP machine very cumbersom, irritating, inefficient and totally unpleasant. The tubes, masks, and air flow is a constant irritation and often interruption of sleep. If the mask gets a little out of place the air flow can awaken the person or partner and interrupt their sleep, a very unpleasant experience in my nights.

Sleep studies are inefficient and do not truly measure a full night's sleep record. I have had four or five of them and each one I went home after less than 6 hours of potential sleep which was not constistent or restful. I felt I was awake more than I was asleep.

The recently more advertised implant invention seems to mis-inform the public also. It claims that a person can get rid of the machine and have no tubes or masks, just sleep. I have spoken with a sleep specialist physician regarding that and even called the company, there is no guarantee that the CPAP machine will NOT be necessary to continue the treatment. In addition the installation of the device requires surgery and implantation of three different items in three different locations. Is that false advertisement?

I guess I should here end my second rant.

I had known Meg way back in the day when I was just starting to work with models. Meg was always a fun and basically happy person who worked well with students as well as myself.

After years of going to collage she left to join the US Navy and I lost track of her.

Then one day I got a phone call from her at the school where we had worked together. She was back and going to collage working on a masters degree is business. She spoke about the old days and how she missed modeling. I had a rare opportunity the next week to shoot at a renovated warehouse with newly poured concrete floors that were covered with plastic as part of the curing process.

I explained the idea and Meg lite up, what costume then was her question. The idea was dance, modern dance which she has told me she had just begun taking, and I explained that I had just gotten a pair of full length culotte pants.

I should say, I did have studio flash gear and used it, but I wanted the movement in both clothing and in her body.

The whole OxyContin thing has made doctors gun shy about any drug that might be abused, including benzodiazepines, but since I have a very long history with both my primary care physician as well as multiple specialists and the local hospital, combined with my appearance, medical knowledge and age, I’ve found no concern about the relatively small dosage I use for sleep. all depends on the individual and the relationship.

BTW, it was originally prescribed for anxiety/stress after my first MI, and while I keep one in my pocket (along with a beta blocker and a nitro pill) for high stress cardiac situations (that very rarely occur since I retired), I maybe take one a couple times a year, perhaps before a high stress medical procedure. I have found that it is an excellent anxiety reliever (important if you’ve had multiple MIs, partly caused by stress) with zero side effects and zero tendency to take any more than needed or increase the dose. There are valid reasons for anti-anxiety and sleep aids, just like other medications, and I think because of the OxyContin disaster, the public and some doctors are overreacting to any drug that can possibly be abused. I’d hazard a guess that alcohol and tobacco are much more likely to be addictive and dangerous than a small dose of Xanax to sleep. Is that TMI?