Collectively Wise

Sleep Apnea

[by Adrienne] I am pleased to say I get to sleep in the same bed with my husband again. I realize it doesn’t sound like something to get up and shout about, but after more than two years of sleeping apart, I’m ecstatic! Why? My husband was tested and diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Based on the information provided by the test, he was able to purchase a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure) machine that suited his breathing patterns.

His case is almost textbook. He fits many of the risk factors: male, over 40, overweight. As often happens, I had to tell him I thought he had sleep apnea. Many sufferers aren’t aware they stop breathing; it's a bedmate or roommate that lets them know there's a problem.

Why is it, that the parents of young children never have time?

A friend posted an interesting article on Facebook recently.  The article was really a Washington Post column from 2007.  It was billed (on Facebook) as, "THE BEST ARTICLE EVER!"

I had to read it.

Wouldn't you?

The column was written by Carolyn Hax, in a "Dear Carolyn" format.  Maybe you know of her column, or have even read this one already.  It reads like she's pretty well known, although I hadn't heard of her before.

The humor in this one that made me really laugh, is that a woman who does not have children, and I assume she's young, (based on her apparent ignorance) sincerely asks Carolyn what stay-at-home moms do all day long.  She even suggests, that excuses about not having time, are really lies, lies to protect a secret lifestyle of leisure and relaxation.  Or, perhaps the complaints about fatigue and workload, are actually offered up by parents as a form of competition, similar to the Palo Altan cry of, "Oh, I was raised so poor (so, so poor, way poorer than you)."

Carolyn's reply is wonderful. 

After a few obligatory, "Are you out of your mind?" statements, she kindly explains to the dear girl:

"It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.

It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier...

It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything -- language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything (to the child)."

"To Sleep...Perchance to Dream"

I recently read an article that stated that Americans spent more time sleeping this past year than in previous years. The author cited an average of 8.25 hours of sleep per night. I don't know about you, but I don't know any parents of young children who get 8 hours (or more!) of sleep.

In fact, many of us are essentially chronically sleep deprived. Boy, do I know sleep deprivation. We are long-time pals. After finally managing an extended bout of stress-induced insomnia, my husband and I took the next natural step in our lives - we got pregnant. So, I went through pregnacy excitement insomnia, pregnancy anxiety insomnia, and pregnancy discomfort insomnia followed by 2 years of night waking and night terrors. Just as my big boy's sleep finally stabilized, I got pregnant and started the whole process over again.