Drug induced sleep means I wake up in 5 hours. I need to ask my doctor what I am supposed to be getting out of taking a muscle relaxer for spasticity. I don’t know which is worse, being unable to fall asleep because of spasticity or taking the medication, not sleeping soundly and waking up with spasticity anyway.
Once I am awake and my brain can tell I am paying attention, whatever is really bothering me gets air time. This particular morning work decisions are moderating the conversation.
I work for a great company that does really well by its employees. As a single mother of five, my children and I survived their growing up years primarily on my income. I have had great benefits and career opportunity. Although I have not “achieved” in ways that bring accolades and notoriety, starting out as an administrative assistant and becoming an IT professional is not such a shabby accomplishment. This will be my 19th year with the company.
I would like to wind down a bit as I head into the home stretch towards retirement. I would love to work a shorter week. The financial impact of doing that would reduce my ability to save aggressively these last couple of years. The longer I can work full time the better off I will be later but lately it has become more challenging to make it through the week. By Friday I am wiped out physically and cognitively.
So anyway, what am I going to do right now about being awake? Read? Maybe I should get up and go downstairs. Or not. Hungry. No eating, too early. No backlit screens. Book. Sleep will come.
two days later....
Why am I awake again at this hour? I cannot blame it on the muscle relaxer this time. What was the first thing I became aware of as consciousness returned? My left foot jumping about under the covers. Pain. Muscle twinges in random places. Why am I hungry? I ate a late dinner. At 8:00 PM I finished off two small chicken thighs and some steamed cauliflower. Maybe I need a drink of water.
The vertigo has been back the last several days. It makes me feel queasy and as if I am about to fall over. A proprioception issue? I have been quite clumsy this week. Banging up my hands. Dropping things at the grocery store twice the same trip. Luckily the one that fell to the floor was a plastic bottle.
It has been raining all night. The sound of the water running through the gutters and tapping softly on the roof is like music. Soothing. Peaceful. There are moments of beauty and spaces of gratitude in most everything.
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