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Thursday, September 09, 2010

SNOOZE FEST!!! (Only not really.) The story of my trip to the Sleep Lab

My loved ones tell me I snore.  I didn't believe them until I woke myself up with a snort.  I've known for years that I talk in my sleep. I give my husband heck all the time for stuff he did in some alternate universe.  I know I clench my jaw because I feel it when I wake up.  Apparently I also twitch, kick, sit up and yell.

That's why last night, Jethro drove me to the sleep lab.  I was worried. Nervous.  Anxious. He assured me I'd live.  He's done it twice.  He lived.  He told me all about what to expect and how it would go.  They'd give me a room, I'd get all ready for bed, and then they'd strap me up with belts and wires stick things to me.  Once I was jammied and tooth-brushed they'd get me all wired up. 


Here's a pic to demonstrate not only my crooked nose but also how wired I was, literally.  See the little white sticker on the top of my head?  There were a few more of those around the back.  See the colourful wires hanging over my shoulder?  That's what the stickers are attached to.  The other end was stuck to a little blue box which hung around my neck by that dark wire on my chest.  There was a strange little red ring under my nose attached by a white cord.  

See the wires taped to my legs?  Yeah I shaved my legs before I went in.  I thought that would make one less thing to get uptight about.  Of course I busted out the woolly socks. 


And just to make me feel a little bit happier, I wore my Paw Prints and Dog Bones jammies.  

In this next picture you can see that blue thing that the head wires attached to.  Later I took it off and set it on the bed next to me.  I got a little pulse reader taped to my finger. 



Then I got to go to sleep like that.

I was stupidly tired by lights-out at 11:30, since I'd been awake since before 6 am.  I'd been reading for awhile before sleep time. I was almost done MOCKINGJAY  (which is incredible on so many levels by the way) and had a hard time putting it away but my eyes were going sideways.  My room was dark enough to rest but a small amount of light came in through the curtain so I could at least see the intercom is I needed anything.  You know, like needing to be unplugged if I needed a trip to a can.

I don't know how long it took to fall asleep. It felt like it took forever but I've had that feeling before and it's never as long as I think.  It felt like about two minutes later the door opened and it was time to get my tapes ripped off.

I groggily changed into my clothes, filled out my questionnaire, then stumbled into the elevator.

Jethro drove me home as the sun came up.

And guess what?  He was right - I survived!

I hope after all this we can figure out why I'm so tired all the time.  And man am I ever gonna sleep good tonight.

5 comments:

Whywudyabreedit said...

Wow! They really had you wired up! I hope you get some good useful information out of that. You know, something that can actually be done to help with your sleep.

Good luck!

Trailboss said...

How ironic. I just had the same thing done. I did have to get up and go to the bathroom twice (but I am much older than you missy) but I was able to go right back to sleep. When I was woken up the next morning she told me that I do in fact have sleep apnea. I go back next Wednesday to have the test explained to me as far as what I did, etc. She did tell me that my oxygen level got in the 80's which apparently is not good. I am anxious to hear all about it. Let's keep in touch....we can be sleep apnea buddies!

Paul Tee said...

You look like the back of my computer.

Are you sure they didn't up or download some malware into you while you slept? I'm just saying.

A Paperback Writer said...

Congratulations on sleeping at all under those circumstances.
My mom had to do that same thing a few years ago -- but she slept better there than she was used to at home!! funny.
They did discover, however, that she has that thing where you stop breathing in your sleep. Fortunately, she'd just wake herself up over it.
Now she sleeps with an oxygen max on. It's not too fun, but she does sleep better, and the family knows she's not going to stop breathing in her sleep.

Heidi Willis said...

Holy heck, that's a lot of wires! Good thing there wasn't a lightening storm!

I've known several people just in the last month do this. I hope it gives you some answers. Being sleep deprived is an awful way to live life!

xoxo