Apnea poem

Author’s note: Earlier this year I was diagnosed with sleep apnea (if you don’t know what that is go here). I believe I’ve had this for many years, going back into my childhood. I wanted to capture the experience of it an so have made this rough attempt at a poem:

Apnea Poem

Another Day
I drag my ass out of bed
My head is pounding away
And my eyes feel like lead
Throat scratchy and raw
Cotton fills up my head
Tongue stuck in my maw
Feel just like walking dead

Had to pee yet again
Like I did through the night
Time to grab some caffeine
Only way I stay upright
Finally I’m on my way
This energy can’t last
It’s like this every day
All the way to my past

Wheeze my way up the stairs
Legs hurting like heck
I’m gasping for air
Blood pounding in my neck
At work I try not to show it
Try to stay interested enough
But before you know it
I’m already drifting off

My head jerks me awake
Hope nobody walking by
Heard the snoring I make
Or saw my closed eyes
More caffeine to my brain
Desperately fighting it off
That old energy drain
Another day written-off

And so we come to the end
Of yet another lost day
Time once again to descend
To drowning dreams, blocked airways
Is there any hope
I once again ask
Someone lowers a rope
Tied to a hose and a mask