Born premature, Crystal Leigh Baugh entered the world already facing serious challenges. Before she was a month old, her mother died, and Baugh herself would deal with her own serious health challenges.
“As a child, I was constantly exhausted,” she said. “My grandma would watch me play with other kids. She noticed that I could never keep up with the rest of the kids in my class. I wasn’t really running; it was more like a slow jog.”
Concerned, her grandmother took her to a primary care doctor, who discovered a heart defect. At around age 6, Baugh underwent a procedure to address the issue. Even after that, the fatigue never really went away. “Growing up, I was still really tired — just like, exhausted,” she said.
Being raised by her grandmother brought stability, but energy remained elusive. Baugh struggled to socialize or live comfortably. “I never had time with my friends or my family or anything,” she said. “Even after my heart surgery, I was still exhausted.”
It wasn’t until adulthood that another major piece of the puzzle came into focus. After starting a new job with good health insurance, Baugh decided to investigate why she was “always fatigued” and “falling asleep all over the place.” A sleep study revealed she had severe obstructive sleep apnea, with 34.5 breathing events an hour. “Basically, my brain wasn’t ever getting enough oxygen or rest,” she said.
Baugh tried CPAP therapy for about a year, but it never worked well for her. “I tried everything,” she said. “Chin strap, different sleep positions. It would just not stay on my head.” Frequent mask leaks made the treatment ineffective, leaving her just as tired as before.
Surgical option
Searching for another option, Baugh was referred to otolaryngologist Morgan Yost, DO, who introduced her to the Airlift procedure, a minimally invasive, outpatient surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that suspends the hyoid bone and tongue base to open the airway. After a sleep-induced endoscopy confirmed her airway was collapsing during sleep, Dr. Yost recommended surgery to suspend her hyoid bone and open her airway. “I was so excited and willing to try anything,” she said.
The results were immediate. “I felt so much better right away,” Baugh said. Migraines nearly disappeared, morning grogginess faded, and energy returned. For the first time, rest was real.
These days, Baugh says the difference has been life-changing. “I feel so much better now that I can get quality sleep,” she said. She and her husband, Richard, now work out together several times a week — something that once felt impossible.
It wasn’t until adulthood that another major piece of the puzzle came into focus. After starting a new job with good health insurance, Baugh decided to investigate why she was “always fatigued” and “falling asleep all over the place.” A sleep study revealed she had severe obstructive sleep apnea, with 34.5 breathing events an hour. “Basically, my brain wasn’t ever getting enough oxygen or rest,” she said.
Now, when it’s time to unwind, rest feels like joy instead of recovery. The couple travels to Las Vegas, California and Disneyland, or soaks together in the hot pools at Lava Hot Springs and Downata Hot Springs. After a lifetime of exhaustion, Baugh is finally rested — and grateful.
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