Went to work today for a half day. Yeah!!! I would have had MORE than four hours work but it took me over two hours to drive my normal 45 minute commute. I would drive a couple of interstate exits, and then I would have to pull off and sleep, then drive a couple more, and then pull off and sleep. Not entirely safe, although I felt I was able to judge the amount of sleepiness (I have had this problem before) and quit driving as soon as sleepy thoughts were crossing my mind. Going home I did not have this problem. Hoping tomorrow will be better.
My mom refuses to go to the doctor and she feels fine today so convincing her is even harder. I give up. I will wait for another time or other symptoms and see if I can get her to go THEN. Arghhh!
We had our weekly television viewing of Antiques Roadshow this evening. I don't know what we find so fascinating about that show, but it is the one television program we all enjoy watching. It is much more interesting to watch it in a group for some reason. We discuss different objects and comment about them like "I don't care how much that is worth, I wouldn't have it in my house" as if we have the type of home where you hang $100,000 paintings over the fireplace.
The duragesic patches are here to stay unless I have some drastic side effect that I can't anticipate. I know that the patch is part of my sleepytime problem. One of my bosses suggested I try working from home using Skype. Hadn't thought of that. Hoping my internet service stays up reliably so I can give this a try. My pain levels are up tonight but that is after three days in a row of increased activity, so bring it on I say! I'm so glad to get out and do something productive today.
Am hoping for two days in a row for getting to work. I'll be WooHoo'ing big time if I get that done tomorrow!
Today is rare disease day, and The Mastocytosis Society put together a really good video of what it means to have a rare disease, particularily Mastocytosis and mast cell disorders. I seem to have more than my share of strange, rare or unusual diseases so I am celebrating today as a good day to be alive!
I hope that your Mom is feeling better Winny. I would sure try hard to get her to go to the doc. They get scared I think, at that age. She is in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, have you ever been checked for sleep apnea? I have it and wear a CPAP at night. It used to be that I couldn't sit without falling asleep because I had it so bad. When I had my sleep study done, they rushed me to the ER, Thinking I was having a heart attack. I was having bad bijimenes(sp) and trijimines(sp). When I woke up good they disappeared, so they figure I was on the verge of a major heart attack in my sleep. Glad I am now on the machine when I sleep. They way you discribe your sleepiness, makes me think about how I was before the CPAP machine. Just a thought for you.
Glad that you made it part of the day at work, but sure worries me to think of you pulling over to sleep so much. Please be careful.
God Bless~
Debbie Jean
When I work I have to use Provigil because I have Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (crazy right because I don't sleep at night) but the problem with Provigil is it seems to give me a whole new constant headache that I just live with because I didn't want to kill anyone on my hour commute to work. I don't miss not taking it right now but I thought I'd throw it out there as an option.
ReplyDeleteSkype sounds like a better option. I have a doctor I'm hoping to do that with after we move. If your boss suggested it , give it a try!
Debbie Jean: I have an APAP machine (like a CPAP but it uses variable pressure not a constant pressure) but my problem is the straps that hold the masks on and the masks. I have facial pain that is from The Headache that runs in a stripe diagonally across my left side of my face. The strapping and the masks all hit what feels like a raw nerve so it is very difficult (well make that impossible) to use to sleep. I only have apnea if I sleep on my back so I try to sleep on my side instead.
ReplyDeleteI am very careful driving because I don't want anyone to get hurt because I am stupidly driving. I think some of this is the duragesic potentiating the neurontin, so its a double whammy.
DEJ: I don't want to take a medication to make me more lively because I have so many side effects to different medications (like your headache) plus I don't know if my coworkers coud endure a more lively me!! :) I agree Skype is a better option. I think I may need to buy a few pieces of hardware because I don't have a internet camera or a headset to talk through. :(
Best wishes for your mom.
ReplyDeleteGosh, this sleep trouble must be really difficult. I'm glad you are pulling over instead of trying to push through.
Skype is a great idea! We got a great camera for just $15 and it has been wonderful.
Good luck.
Migrainista: Thanks for the wishes - my mom promises to go to the doctor if it happens again but I suspect she will refuse again if it happens.
ReplyDeleteDidn't work yesterday because I simply could not wake up, better today. My boss got me a headset so maybe they won't want a camera. I think I have a web camera somewhere but I can't remember where. Will probably be easier to buy a new one!
I'm sorry you're going through this! I thought my daytime sleepiness was excessive, but I haven't had to drive longer than about 20 minutes! I think it's great that your boss is flexible enough to let you try to work from home via Skype when necessary, and that they already got you a headset! You can get a webcam pretty cheaply if you look for a sale, and it seems like the office supply stores always have something on sale.
ReplyDeleteAnd with luck, your body will adjust to the duragesic patches after awhile so you won't feel so sleepy ...
Hang in there Winny!
Aviva: The sleepiness is still there, but I am starting to remain more alert for longer periods so woo hoo!!! Still no bad side effects from the duragesic patches so woo hoo again!
ReplyDeleteActually made it all the way to work 3 days this week, so much better than last week.