Virgin from North NV Yes we exist!

goodgodgreg · Post by **goodgodgreg** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:05 am

Hi. i'm greg(or goodgodgreg if you like) I live in Elko, NV, which is in northern nevada on interstate 80. I've known about burning man for a while and every other person I know goes to it but me.

I'm dying to go but my health is really keeping me back from just going. I'm hoping that I can at least just make it for a few days this year and not be so exhausted it ruins my whole semester.

If you have any tips or are going through elko, hit me up.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:31 am

If you don't mind sharing, what are your medical issues?

goodgodgreg · Post by **goodgodgreg** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:22 pm

I have chronic migraines. I have since I was in 8th grade. I've been taking meds everyday since then. I also found that I had sleep apnea. I wear a cpap machine every night cause I stop breathing in my sleep. During one of my sleep studies i stopped breathing 100 times in one hour.

As my neurologist says that i'm just a mirgrainer. That I have to have a good sleep pattern and a healthy lifestyle or I can't be productive. I even lost 60 lbs to help my migraines (which it has).

It just hurts cause burning man stands for everything I love even down to the fact that it's in nevada and It's so hard for me to be a part of it.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:46 pm

Do a search on the board. I know we have discussed cpap machines in the past.
Do you have enough trust in your doctor to discuss this? I think you can go, but you have to have a good plan. And maybe you have to carry a watch and go to bed on time. But there is plenty of good stuff in the daytime as well. This year I learned that I just can't do the big burns. I'm too vulnerable--and I hate crowds and I hate waiting, and the burns have a lot of both. Doesn't mean I'm done with burningman though.
No harm in researching. No harm in going to Reno Decompression. No harm in generator shopping. If you figure it out, you can buy. But start planning now, asking questions now, thinking it through now. It may be too much, but learn that it's too much, rather than just taking it for granted.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:58 pm

I sympathize about migraines.

I would suggest coming the first part of the week.
And pace yourself.

goodgodgreg · Post by **goodgodgreg** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:47 pm

thank you guys. You have bring my hopes up for sure. I know that if I had a ton of money I would rent an RV and i could have my cpap in there. I even know people renting one this upcoming year but even before the 09 burn ended they already had it set on who's going. sadly i'm not on the guest list.

I really am considering just going for a few days and testing the waters. My condition isn't life threatening to the point I can't party for a few days but a week might leave me hurting for a while. And it's taken a while to get where I am health wise. and i have a lot going for me right now(job i like, college, etc.)

I guess the biggest struggle will be mental. Having to deal with the fact that my disability is only holding me back. Not being able to connect with others as much as the average BRC resident.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:54 am

I have a friend who ran his cpap machine off a 12v battery which recharged on solar during the day. He has since moved up to a camp with a genny, but it can be done. Just have an escape plan in place.

goodgodgreg · Post by **goodgodgreg** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:40 pm

wow really? i just don't want to screw up my cpap machine cause I live off of that thing. Hate to have the dust get in it and mess it up.

now I'm really considering going. you guys are making me so happy.

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:44 pm

I camped with a guy using a cpap. He ran if from a battery he also solar charged. He had a Honda generator in case he needed it. He had it in his Hummer

which he also slept in.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:48 pm

If you really don't want to take your machine to the playa...
I just did a search on Craigslist (San Francisco Bay Area) and there were several, running from $150 to 900. You could buy the same make and model (or something different if you're willing to experiment) and take one, leave one at home. I'm not sure if you'd need to sterilize it, but you probably have a better idea. Again, you start watching now, wait for the right deal to come by. And lots of people use the cpap once or twice and just can't stand it, so it's likely to happen.

AntiM's right about the escape plan. It used to be part of my standard little spiel about health issues on the playa, but 've forgotten to include that lately.

And the Firefox add-on for spelling sees "spiel" as an English word, fancy that.

njloof · Post by **njloof** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:39 am

Don't know that I can add too much to what's already been said but I've been a happy CPAP user on the Playa for 3 years now.

I can't agree more about having a backup plan. My first year I learned a harsh lesson in radical self-reliance when I forgot the cable to connect the external battery to the CPAP. Fortunately I was in Burn The Geek Camp and those guys had electronics to spare -- we ended up putting together a 12V jump battery with a 120V inverter to run the thing off of the wall wart instead. A real lifesaver -- although I knew that if I just couldn't sleep, I was only a few hours' drive away from a Motel 6. (But nobody wants to have to leave for medical reasons.)

Since then I've been a much more careful packer. I kept the CPAP in a stuff back in the tent and that seemed to keep the dust out. I use one of my old masks/hoses for those sorts of trips. I now have two CPAPs which can both be run off of batteries, and that means I can charge them both on alternating days of generator power. I have done solar setups at BM but never quite enough power to charge a CPAP fully, but I'd imagine they can be done.

So I recommend having at least 2 potential sources of power, even if that just means your primary source plus your car (with an inverter -- pack extra gasoline!). You want a CPAP with a battery so that you can run silent overnight. Check to make sure your CPAP has an altitude setting to handle the mile-high conditions, or up your pressure setting a little bit by hand if you know how.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:44 am

Yep that's right... the best way to ensure your gear stays working is to bring spare everything. If you use an inverter, bring two. I bring extra batteries, generators, tools, parts, pumps, etc.
I had an emergency in 2007 that I don't ever want to live through again. My BLENDER broke on the first day! Now I always bring a spare.

zachass · Post by **zachass** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:55 am

Captain Goddammit wrote: I had an emergency in 2007 that I don't ever want to live through again. My BLENDER broke on the first day! Now I always bring a spare.

This man is a master at priorities.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:58 am

zachass wrote:
Captain Goddammit wrote: I had an emergency in 2007 that I don't ever want to live through again. My BLENDER broke on the first day! Now I always bring a spare.

This man is a master at priorities.

He's also been know to Masturbate ..

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:15 pm

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

JK

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:11 am

Howdy GGGREG....

Welcome to the eplaya...absolutely nothing like the real thing.

go to main page and read both the first timers guide and the survival guide.

I was"haha" gifted ocular migraines this year about a month before we left. I was very scared to get one of the blinding ones out there. I was lucky and did not. Just the pain part once/twice???

Be prepared, thats your first defense, I found that the ice on the back of neck wrapped in towel helped tons!!!!
Make sure you have a place to chill out...ie a dark place to go hide from the hooplah. I did have to hide a couple times to let my head rest.

The most bestest advice I can give you is take the next 6.5 months and get as prepared for every little obstacle you can! You and only you know your limitations. plan for them and all should go well.

goodgodgreg · Post by **goodgodgreg** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:47 am

I know this is a bit late but wow thank you everyone for all of your advice. I am currently in the works of finding a burning man cpap machine and batterie for it. this has really given me hope.

I am trying to grasp this whole charging batteries solar idea but I have faith that I am closer than ever to getting to black rock.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:48 am

njloof wrote: I have done solar setups at BM but never quite enough power to charge a CPAP fully, but I'd imagine they can be done.

Am going to be using a solar panel for some power this year. I wonder how large your panel was, and your batteries, that it didn't do your cpap. Have no idea how much power they use.