I Survived the Week.

I blogged that this was going to be an awful week. It was. My biggest problem is that I was tired all week. I didn't get enough rest and felt exhausted all week. Every time I wanted to take a nap, I couldn't because I had to go somewhere or someone was going to be here.

Finally last night I got into bed around 8 or so to read. I didn't read very long before I fell asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and fell back to sleep pretty quick. I woke up at 830. That means close to 12 hours of sleep. I needed that sleep.

I feel much better today.

Its amazing how important sleep can be. If you do not get enough rest your body is running on its last legs. Its can be as important as getting food and water. Most people can get by on a few hours of sleep for a few nights. But me, I need my eight hours or more of sleep. Now ten hours is better for me. And I need to be able to spend some time during the day taking it easy.

But now we are on to another week where I do not have anywhere as crazy a schedule as last week. Sleep and rest will be high on the agenda. I will pencil in some naps as well.

I wish I could go back to the days where I could go from one activity to another. Those days are long gone. I just have to get used to that part.

The Snoring Controversy

Do you snore? No of course not. You have never heard yourself snore. So of course you don't. Sometimes its possible your spouse/partner/significant other will infer that you might snore a tiny bit. But that doesn't mean its really true. Does it?

Last night I had the oh-so enjoyable sleep lab test. I had a sleep test about two years ago so it wasn't all that unfamiliar but I don't remember squat these days.... But because of my blood oxygen levels and my feelings of fatigue it was time for another one.

I got there at 830 last night and was escorted to my 'comfy', 'little' (hospital) bed. They gave me time to change into my PJs and hit the bathroom before they put about 800 leads on my head and face. No not 800, maybe 22 or something. But it took about 40 minutes to get me all connected and then of course I had to pee again so I took the whole concoction with me to the bathroom and then got back in bed.

Then I took my sleeping pill so I could pretend I would actually get some sleep. Then she said 'don't stay up late on your phone and she closed the door and shut off the light. Like I was 8 years old. I should have brought a flashlight so I could read under the blankets in bed.

I finally fell asleep and I must have slept for five hours or so. When I woke up I lay there sort of awake but not really for a couple of hours. Half in and half out of it.

At 530 in the morning, the technician was all perky and said it was time to wake up. That was way too early to be perky. I asked her if I snored. She said she COULDN'T TELL ME! What? She said I could ask my doctor after the report was ready. Which is in two or three weeks. She said the sleep lab generates about 900 pages of crap to be read and then it was summarized in a report for my doctor.

After another 20 minutes of her taking off my million little cables, I was allowed to get out of bed finally and got changed back into my clothes. Unfortunately the cafeteria wasn't open yet so I struggled to the gym without coffee.

And I still don't know if I snore or not. I will definitely need a nap later today.

A Relationship Gone Bad

I never used to mind climbing stairs. I would skip elevators and walk up and down stairs so I could pretend I was getting extra exercise. It was no big deal. At all.

After my body decided to go to hell in a hand basket, I would sit in the living room and think about something I want from upstairs..... But delay so I could combine trips to reduce the number of times I needed to climb them.

We moved so I could live mostly on one floor. I have enjoyed that. I really have. I could avoid the stairs for days at a time if needed. If I want to go out I can walk down the front steps - all five of them. Its very relaxing. I don't have to worry about going up and down stairs. I may not get as much exercise but I don't get as tired.

Now on vacation we are in a very old house with a nice tall flight of stairs between our bedroom and useful places, like the kitchen. I am not used to stairs. I am avoiding the stairs. I am trying to limit my trips up and down these stairs. But its not working. I am taking too many trips up and down stairs. I need to stop taking as many trips but its not easy.

Every time I head for the other floor, I try to plan ahead and think what I might need to bring or get so I can limit my trips. But it never works. I was upstairs resting and my parents were both sleeping downstairs and the phone rang so I had to run down the stairs.... and it was a wrong number.

If I take too many trips up and down stairs, I might have to cut back on my trips to the beach (all 872 feet of it, give or take). I am here to go to the beach and not to go up and down stairs.

Recovery Mode

One of my oldest and best friends came to visit with her husband. Now I need to recover. No alcohol. No walking around. No standing. No doing anything. And only salad for the next month.

Also I need to rest. They left under an hour ago. I am lying in bed with my feet up. Waiting for a pain pill to kick in so I can begin to move again.

And I forgot I have a doctor appointment tomorrow morning. Damn.

However I spent the last five days having fun and not being any kind of patient. It was worth it.

Finding more rest

Yesterday I did not over do things at all. I did not go help a friend as planned (she didn't need me), I ran a few errands and mostly stayed home. I took a nap. I snoozed, not completely asleep, nor really awake, for an hour and a half. Then I finally felt better and we went out to dinner. After we came home, I went to bed. I woke up when Evil Kitty bit my toes.

However, I am not out of the woods yet. I need to keep up on my rest level up.

Getting behind on rest is like getting behind on pain for me. I know you can't really catch upon sleep but I can get catch up on rest, sort of. If I stretch myself too thin, I can compensate by resting more to feel better. This is my goal for the day. Its not medical science or anything but it does make me feel better.

After all these years I know my body, better and better. Its just when a medical hiccough kicks in and messes me up that I have issues. I have learned the value of a good night's sleep and resting as needed to get me through my days. Do you remember having to take naps as a child? And hating them??? I now appreciate them! And just lying down for most of the day.

But in some ways I am a little old lady...  Who is 37.... Still.

Fatigue sucks. Did anyone find a cure for it yet?

I ran out 'rest' before I ran out of 'week'

I had a tough week. I didn't have enough time to rest. It was very difficult. Last night I fell asleep on the couch at 8 pm and then got ten hours of sleep. I may need a nap later. (The cats don't understand that I need to sleep.)

This was my week: Monday was a holiday and we had house guests. Tuesday I didn't go anywhere but I got a lot done at home and got up with my husband and made him lunch before he left for work at 7. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the electrician was here. While I greatly appreciate having a house where all the outlets work, having outside outlets and exterior lights, as well as ceiling lights in all the rooms, I had to get up and be dressed long before he got here at 830 am. All three days I went out and ran errands for a few hours when he was here.

You think that sounds like nothing. But it was hard for me. To help you understand, the biggest issue I face on a day to day basis is not pain, it is fatigue. (Except when pain decides its time to rule and I am miserable.) You can treat pain with medications, therapy, and more. You cannot treat fatigue. There is no magic pill for fatigue. You need to lie down to recover from fatigue and wait until you feel better. And that takes time. Lots of time. And I felt weird about taking a nap while the electrician was here.

Today my plans are to give my husband a list of stuff he could take care of and then stay in bed for a few more hours. I have a new stack of books from the library, a DVR full of shows to watch, and cats who like to snuggle. I also want to get to a friend's estate sale to provide moral support but that will have to be a bit later. We will then go out to dinner and I will again go to bed early. And I hope to sleep later again tomorrow. And take another nap.