A funny thing happened the other day.
I was lying on the sofa reading a book, plucking Maltesers from a box I’d craftily hidden from The Teenager.
The next thing I knew I had woken with a start, the book (and Maltesers) having crashed to the floor.
This may sound boringly insignificant, but I thought stuff like that only happened in movies for dramatic effect – just like you can see the Eiffel Tower from any window in Paris.
I ranted to the cat after she’d stopped chasing the Maltesers round the floor – how could anyone fall asleep so quickly that they couldn’t put their book down first?
Either explanation is most unpalatable:
a) old age creeping up on me
b) worsening MS fatigue
Mind you, if my life were a movie, there would be a conveniently-placed handsome man who would gently prise the book from my fingers, wrap me in a cashmere blanket and gaze upon my slumbering face before dimming the lights and nestling another log on the open fire.
Furthermore, kindly neighbours would have left a pile of casseroles and lasagnas outside my door during my worst relapses two years ago. They would also have surprised me by putting up my Christmas tree and arranging for an angelic choir to sing carols outside my door, snow falling softly.
On recovery, I would magically spring the money to spend a month somewhere exotic to ‘find myself’. There would be shots of me wandering sadly down golden-sand beaches. Towards the end however, I would be laughing and learning important, life-affirming lessons from the wise natives, arriving back home with a new-found sense of purpose in life.
But life isn’t like the movies. When I woke and found my book and chocolates on the floor, I was cold, I hadn’t started dinner and I found The Teenager hanging off an open fridge door bemoaning the lack of junk food (‘everyone else in school gets to have it, why not me, you meanie? What am I supposed to do with a tangerine?’).
I explained to him what had happened. He was unperturbed (‘mum, you’re, like, old, you know? It’s what old people do, my grandad does it all the time’).
Out of interest, I asked him what he would like to see come true from the movies. He didn’t hesitate – ‘one of those huuuuuuuge American fridges crammed with junk food and my own den in the basement and……(I stopped listening after five minutes)……
Like you fatigue was part of my daily routine with my PPMS, but the only thing that I’ve found effective to deal with this is LDN. Now I’m only troubled with it once or twice a week, but I also know when it’s coming on, whereas before I had to rely on the re wind button on my TV. It’s not for everybody but might be worth a try
Take care x
Hi Tony!
I’ve heard a lot about LDN. Will look in to it. The biggest problem is not knowing when it will hit!
x
Maybe we can just act as we are in the movies? ‘Hollywood up’ each day. It’s today that’s the day we are with.
I did chuckle at the bit about the cat playing with the maltesers…and at a few other parts of your blog – however on the flip side I feel these challenges too. Yes I’m fortunate to have a spouse to help me out. Maybe you can get to know your neighbours more or put a call out amongst your local support group. Perhaps a ‘urgent meal needed’ group?
Remember you just got a degree!!!! x
Wouldn’t that be fabulous – an ‘urgent meal needed’group?? Mind you, my son would say that’s called Dominos, bless him.
We’re trucking along. During a really bad relapse, my friend dropped me off a Victoria sponge. She obviously knows me too well!
I’m still pinching myself about the degree. Won’t believe it til the ceremony. Next May. Hmm. Definitely no cameras allowed – don’t want any stumbles to be uploaded to youtube…
X
I do this a lot! Yesterday was particularly worrying though. (My kids still haven’t stopped laughing since I told them). Stumbled coming out of the shower (normally an elegant pirouette gets me back on balance) and cracked my head against the bathroom radiator. Muchos ouchness. Then I got dried, dressed and sat down to put my socks on. Fell asleep in the chair where I sat. Awoke later with a crick in my neck ,one cold foot and a headache. Doh!
That’s awful! What’s worrying me is that I’ve never done that before – fall asleep so quickly. Where will it happen next?? Christmas lunch? On a date?
Problems, problems, lol. Hope your head’s better 🙁
X
I use to fall asleep all the time reading and drop books, but wake up with the cat trying to smother me :p now, I still fall asleep but usually I’m already laying down, which is a good thing since I use an e-reader now,(easier to turn the page with numb fingers), and i think i would cry if i dropped it and it broke.
american junk food is not all its cracked up to be, but a fridge full of chocolate would be great :p
I did try an e-reader, but couldn’t seem to get on with it 🙁
Know exactly what you mean about junk food. I try not to have it in the house, but The Teenager came home from school yesterday eating an ice cream. Meh. A fridge stocked with chocolate (only for me) would be fab!!
x
Yes, this happens to me too. Meh.
You know what REALLY bothers me about movies and sleep scenes? How the still-wearing-totally-unsmeared-makeup actress wakes up to find the super-hot guy gazing at her adoringly…and they start kissing — A LOT. WITHOUT BRUSHING THEIR TEETH! [shudder]
Oh I hate that! And as for the morning breath, I mean, ewwwwwwww.
x
Have you read “Bossypants” by Tina Fey? She has a great quote about morning breath: “Dear God, your mouth. …at some point you start waking up every day with a mouth that smells like a snail left in the Sun…I think God designed our mouths to die first to help us slowly transition to the grave.”
Haha! That’s brilliant!!!
x