Cat Walking: Rock-a-bye Ruthe

So. The sleep test - officially called the Wake a Doodle test (Not really but that's my vote) - was a bust.

I needed to have the test because every pre-op doctor always asks me if I've had one. They suspect sleep apnea and so do I but it's not proven yet.

This will be hard to believe but I managed not to overpack. That bag is all pillows and iPod cords.

First of all let me say that my expectations of being asked to sleep in a cubicle on a cot was totally and completely wrong!

Secondly the staff could not have been nicer, friendlier or more helpful. They explained what every electrode was for and patiently took off all of one kind of tape when I asked them to use another kind. However they didn't have the kind of tape that doesn't hurt me so that pain on my face made it difficult to sleep. Especially after they slapped on some more tape to hold the nose thing in later.

Before

After

Not sure why they make the nose thingy red, it doesn't add a calming effect but maybe that's why there are no mirrors in the room.

They let me stay up till 11 PM and then me and my buddy wires went to bed.

They let me keep my iPod which was a tremendous help. Because they were so nice I didn't try to hack into their Wi-Fi after they told me they didn't have any.

Lights out at 11 after which I promptly needed to go to the washroom again. To go to the washroom you call out hello and then wave so that they can see in the overhead camera who's moving in which room.

They unhooked me from the main machine and I trundled off down the hallway to the washroom.

The place is located on one of the floors of the Allen Square building. So it was odd walking around at night in an office building.

If I have to do it again I will ask for room that is not right off King Street with neon signs flashing and cars whizzing by all night.

So, did I sleep?

Weeelllll, that's open to interpretation. Three times I fell asleep to the point where I immediately startled myself awake again. That's because I am preop and had to sleep on my back.

Just was not going to happen. Never has.

Also some of the wires were not working so the tech had to come in many times during the night to try to fix that. Normally they do that while you're sleeping but that would require sleep. Anticipating that someone was going to come into the room was another reason I couldn't sleep. When I'm in the hospital I'm going to wake up each and every time you come in to check my vitals. You could be a nurse ninja and I will still wake up as you approach. It's just how I roll.

I liked my tech even better when she came in the morning to unhooked me and said "Well that was pretty terrible."

Summed it up nicely. But again because they were so nice it was bearable.

I came home - thanks to a brother who braved the 6:30 am air - and slept for 4 hours.

Pretty sure I'll sleep tonight.

In other news Harrison has found a new bed.

Also I got to go see Mom yesterday morning. Most of you see the pictures on Facebook too. But I just want to say that she seems to be really slowing down and is almost non responsive. She is not interested in eating anymore which is new for her. That tummy is pretty much all hernia. She has always said that it doesn't hurt and I'm grateful for that.