I’m a working mother with two wonderful children and a disabled husband and I always run out of time. I’m lucky if I get 4 hours of sleep a night. I work 65 hours a week and have to drive an hour just to get to work. I always worry about falling asleep while I’m driving so I do everything I can to keep myself awake. I’ll turn my music up really loud, sing along to the songs on the radio, make my car freezing cold, and even pinch myself while I drive.
A few months ago I was sleeping when I was woken up by the loudest laughter I’ve ever heard. As I tried to get the fog out of my head I noticed my two children and my husband all sitting in my bedroom laughing hysterically. I couldn’t figure out why they were all laughing so hard so in a grouchy voice I asked what was so funny.
My oldest son looked at me and said, “Mom, You were sitting up in bed with your eyes closed singing so loud that You woke us all up.” I was still in a daze so I asked what song I was singing and they all said, (at exactly the same time), “Life in the Fast Lane”. I giggled a little and then fell fast asleep.
The next morning my son reminded me of my loud singing and said he was sorry for laughing at me. I told him it was OK. He replied, “But Mom, we wouldn’t have been laughing so hard about your singing but You were using your hands like they were on your steering wheel and You were driving your car.”
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing when he said that and I made them all promise to videotape me if I did it again so I could see how funny I looked. I got home from work that night and my two little children had made dinner, mac and cheese, so I didn’t have to. I thanked them for making dinner and my son said, “Well Mom, we didn’t want You to fall asleep standing up while You were making dinner because You might get burned.” I think it’s time for me to find another job and start getting more sleep.
As a mother of a son who is wheelchair bound, quadrapelgia from a drunk driver, I often feel too rushed for sleep.It will be 14 years come April and we have been together since the beginning and life goes on. He drives his own van which gives him independence even though his hands are closed.Some days seem to be the same and then there is that rare moment. He has a son 14 now of his own.I am so thankful he was given back to me and that I take care of him.
Judith Ann Dykman, March 12 2007
To keep from nodding (nod-dying) on the road bring something to eat. Peanuts, pretzels, Cheerio’s, whatever. You will IMMEDIATELY wake up!
(ED: please do not enlist me in an assault of e-mails. Happened upon your site/just trying to save a life.)
Dean Larson, February 15 2007