The Roommate.

Last night was not so easy. My roommate is in his 70’s or early 80’s and turned his tv on by evening. Oh my goodness it was blasting. I had already asked to move rooms because of a noisy roommate and was determined not to have to again. I asked for earplugs and arranged for my medicine to be well-timed. My roommate turned off the tv at bedtime and I….couldn’t sleep. I had earplugs. I had drugs. I had an adjustable bed with plenty of pillows and blankets, but I didn’t have sleep. Oh, I’ve slept for a few hours here and there, but it wasn’t deep restful sleep. Then this morning my roommate called for help as he had messed himself. They did the neurological tests where they ask his name, birthdate, where he is at, etc. it was a new person asking him and they didn’t seem concerned, but I’d been listening all day and his answers were a lot slower and he covered with humor, but he had to think for a long time on somethings. In fact, he got the year and days backwards on his birthdate before quickly correcting himself.

I don’t know if it was the right thing to do, but I went against doctors orders and got up and walked on my own to the nurses station so I could tell them. They came and spent time with him and I pray all is well, but I think they are going to keep a closer eye on him. I think that it is important to have an advocate with you in the hospital.

A Great New Day.
Dr. Dacey- am I cleared for such heavy lifting???

So it was a really great day.  We had lunch with some friends downtown in St. Louis, but by the time I got back to the berry’s I had hit a wall and-when I sat down for just a second…I was asleep for 4 hours.  Apparently I needed it badly.

How’d I get her confused
with Charlie?

Carrie’s cousin brought her little girl, Amelia, over.  Amelia came in and tried to wake me up and say hello and apparently I just kept say, “Stop it, Charlie.  Go away, Charlie!”  Too funny.  The bad news, is that the recliner is semi-broken and falls way back when you sit in it, so I slept those 4 hours with my legs over my head and I was kind of a mess when I woke up.

I mean- it’s all good.  I’m on heavy narcotics for my pain, so I can’t drive anyway.  Carrie did all the driving to Pittsfield tonight and once I had my meds and got to moving around with my cane…  well, I did fine.

Alright, so as usual, it is the middle of the night and I can’t sleep.  I don’t know what is wrong with me.  It isn’t the pain.  My meds are on schedule.  I think that it is just very tough, right now, for me to turn-off my brain -even when it is exhausted.  I guess during this past week I’ve just pushed through until I crash and that is what gave me the sleep I needed.  Tonight.  I’m taking a long hot bath, reading a little and I’m going to go back and try this ‘sleep’ thing again.  It’s going to work.

Oh- there is a connective cute-factor.

I guess all these sleepless nights could have SOMETHING to do with the fact I’m taking naps all throughout the day whenever I get tired and then sitting up half-the-night with no sleep.  Well, for now, blessings and goodnight!  I’m determined to sleep soon!

PS:  Keep your eyes peeled.  Carrie has a blog posting on its way first thing tomorrow.  I mean- by “first thing,” I mean to say:  Whenever we finally bother to wake up, have coffee and breakfast and eventually find the energy to do something productive.  Lately, we’ve not been very productive before 10 am!