A Rough One...

I thought for a change, I would deviate from the Sleep-Restriction themed posts and do a "I've had a busy day" post.

First off, without going into detail as I don't know if I am allowed to, I was told today that there are some awful f$cking people in the world. You know they are all out there, but you never think they are going to affect your lives, but every now and then, they DO. To my friends so-affected by such complete w4nkers, I'm sorry, and if there's anything we can do to help - just shout.

Otherwise, I am tired. I think that is A) Granted, and B) Expected. However, I am sure it is working. Mostly. Last night, I went to bed at my usual time (2am, for those not reading), BUT took a little while to get to sleep. Not too long, but I do remember having random, drawn out thoughts. The next thing I know, there is crashing and banging outside the bedroom.

Cats.

Cats with a bit of plastic - a lid or something.

Mostly, it was Galadriel, but Gimli was involved too. Throwing the lid down the stairs, crashing down after it, crashing and skittering across the floor boards outside the bedroom door, then down the wooden stairs, crashing after it... The it was up and down the hallway, hitting the doors and units downstairs. I had to resist as best I could, BUT I needed to know the time. On the one hand, I might be able to get back to sleep, but on the other, if it was around 30 minutes before the time I'm supposed to get up, then it wouldn't be worth it.

Clock check: 0522.

Bollocks. So I had to get up there and then. I considered kicking the cats in the backsides, but I'm not that mean - I just didn't let them in the living room while I woke up.

So, about three hours sleep last night. Tonight is my last night of 2-6, tomorrow I'm doing 1-6. It is working, I can tell it's working as once I am asleep, the alarm wakes me (or the bloody cats) which is a rarity in itself.

Today, I've been my usual cheery, ray of sunshine and sweetness & light. Sort of. Grumpy, stroppy, moody, exhausted and my body trying to doze off constantly.

With that in mind, today was my first "normal" Thursday with school runs and kids and everything. I had to get Tamsyn to school, and the journey to school was Tam reading her book to me just to keep me awake. After dropping her off, I had to go into town and do some shopping, but after nodding off in the playground, I decided the first order of business would be coffee.

A brief foray into Costas (which is a million times better than Starbucks, FYI) and a large cinnamon latte with a chocolate tiffin re-fuelled me for a bit, and I hit the shops. We didn't need much, but one of Kellies old school friends and her girls was over for dinner tonight, so I had to get some bits.

As a tangent, I will also point out I had to look at kids shoes. Kids shoes, it would turn out, for the future 0dd-Mother in Law. See, we got Molly a new pair of school boots the other day, and the 0dd MIL came over, saw them and being that she's little, tried on the KIDS SIZE 2. Which pretty much fit her. So I had to look for the KIDS SIZE 3 for her.

But I digress.

With the shopping done, I got in and decided NOT to sit down - that would just invite sleep. So I swept through then realised I had a doctors appointment. So off out again and saw Mr Doctor Man. Kellie has been threatening to do something with the doctor that I've not been very good at doing.

Telling the complete truth.

See, I've got this rather icky habit of not liking to make a fuss, and so when the doctor asks "How you feeling" I don't tell him I can't put my socks on, I don't tell him the pain in my legs is enough to drive me to tears, I say "I'm a bit sore" or something similar. So with the threat of HER making a scene, I decided to tell him the truth.

He shook his head but started tapping on the computer. My Lyrica (Pregabalin) has been increased to an extra 100mg a day to 300mg. And I need to have a BATTERY of blood tests. There are nine or ten things on the request sheet; glucose, liver function, coeliac screen plus loads of other, AND I need to be there for 9am for a Cortisol screening.

Once this is done, assuming they all come back inconclusive, I'm going to be referred to a specialist. An actual, genuine, bona-fide specialist. I've not seen one of those for at least 8 years. AND the doc is now trying to get a proper diagnosis, and I am sure he said the specialist is for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/M.E. There are worse things he could be pushing for I suppose. We shall see.

Blood test is Tuesday morning, so be warned for whining.

After that, it was time to start clearing up - so I spent the afternoon pottering around the house and making it presentable for Kellies friend from school. Again, without going into anything, she's been having a very hard time for the last month, so this was a break to come over and put the world to rights.

So, school run, back in, finished clearing up, and they arrived while Kellie was stuck at work. SIX kids running around, and us gassing about everything.

8pm they went home, and I had another quick tidy before throwing the girls to bed and finally flopping out on the sofa watching House.

Granted, between 8pm and 10.30pm, Kellie had to nudge me a half dozen times when I dozed off... But here we are, it's now just gone midnight and I am exhausted. This post has been all over the place I know, but I am doing this AND watching Disneys Hercules - I've not seen it for years and love it, but figure if I have two things to concentrate on I might stay awake ;)

So, last night of four hours, and I can't wait for tomorrow night. Plus it's the weekend so I don't need to worry about doing too much. Once I know I am allowed to talk about the rant at the start, I will do so. And it will be a shouty sweary rant.

For the next ninety minutes, I will mostly be fighting sleep. Night.