I Actually Slept!!

I did, I did!

I slept -- right through the damned night.

All night long.

From about 9:00pm last night, right through to just before 5:00am this morning.

That, my friends, is a record.

I'm fairly certain I did not even wake up to go pee.  If I did, I don't recall having done so.

How did I do it, you ask?

Well, you could say I cheated.

Sort of.

My doctor would say, "about time you idiot" or something similar (he would just be a tad more diplomatic about it).

You see, way back when I was originally sent to consult with a pain management specialist, the first thing she told me was that I HAD to start taking a sleeping aid EVERY NIGHT.

And she said that I would have to do that for the rest of my life if I wanted to ensure a proper night's sleep.

Why?

Because I have fibromyalgia and if I don't get a proper night's sleep, I would not be equipped to cope with the pain.  Period the end.

She made it quite clear that if I didn't follow the sleep advice, no other advice would be worthy.

I filed the information in a back drawer of my mind and proceeded to investigate other ways of dealing with the pain.  (I knew the hip pain had nothing to do with fibromyalgia but I could not convince any member of the medical profession of that distinction -- they saw fibro and that's what they were treating.)

Hence my collection of non-invasive, non-medicinal items of useful pain relieving tools:  TENs unit; Acupen; massage tub; back rolls; heat pads; ice packs of various sizes; heat/massage seat pads; exercise ball; the list goes on.

As my massage therapist said the other day, I could probably open my own treatment centre with all the stuff I have and my knowledge of their various applications and benefits.

Anyway, prior to my going on the Cesamet, I had started using a sleeping aid because my doctor had by then convinced me of the need for proper sleep and I simply wasn't getting a restful sleep because of my hip pain.  But I refused to use them on a nightly basis (I am absolutely paranoid about taking anything that I don't need), and would take them only when I felt like I was losing the battle.

Once I started taking Cesamet, which greatly enhanced my sleep, I had no need to use the sleeping aid even occasionally, so I dropped it from my regimen entirely.

I've been documenting here how painful my hips have been becoming lately.

The reduced Cesamet dose has only made it worse.  I don't know that the pain itself is any worse than it was; I just know that I am feeling it a lot more than I was earlier this summer when I was enjoying the benefits of the higher dose of Cesamet.

On  November 2nd, as a result of sitting outside for two and half hours waiting for my H1N1 vaccine, I was plunged into a major fibro flare-up.

Since then, my sleep bank has become seriously depleted.

So last night, in desperation, I took some of my sleeping aid.

And finally, I slept.

All night.

I will do the same thing tonight.

And perhaps again tomorrow night.

Because I have to get back on track.

I cannot climb out of this fibro-hole unless I have the energy to scrape my way to the top of the hole.

I can't get the energy to make that climb unless I get restful sleep.

Period, the end.

That pain management specialist knew of what she spoke!  I just wish there was another way to achieve the same means.