When the Bed Bug Doesn't Bite

I was raised not to hate, but I HATE insomnia with a passion! It's an inanimate not-even-an-object, so I'm allowed to hate it, right? I think so. It really stinks being awake at all hours of the night—in this case it's 11:40pm, early for some—not knowing whether or not you'll be able to fall asleep. The illusive sleep could be for various reasons:

1. a mind that won't shut off
2. medication (new, old, or wrong)
3. pain (otherwise known as painsomnia)
4. too much sleep during the day
5. too much activity during the day
6. [enter your own reason here]

There are SO many methods one can try to help themselves slip away into Sleepytime Never Neverland

1. Prayer (I'm a big supporter of this)
2. Music (I also support this one)
3. White noise (I use this as well...floor fan AND ambient sound maker)
4. 
   Count sheep (I prefer to imagine sheep jumping over a fence) 
5. Think happy thoughts
6. [Enter your own method here]

What do you do if you just CANNOT get yourself to sleep? Obviously I am finding myself in that conundrum right now as I am typing this little ditty in—what is for me—the middle of the night. You make the best out of the situation! If nothing else, through my life with Gastroparesis, I have found that you just have to make the best out of everything or else you'll go bonkers and—if you knew me AT ALL—I'm bonkers anyway! So, after having knocked back some Gaviscon for my heartburn and a little something for the nausea, here are some suggestions on how to entertain yourself QUIETLY in the middle of the night::

1. Read your Bible
2. Reread your favorite book series
3. Start reading a new book (I started reading Unbroken)
4. Start a blog (I know it's a little bit obvious, but I had to say it)
5. Write in a diary/journal/smash book
6. Color in a coloring book
7. Listen to music on your iPod (discman's are passe, right?)
8. Write a snailmail letter to a friend (you might surprise someone!)
9. Entertain yourself on Pinterest
10. Entertain yourself on Instagram
11. Create an Awareness Page on Facebook (I'm semi-considering doing this myself)
12. Make a To-Do List
13. Go through the photos on your phone and delete old ones that you don't like
14. Check your emails and reply to them
15. Watch videos on YouTube (through earphones, of course)

Naturally, there is SO much more that you can do, those are just 15 examples to get you started! Insomnia really is the pits, but sometimes it causes the creative juices to flow so you just have to take the good with the bad and make it shine!

So Your Weekend Got Ruined...What's A Gal To Do?

It's all fine and dandy to make plans. It's a whole different ball game when your body decides that you're not going to be able to follow through on them. That was the case for me this past weekend. I had hoped to look at some lyrics of the band Leeland to prepare myself for an upcoming performance at my church. You see, I am a volunteer interpreter for the Deaf at my church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, but have not been able to participate since having Alfred implanted. This past Sunday was going to be my first time back in the saddle—so to speak—since surgery. My body, however, had different things in mind. Saturday, instead, was spent in bed with earphones in listening to Michael Buble—man, his voice is like buttuh...just soothes the soul!

I thought I was coming down with a cold...sneezes...runny nose...but my chronic vertigo was in full swing and THAT'S what was giving me the most trouble. Honestly, I thought it was because I was coming down with a cold. I got myself together by Saturday evening to go out to Orange County—home of Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm—to have dinner with my brother for his birthday and then it was right back into my Pjs. Dramamine and I had become best friends by that point in the hopes that I would be able to make it to church the next morning and DEFINITELY the next night so that I would be able to interpret for Leeland...

4:45am and I'm STILL dizzy!

The Dramamine didn't help me—maybe it did for an hour—and now I'm tired on top of feeling dizzy and cold-ish. What's a gal to do?! I made tea...it's the logical thing to do! With some more Dramamine and a little cold medicine on board, it was back to bed for me! I was SO bummed that I wasn't going to make it to interpret for Leeland at church, but what use would I be if I'm tipping over?!?! As it turned out, I was having a private Michael Buble concert in my bedroom...on my iPod---the cheapest concert ever.

I have learned that I have to accept things as they come with my body. I cannot control the ups and the downs that it wants to take, so I just have to go with the flow. Sure, it's frustrating and I just wish there was a Cure-All shot or pill that I could take so that I could get on with life uninhibited, but that's not the way that it is. Instead I have to just pop in a little Michael Buble or classical or heavy metal and wait for the episode to pass. It kind of stinks that it has to be that way, but at least for now I have the best—and cheapest—seats for a Michael Buble concert!