Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Sleepless nights

The past 2 nights have just been horrible. It could be due to my brother-in-law's heart attack (he is going to be just fine). But my hobby has had such a bad restless foot syndrome I don't know what to do. On Monday night, he went to sleep with his head at the other end of the bed (close to the TV) and his foot kept flopping right into my face....hard! I finally woke him up and asked him to turn around. He is not wearing his CPAP, so I asked him to please put that back on which he did last night. But he flopped all night long again.

The flops are so hard they literally bounce me in the bed. Very difficult to get any kind of sleep, yet he seems to sleep right through them. His foot will raise at least a foot up off the bed and then flop back down.

He had to get up at 5 am this morning for a business call and he got dressed as he was going to go into the office today. Of course, he sat on the edge of the bed and bounced as he put his shoes on. But I noticed his breathing. This is not the first time I've noticed this, it was very short, rapid and labored breathing. Almost like panting for pregnant women. I don't think he was aware of it at all and it has happened a few times. It's like the least bit of physical activity and he starts to pant.

My sis has gone back to the hospital and hubby has gone to work and I realized this is the FIRST time I've been totally alone in 2 weeks! And I'm so tired all I want to do is go to sleep. But if I sleep today, then I will be awake all night tonight. And I'm certain that he has no idea whatsoever that I haven't slept the past 2 nights. I told my sis this morning that I don't need separate bedrooms...I need a separate house! LOL! She got serious on me and told me that I need to start planning for the day when he has a heart attack. And that made me even more tired. I can't even think about it right now. Maybe tomorrow or the next day. How on earth does one plan for that? Something to ponder.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think if we tried to plan too seriously for every eventuality, we'd go completely around the bend. And what do you plan for? The heart attack, or dialysis, or in my husband's case, loss of limbs and sight, which are likely given years of escalated glucose?

Really, you and the rest of us spouses are probably already "planning" more than we know. I have vetoed living in the country because I know I couldn't maintain the property and do all that driving solo. I'm quite cautious about spending because I feel my husband's earning years will be far shorter than typical for someone his age. And I do keep that emergency bag packed and the papers in order. Other than that general kind of planning, really, what can we do?

I've wondered if all that foot flopping is related somehow to the neuropathy or ?? I've watched my husband when he's napping on the sofa and with no covers on, I can watch that lower leg come up at least a foot, sometimes three or four times in quick succession. And, as you mentioned, they sleep right through it!! Sure would be nice if we could sleep through it too :)

Similar things are happening here with the breathing too. In my husband's case, he's having shorter, more rapid breathing even during sleep. It's quite a dramatic change from what was previously normal for him. But, if he won't see the doctor for things that affect him while he's awake, good luck to me trying to convince him to go in for something that's happening when he sleeps!

Hope you get lots and lots of rest! So glad to hear things are going well for your brother-in-law.

Diabeteswife said...

You are probably correct. We probably do plan way more than most folks. The breathing has me bothered today, but I'm not going to worry about it. Like you said, if they won't take care of themselves, there's nothing much we can do.

I am loving the quiet today. I realized that I have not had a day alone in 2 weeks, so this is nice. I'm managing to get a few things done, checking off that long "to-do" list that I keep putting on hold for other things going on in life.

Maybe we should start a group and call ourselves the FFWs....foot flopper wives! LOL!

OK, some days I just need a good laugh!