Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Running On Empty

Today I am running on empty. If I had any energy, I would be on my way to the gym. I am not moving yet. Well I had some breakfast but am back in bed. I will meet a friend for lunch later today and then possibly drag myself off to the gym after.

I am exhausted.

Maybe I should go to the doctor or something. No wait, I had three appointments on Monday. And I see my rheumatologist next week. I can nap every day between now and then.

These days I am good for about 10 hours a day total. If I lie down each afternoon for a couple of hours, I can then stay up for dinner and go to bed early.

Talk about lack of quality of life.

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Ignore everything I just wrote. I am whining. I am tired. Maybe I need a morning nap after 9.5 hours of sleep. Crap.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

All I Wanted Was Some Sleep

Sleep and rest are very important to me. I can't tell you how much. But if I don't get enough my inner pit bull/space alien shows up and makes everyone unhappy.

Yesterday I was very tired by the time I got home. I am still recovering from my travels where I was definitely in the 'weeds' on sleep and rest as well as the stress of late plane flights and time zone differences. I did sleep in a bit and got caught up on stuff at home before going to the gym. By the time I got home at 330 (and reset all the clocks after a (damn) power outage), I took a shower and put on my pajamas. I was going to go to bed early. I ditched cooking dinner and promoted Chinese food delivered as a better option.

I did go to bed early. I read in bed for a bit before turning off the lights. My husband came in a few hours later and several times started muttering in his sleep about 'evacuations'. I kept replying 'there are no evacuations, go back to sleep'.

Then the cats started, actually they started as soon as I got into bed. We have two: Boots, the 'good' kitty; and Evil Kitty, the not so nice one. Boots can be needy especially since we were gone for so long. He comes and meows. He jumps on the bed. He kneads his paws into me. I walks around on me and then settles his big heavy body however he is comfortable and squishes me while he purrs.

Evil Kitty meows just like Boots, but with a slightly different tone. When Boots comes in, Evil Kitty is sure to follow. He wants attention. He had an 'unfortunate incident' before our vacation which included a 4 cm gash down to the muscle and several layers of stitches and the cone of shame for two weeks. This has made him very needy these days (but also delighted to go out and run around the yard at full speed now that he is allowed out again). He comes in and finds me so he can meow when he feels neglected.

Both cats want me to come out and play - or feed them treats or play with the stupid feather on a string or let them out (even though it was raining and dark).

When I went to bed, I thought we would be fine with the windows open and the ceiling fan on as it was supposed to cool off. That was a bad idea so at one point I got up and shut the windows and turned on the AC so I had hopes for sleeping.

Let me just say my sleep was probably interrupted a more than dozen times - once for AC, several for 'evacuations', multiple for Boots' 'Meow', and many for Evil Kitty's 'meow'. I gave up at 630 this morning and let insisted the damn cats go out. I made coffee and started blogging to rid myself of frustrations. My husband woke up and when I asked he said 'he sleep pretty well'.

I am going back to bed and leaving them all to their own devices until I am rested enough. That could be on Tuesday.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Getting Back On Track

This morning I actually feel rested. Actually I felt pretty rested yesterday morning as well. But my day got hijacked and I ended up spending several hours with my father taking him to a doctor appointment (broken second metatarsal in his left foot at age 88) and then x-rays, back to the doctor, and then home. And then home to our house. I was totally exhausted by the time I got home at 430.

But then I slept for close to 9 hours without waking up. So this morning I will go to the gym, then get my hair cut, and go to the library. Then I will stay home and finish what I never got to yesterday. I need to get back on track.

What works best for me is to go out and do things during the first half of the day and then stay home for the afternoon for the most part. I often need to rest in the afternoon so if I am out all afternoon, I lose that key resting time. This will also allow me to eat regularly.

If I skip lunch I have a tendency to eat a lot of crap just before dinner. Yesterday I didn't get lunch. My father and I kept asking each other if we wanted to get something to eat. We both said we weren't hungry so we never got lunch. Eventually, we decided we just wanted to get out of there and never ate lunch.

So when I got home after dropping off my father, it was 430. I first ate a chocolate chip cookie (which also has cinnamon, clove, oatmeal, and pecans - oatmeal is most important) and then I ate some cheese and crackers. Then, 400+ calories later, I decided I needed to wait until dinner. I should have had an apple or an orange and a big glass of water - you wonder why I struggle with losing weight.

I should be home by noon and can then do what I need to do. I need to be back on my schedule. Rest and food are very important and I need to schedule them in to my life regularly.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

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.

Friday, September 30, 2016

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.

Monday, August 1, 2016

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.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

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.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

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?

Saturday, February 20, 2016

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.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Is it too early for a nap?

I am already back in bed, exhausted. I need a nap.

Yesterday I did too much and was running around all day. I went to bed early and wanted to sleep late. My husband was great and got up quietly.

The (good) cat was another story. He came into the bedroom at 515 AM meowing for me. When he is upset at all, he needs to find me to make him happy again. He is not good about being quiet with this. Its a behavior change since he had his big adventure and was lost for 9 days.

All that it means to me is that its 10 AM and I need a nap. We have house guests coming tonight until Monday. We are having a family dinner here for 10 tonight. I already made brownies and need to finish the sweet potatoes. (Later a ham will go in the oven and someonetobenamedlater will make the salad.) I also need to make a lasagna for tomorrow's belated Christmas dinner with more relatives. Again, someonetobenamedlater will make salad and serve everything.

The downside to ailments like mine, is getting tired and needing to rest before doing more. The upside is that I will delegate to everyone else. I am surrounding by 'unknowing' volunteers. And if I am really tired, I can bail and go to bed early while my husband plays host.

Yes its rude to bail on guests but as my health has tanked, I have learned that I can't do everything and sometimes I just need to use common sense and say 'how can I not overdo so much that I can't participate in anything tomorrow?'

Right now I will lie in bed and be lazy and maybe snooze.

Monday, May 25, 2015

A weekend away

I took advantage of the long weekend and went camping with my husband and my brother and his four kids. I resisted the urge to bring technology with me and only brought my phone, and then killed the battery. So I was low tech.

Now we are back. I have 190 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! emails downloading as I type and am facing piles of laundry. (And a nasty bowl of spinach that I left in the microwave instead of bringing it along to reheat for Friday night's dinner). It was nice to get away and hang out with my nieces and nephews.

But I am glad to be home so I can sleep in a real bed and then, damn, I have to go to work tomorrow and have a doctor appointment. Triple damn.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Catching up on sleep and rest

Today my goal is to catch up on sleep and rest. Friday I got stupid and got up early to go to the gym so I get my nails done after and not have to worry about messing up my nails by going to the gym later.

Yesterday our cat, who has been losing way too much weight, started waking me up about 330am because he was hungry. I actually got up at 545am and made him cat food (pureed canned salmon in the food processor) and fed him. (He's 20 years old and blind, deaf and can't smell) Then I gardened, did a bunch of other stuff, met my family for dinner, and stayed up until midnight. What was I thinking? It felt like a good idea at the time. My husband let me sleep late, which was only 8am and he got up and fed the cat.

Its 11am and I am still in bed. I got up and got the paper, coffee and ate some bacon my husband cooked. I am contemplating taking a shower in the near future but it may take me another couple of hours. Tonight I will go to bed early and not stay up until midnight.

My life is a fibromyalgia commercial.
Which consists of body pain, fatigue and insomnia. Combine all those and you can figure out why I need my sleep and rest. Staying up late and getting up to early are not good for me.  And catching up on sleep and rest takes a few days. But I have to go to work tomorrow morning. Damn.

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