Everyone has heard of Rip Van Winkle, the dude that slept for 20 years and missed the American Revolution, the death of his wife and marriage of his daughter. But how many of you have heard of Randy Gardner? He set a world record by intentionally not sleeping for over 11 days.
Intentionally not sleeping for 11 days. That's nuts right?
I mention these stories cause I found them while surfing the net trying to find solutions to my sleeping issues. For the last month or so I have been waking up quite often, sometimes getting up to pee upwards of eight times a night. I thought it was bad when I turned 50 and started getting up one or two times a night...but eight???
I had a urinalysis taken to see if maybe I had a bladder infection but fortunately that has been ruled out. Since that has been ruled out I think I have it figured out, and of course it seems obvious. I've been drinking tons of water in order to help my kidney out, soooo that seems obvious right. The other thing I think is happening is that my abdomen is so messed up these days that my bladder is being compressed and therefor I have less capacity.
My professional diagnosis is the combination of the two causes me to pee all night - and for that matter I pee all day too but it doesn't keep me awake so I don't really pay attention to it as an issue. Obvious right?
But last night, wow, what a night it was.
I had chemo yesterday and sleep is usually a guarantee due to the many drugs I take. I came home and fought off sleep while on the couch but alas I rotated between sleep and awake at least 5 times over four hours, then I went to bed. As you can imagine that was not a good strategy but I just couldn't stay awake.
Until I got to bed. Then I couldn't sleep. Got in to bed at 10:30 pm, fell asleep around midnight I'm guessing.
But at 12:50 am I woke up in a very, very wet bed due to an incredible sweat that had overtaken me. I stood up and sweat was leaking out of each pore dripping down my whole body. And I'm not even joking, it was astounding. I think I wrote about this before and have now figured out that I get these immense sweats after I get chemo. Am guessing it's my body fighting the toxins.
I haven't spoken to the Oncologist yet, will remember to do so next week when we meet of course, but I'm sure it's one of the side effects that are in the long list of side effects.
Once I got up out of bed and towelled myself off I had to replace the sheets and sleep on a towel. Obviously I was wide awake, again. After I finally fell asleep I woke up every hour either from the sweats or from having a pee. Sleep was elusive yet again. I tried mediation and it worked to a degree, but that damn wet bed was tough to fight. T'was relentless.
Here's hoping tonight is better. I didn't have a nap today as part of my strategy. I'm going to have a cool shower to try and reduce the itchiness. I have high hopes.
If I don't have any success then I am going to start macrame or crochet, maybe make a pillow case or something.
Nite night.
UPDATE
Had a decent sleep with only four trips to the bathroom. Am now in Kananaskis in a golf tournament and questioning my decision to play as the firesmoke is at a 10+. Cough cough cough.