My goodness,- I'm glad you got the appointment moved up but that doctor who said "no one ever died of sleep apnea" doesn't sound like the sensitive type. And it's good that the fan seemed to help. During my son's Tx for a time, he slept better with his head elevated in a recliner. Sometimes we have to try different things before finding something that works. For breathing through the nose, don't know is this would help, but what about those "BreatheRight" nasal strips? They look like a band aid and fit over the bridge of the nose attaching on either side. They really help to widen the opening of the nasal passages and allow for easier breathing through the nose. Hope everything goes well with your husbands overnight study.