Up in the Night


There are so many things that make having a movement disorder annoying, but two things really stand out.  One is having to think about every single component of basic activities when I never did before.  Secondly is getting up during the night.  Having a pea–sized, rather than camel–sized bladder makes it more complicated with Ataxia.  I'm grateful to not be cognitively impaired as I awaken, requiring only a brief period of orientation to get the correct direction.

However, it's important to remember where I am.  It's either in Lake Oswego with Earl on the left side of the bed, the bathroom is to the right or in Maui where he sleeps on the right and the bathroom is to the left. But, there is one more thing to think about.  Thelma, the travel wheelchair, brakes high in the back.  Louise, the home wheelchair, brakes low in the front. Which chair awaits*? What would be the consequence of getting it wrong?  If facing the wrong direction, I could cough in Earl's face.  I don't want to even think about the other possibilities.

 If I need to get up once or twice, OK.  But three times a night with the requisite thought activity is a bit of an interruption to my sleep habits. I'm fortunate to sleep inordinately well and consider that a big contributor to my overall good health.  I don't want to jeopardize anything in my favor.  So what to do?  I briefly tried to ignore the sensation and just go back to sleep.  But, I learned years ago, that the feeling never goes away, and it's best to just get up and go**.

 It's hard to ignore your sleeping partner when they get up at night.  If they're awake, you're awake.  I try to be as quiet as possible, but it's mostly a futile effort.  Transferring from bed to a wheelchair in the dark, backing out while avoiding furniture, getting into the bathroom, standing and pivoting, sitting down is a veritable 'symphony' of sound.  Earl says it doesn't disturb him, but, truth be told, he's trying to be a good sport.  I mean, come on!  It's not like I'm a bull in a china shop, but neither am I Tinkerbell.

I have always resisted medications designed to treat overactive bladder/nocturia.  Not sure if it's fear of side effects, ineffectiveness or being generally averse to the big pharma marketing.  The TV commercial goes...'(as a mother rushed to the bathroom in the middle of her daughter's wedding dress fitting) "I was tired of missing out on life's moments, talked to my doctor"... blah, blah, blah'.  Spare me, please!  I just want to sleeep better.  So, what the hell.  I'm going to give oxybutynin (generic medication).  After 4 nights, I would say it is making a difference.  Twice/night as opposed to more frequently.  I’ll take it.


The lesson: At least I do get up first. That's something.
*Previous post: New Wheels: The 'girls'
**Previous post: Untoward Exits

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