This afternoon, I had my follow up appointment and learned that the home sleep study determined definitively that I do, indeed, have sleep apnea in a mild form. My airways are blocked and my body is waking up in order to open the airway at least 15 times per hour through the night (the number goes way up from there for people who have a more severe case). In any case, it means that I wake from a night's sleep not really rested.
With this determination, the insurance company has to cover the treatment, so they issued my CPAP machine then and there, and tonight will be my first trial run with it. I know that it will take a period of adjustment to sleeping with the mask on, but I am bound and determined to stick with it and get on the program.
So this is a good outcome and good news, and I hope eventually better sleep and rest for the likes of me.