How did this happen?*

well, in looking back, i can only recall....that it has been 3+ years where i noticed i was tired, gained weight and my memory would failed me a lot. I was in Tampa, Florida at that a time. I decided to begin all kinds of tests from hormone to thyroyd to you name it.....I knew i did not have just insomnia, but all drs. would just prescribe sleeping pills. I still was not at ease. In this last 3 years, i wanted so much to have quality of life and energy, exercise was a master task, mind you i still dont know what is wrong with me, but i do notice i am bloated....and not myself when it comes to my energy level. I still think this is not just insomnia, there is something else. I have been now been missdiagnosed by 3 different expert doctors. but in typical anabelle fashion, persistent is my middle name. I learned how to meditate and all kinds of wonderful natural sleeping herbs....there is always new doors that open ;o).

I then got nominated by Cisco to do a professional rotation for 2 years where I'd get to work on key projects for the company. At that time, that sounded fantastic, as I had lead Latam Marketing for 5 years, it was time for a new assignement. This moved me out to Northern California, where I still live. I was in my last 2 semester of Gestalt Psychology, and exhausted with travel and school and well, not sleeping any.

Once I settled and began my job, my condition seemed to get worst....that is the memory and not beeing able to sleep withouth Ambian. I began once again the search....this time at Stanford sleeping disorder clinic....aha! you think...the best, they will find what the issue is.

I went to the sleeping disorder clinic in June, because my parents were here after the big celebration of my birthday in Napa! So, mom wanted to also get to the bottom of what the issue is with my lack of sleep. So we went on to the Stanford Sleeping Disorder clinic. I got the appointment and on we went....Well, this is a very funny part of my story that i must share, as i mentioned, we are from Spain, so siestas are just part of our lives...this appointment happen to be at 2:00 pm....humm you are putting 2 + 2 together, we went and while I am filling out 20 pages of my life history my mom decides to fall sleep - yup, she did, in the waiting room of the Stanford Sleeping Disorder clinic....2 and hafl hours later....I am done and once again diagnosed with Insomnia and given a bigger dose of Ambian, now i have CR...which now i dont only no sleep at night but i can bearly work during the day. All the cases and my attitude, level of activity pointed to me not having anything else but insomnia....boy were they wrong!....The doctor todl me to go to group therapy....I did, I'd to anything to get better, although i todl him this was not a solution...sure enough I could almost teach this class. The group was the nicest people and it is very sad how many things cause insomina and how many people have this. I gave it 3 weeks....knowing that i did not feel any better, yet worst with the new drug, i called Stanford and asked to be scheduled for a sleepign test....but "no, mrs. pinto we can't, your doctor did not order it" i said, hummm...strange....then long story short i bacame friends with the receptionist, whose name will remain blank...and she got me in August - there was one cancellation.

Here is an excellent article - with great success rates - in case you are not convinced to get this surgery - http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/116/6/1519. My case to have 2 surgeries is very rare, ask you doctor - you will be successful with just one and they have a very high success rate. I am able to breath beautiful - and that is the goal -