How being narcoleptic is not funny

Copyright 2006 Eva Moffat I keep falling asleep, even first thing in the morning after eight hours sleep the night before. Being a perpetual student, I’m always trying to learn something, but the minute I pick up a book to start reading / studying, I go to sleep. Also I enjoy going to meetings / seminars / workshops, like the dormouse in Alice in Wonderland I sleep right through them. Sometimes this can be quite hilarious, especially if I’m at a meeting. I don’t know how it happens, but I will wake up long enough to come out with a relevant suggestion, then I go back to sleep. But I can assure you that whatever is wrong with me it’s not contagious. You can’t catch it off me, even if I breathe on you. I know now I have Narcolepsy. Yet I had it for twenty-years before I knew what I had. Narcolepsy is not an illness. It’s not a disease, I won’t die from it, unless I fall asleep while crossing the road; no it’s a condition that I have to live with for the rest of my life. How long have I had it? About 45 years. It was just after my younger daughter Susanne was born, about 1962, that I found myself having to have an afternoon nap along with my two daughters. But with having a two year old and a newborn baby, plus a husband and house to look after, it wasn’t surprising that I was tired. So life went on. I used to read to the girls at bedtime. Problem was that I would fall asleep midsentence. Michelle my eldest daughter would wake me up shouting, ‘What happened next mum?’ When the children were in double figures I started work again. But because of my falling asleep on the job, I kept having to look for new jobs. My CV’s had to have a few porkies in them. Then in 1971 I was accepted as a Student Nurse. I got through two years of my three-year course, sleeping through the lectures, then having to read my textbooks in order to keep up with what I should have learned in class, even passing my exams. But eventually I had to leave my nurse training as my constant sleeping meant there was a possibility of me harming a patient; without meaning to of course. What Was Wrong With Me, Other People Didn’t Keep Falling Asleep? Even though I worked in a hospital for just over two years, nobody picked up on what was wrong with me. Me And Further Education As I had left school at fifteen I had no educational qualifications. So being a sponge for knowledge, at aged thirty-one I went back to school. I would see my daughters off to school each morning, then I’d go to school ‘Mums’ School. I studied for a year and came out with six GCE O’Levels. I say studied and I meant double studied. I once again slept through all the lectures, so I had to study my textbooks by night. It Was Twenty Years Later That I Found Out What Ailed Me In 1981 I read a letter in our local newspaper. Dorothy Hand wanted to start a support group for Narcoleptics. She described the symptoms. Now at long last I knew why I was always falling asleep, I wasn’t alone with the problem of always nodding off, and what I had, had a name. Narcolepsy. I went to the first meeting. There were thirty of us. We sat in a large circle. Each of us in turn stood up and told the rest of the group what our problem was One man was a long distance lorry driver, he had to pull into a layby every half hour in order to have a little doze. Another man didn’t dare to laugh or he’d fall to the ground in helpless heap. He also had Cataplexy. Most of the people there had already been diagnosed as having Narcolepsy. I went away from that meeting knowing at long last there was definitely a reason why I kept falling asleep. I was encouraged by the group to go and see my doctor as soon as possible. I had been to my doctor some years earlier, but he said I was probably bored, so that was why I kept falling asleep. I have never been bored in my life. So a couple of days later, I went to see my doctor. Just by a stroke of luck, my doctor was on holiday, so I saw a locum. This time I didn’t tell him my symptoms and hope he’d work out what was wrong with me, but I asked him, ‘What do you know about Narcolepsy?’ ‘Sit down,’ he said. ‘Tell me all about it.’ So two weeks later, I was at the hospital seeing a Neurologist. After various tests, he confirmed that I did have Narcolepsy. This surprised my husband, who had accompanied me to the hospital, because he truly believed that I was just tired, as I was on the go sixteen hours a day. I think ten of those hours were spent in a semi waking condition or maybe a better description would have been like a zombie. When the Neurologist confirmed that I did have Narcolepsy, he also told me I had it mildly. So he gave me some medication that turned out to be Amphetamines. I remember taking one tablet and soon after, I started feeling sick, so I flushed the rest down the toilet. I have never taken any medication for it since then. Over the past twenty-five years I have seen people with much more severe symptoms of Narcolepsy than I have. Medication does mean they don’t sleep as much as they would without the medication, but as time passes, the dosage has to be increased regularly. Thankfully, frustrating as it is to be sleeping my life away, I am no better or worse than I was when I started with Narcolepsy forty-five years ago. But I consider myself lucky. Apart From Falling Asleep Frequently, What Else Happens? Others that have Narcolepsy, besides having the sleeping bouts, called EDS (Excessive Daytime Sleepiness throughout the day, also have Cataplexy. This is brought on by an emotion, could be laughing, crying, joy or sorrow. Their muscles give way, and they will fall to the floor in a helpless heap. Unfortunately, while in this helpless state on the floor, they are fully aware of what is going on, but for the few minutes it lasts for, they are unable to move or speak. There are more minor things that I do suffer from. One is called Restless Legs, although I do realise that Restless Legs are not just for Narcoleptics. And the way I can fall asleep any time of the day, you would think I’d have no trouble falling asleep when I do officially get into bed. But that is not the case. Sometimes it can take me up to an hour to drop off to sleep. Then I sleep about two hours and wake up again. This sleep pattern can go on right through the night. Some Other Problems That Can Go Along With Narcolepsy · Learning Difficulties and Memory Impairment · Short Attention Span · Eye Fatigue · Binge Eating · Alcohol Sensitivity · Lack of Sexual Interest · Depression · Automatic Behaviour Is It A Common Problem? Narcolepsy is a condition that can strike anybody at anytime. Although some people have Narcolepsy as children, other people, myself included first start with the symptoms in their early twenties. There are said to be about 10 000 cases in the United Kingdom, but there are Narcoleptics all over the world. Male or female, rich or poor. From a street cleaner to a Prime Minister. Colour, race or creed, Narcolepsy does not discriminate. Not a proven fact, but it is believed that Winston Churchill had Narcolepsy. Can Narcolepsy Be Cured? No Narcolepsy can’t be cured. Once a Narcoleptic always a Narcoleptic. Medication can help the Narcoleptic to live a better quality of life, but I couldn’t say a normal life. Some days are better than others. It becomes difficult to plan things, because as a Narcoleptic, I never know what I’m going to be like from one day to the next. So with Narcolepsy being a way of life. I just have to get on with living as best I can.

Take the family on a holiday

Are you planning a family vacation and you have a baby? You will want to do plenty of things for you to enjoy your trip. You will find that the child may hold you back, but you will find that you’ll find plenty of things to do to enjoy your vacation with the baby. You will want to make sure that you have plenty of baby wipes and diapers. You will also want to have plenty of bottled water for the baby to drink and for the entire family to enjoy. You will also want to use the water to rinse out cups. Also, with the baby you are going to want to have tons of snacks, but make them be sugar free snacks. Also, if you plan on driving or having a long ride to destinations, you will want to bring a blanket for the child to be comfortable, and possibly a neck pillow to make the child more comfortable. If the child is old, enough to pay attention to things you may want to bring coloring books and toys for them to be entertained by. This will help the child be quiet during the ride and you will feel a lot better when you get to your destination. You will want to bring some CDs and play them in the car for them or you can always bring a portable DVD player. Most of the time, you will be able to purchase one that you can plug into your cigarette lighter, but the child will have tons of fun watching their favorite shows. You may want to jump in the back and read some stories with them too. You will also want to take some pit stops for them to recoup from the driving. You will want to stop along the way and get some food and things to drink. You will find that there are things that you can do like stretching and changing them that can make them feel better about driving so long. You should really not drive more than eight hours with a baby. They will get cranky from being in the car so long. You will want to allow them to get some fresh air. You should always try to include your small children in any of your trips. You don’t have to leave them at home because you are afraid that they will be difficult. Children adapt very quickly and with you being there, the child will be able to adapt to their new environment quickly. You will find that if you plan well, then you will be able to enjoy the trip. You will find that if you bring the coloring books and other things you will have a good ride down and back. You will also want to afford the sugar because they will become restless and want to get out of the car and they will whine. That is why you should bring crackers, fruit, and other things that will make your child happy, but things that are low in sugar. When it comes to traveling with a young child, you may find that it is a challenge. You will find that if you have older children, they will be able to make the trip less stressful by taking the time and playing with them. You will find that you can learn from the early experiences when it comes to children, because the ride home will always be better. You will know how to handle the traveling and dealing with tired children. You may want to switch with you mate or friend sitting in the backseat with the child so that they are able to keep the child feeling safe and happy.

Golf vacation spots 11

Dooks Golf Club: One of Irelands Best Kept Secret Ranked no 16 in the world as one of the best golf courses, no. 8 in the top 10 courses for welcome, no. 6 in the worlds 10 most difficult courses and no 1 in the world in the 10 best value courses, indeed, the Dooks Golf Club is one of Irelands best attractions and it has continued to draw in tourists to its vast and rolling greens. Found along the Dingle bay with mountains bordering its three sides, the Dooks Golf Club offers a course that combines flat and wide greens on some holes and highly elevated greens on the others. Its length of 6500 yards is filled with blind shots and trees and contradictory flat and easily visible holes. Established in 1889, the Dooks Golf Club was promoted by the Royal Horse Artillery to the nearby aristocratic golfers while being stationed and training in the area. It is now one of the oldest golf links in Ireland. Its location itself has provided many of its members and visitors a chance to experience true Irish traditional culture and the famed traditions. For every golfer that has been looking for a golf course that can offer a tranquil environment, the Dooks Golf Club epitomizes this concept. Starting out as a nine hole course, it has evolved into an 18 hole course almost a century after in 1970 when its members decided to add some holes. This golf club has never failed to leave a good impression in every golfer that has played a round in its course and has left a lasting mark with its habitat, amazing wildlife, and features of its lands. There you will see the vast number of flora that dots its courses and captures the imagination and appreciation of those that have walked its greens. For those who love bird watching as much as they do golf, this is a nesting ground for many beautiful birds like the Skylark, Pennyroyal and the Whimbrel among a host of others. Aside from its natural beauty, the Dooks Golf Club also offers modern state of the art amenities that are affixed with traditional designs that showcase the history of Dooks Golf Club and its evolution to a world class link golf course. Its clubhouse alone has been the recipient of extensive remodeling in the past years but still is able to retain its rustic and friendly ambience and atmosphere. You can get superb Irish and other meals in their restaurant or have a relaxing drink at the end of the day in their bar. Many golfers have neglected this course and have set their sights to the more popular golf courses in Waterville. But to those who have decided to slow down and check out Dooks, they have made one of the best decisions they could ever make. Rarely would those golfers who have had a taste of Dooks have a bad thing to say about the course. Many of them have been returning since then and have regarded the place as one of the best golf vacation spots in Ireland. Found in Glenbeigh, County Kerry, this Irish golf gem should always be on top of a golfer's vacation wish list. The next time you have the time to experience golf at its finest, check out Dooks Golf Club and play golf the way it should be played.

Before you bring your new pit bull puppy home dog owner advice

There are several things one should consider before adding a Pit Bull terrier to your household. As with any and all breeds of dogs, Pit Bulls have their own individual quirks and personalities that should be researched and considered thoroughly before adding a Pit Bull puppy to your family. You also will need to make sure that you have time for a puppy in your life, as they crave lots of love and attention, and don’t do as well in busy families where they aren’t able to get that. You definitely do not want to add a new pet if it isn’t going to fit in with your family or other pets you may already have. Pit Bull terriers usually do better in homes with older children, than those with babies or toddlers. Once you have made the decision that a Pit Bull puppy would be a good addition to your household, you will need to ready your house for him before you bring the puppy home. Preparing your home beforehand will make your first few days at home with your new puppy much easier. Puppies are naturally curious about their surroundings, so you definitely should take precaution with household products, plants, poisons, etc. Puppies also tend to be destructive sometimes, so you will also need to consider that as well. They like to chew a lot, so you will want to purchase toys for them to have, and keep anything you don’t want damaged out of the puppy’s area. When you bring your new puppy home, you should ensure that there will be someone at home most of the time. The puppy should be taken outside often, at least until he is house-broken. It is also important that your puppy get a lot of exercise, which will help in getting rid of any pent up energy he may have, making the puppy easier to deal with. It is very important to try to have a routine for your new puppy, as puppies tend to do better when things are kept consistent. Many puppies don’t respond well to change, so it is important to establish a routine and keep it up. Owning a Pit Bull terrier comes with a lot of responsibility, as with owning any pet. Pit Bulls thrive in homes with loving and attentive owners. They are very loving and devoted when cared for and treated well.

How to choose an airline card

: There are so many airline cards that might be making you confused to decide which one to choose from? You can easily arrive at some decision by asking yourself these basic questions such as which airline do you use most? or how often do you fly and is there any benefits worth the fees charged by these airlines. In case you use only one airline whenever you travel you have to first check with them and see if they have their own airline card because some of the airlines don’t offer their own card but they are in some join venture with other companies to offer their own special card. However, it is more likely that your favorite airline has its own airline card available. It may be possible that you just look at the cost of the flights, schedule or deals and don’t pay any attention to the airline that takes you to your wished destination. So if this is the case you need to search for an airline card that has more lenience and thus you should be able to find an airlines card that is offered with several airlines instead of just one. You should also check into airline cards and if you fly quite often then you can easily find some great offers and benefits however if you travel only once a year or every couple of years then airline credit card would be the best deal. As each airline card works on some point and after you fly for a certain amount of miles you can also receive a free flight. You should remember that most of the time the point that you accumulate on your airline card expires. So you should not fly very often or you will be losing some points instead of gaining some reward points for yourself. If you are fly very often, then an airline card can give you plenty of benefits especially if you have an airlines credit card that doesn’t put a cap on the points that you can earn every year. Visit our recommended website southwest-airlines-guide. info

Should you hire a professional for cleaning your carpets

No matter how much care you take of your carpet, there comes a day when it demands a professional carpet cleaning. It is true that keeping your carpet coated with Scotchgard and cleaning spills the moment they occur will keep your carpet cleaner for a long time, but eventually a time will come when your carpet will need to be properly cleaned using steaming and hot water extraction methods. You might be shifting out of a house or planning to throw a grand party and a major decision you might find yourself making is whether to clean your carpet yourself or get it done by professionals. There are both advantages and disadvantages associated with cleaning your carpet yourself. One of the most important disadvantages is that you do not know what kinds of results you will get since you are no expert on carpet cleaning and do it a maximum of once in two years. Knowing what chemicals to use and in what quantity is something that you might not be very sure of. On the other hand, hiring a carpet cleaning machine that you do not know how to operate properly might end up leaving your carpets wet and prone to molding, with the cleaning being nothing to write home about. However, if you are sure that you will be able to do the job yourself and really know how to use carpet cleaning machines, how to use chemicals, which ones to use and where, then you should go for cleaning your carpets yourself and take advantage of the major benefit of cleaning your carpet yourself extremely low costs. One thing that you should keep in mind when cleaning your carpet yourself is to use chemicals that are not really harmful for you and your kids. It is advised that you keep your kids out of the house for at least a day after the carpet cleaning since chemicals in carpet cleaners can bring on asthma and allergy attacks in a number of people. Make sure that you read all the warnings and precautions given on the carpet cleaner packs and follow them to a T. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner comes with its own pros and cons too. For one, professional carpet cleaning services are generally costly and if you are somehow unlucky enough to hire the wrong kind of people, they may end up ruining your carpet and floor permanently. On the other hand, if you actually manage to hire good professional carpet cleaners, then you will not only be saved from the hassle of doing the job yourself, you will also be guaranteed a good job and a very clean carpet for months to come. Therefore the key to getting your carpet cleaned is to save up a little and hire a reputable carpet cleaning firm for doing the job. This way, you will not have to worry about handling dangerous chemicals, handling a carpet cleaning machine or getting your carpets spoiled. Make sure that you hire a company that is recommended by a lot of people instead of hiring just anybody who says he can clean a carpet and you will end up with nice and clean carpets.

Vacationing in gold west country montana

Montana is a vast and varied state of mountains, canyons, river valleys, forests and caverns. It's the 4th largest state in the nation but with our popularion under 1 million, it's actually the sixth least-populated state. Ah... there is room to breathe and nowhere is the air fresher. The myths and legends of the American West are still alive here from the historic ghost towns Virginia City to Butte and Anaconda, the site of the famous Copper King Wars, and a very short jaunt from The Fish Creek House Bed and Breakfast in Whitehall, Butte also has something few other cities can claim – a rich and incredible history. Visiting Butte, even today, one can literally step back into time. Butte is also one of only two cities to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark – with more than 4000 historic buildings of one kind or another. Butte is literally teeming full of historic buildings – and makes other “restored” historic towns seem rather lame in comparison. And if all the historical buildings and “ghost signs” aren’t enough, there is always the every present old mining rigs (over 40 of them dot the sky in Butte) to help remind visitors what built Butte into the town that it is today. As the Lewis and Clark expedition commemorates its bicentennial, Montana is again a central part of the Lewis and Clark travels. As you can wind your way west through the "City of Murals" here in Whitehall and retrace the historic trails of the Lewis and Clark expedition, stop by at the Fish Creek House You'll feel right at home in their beautiful log home Bed & Breakfast, and will happily assist you in planning your visit around Big Sky country. Then there's the watchable wildlife... A pair of binoculars will come in handy as you discover the pleasures of one of Montana's most popular pastimes, wildlife watching. Elk, deer and antelope roam freely on our property. A good tip, grab a cup of coffee while we whip up breakfast since according to the experts, the best viewing time is dawn. We can assist you with other professional guide services. Whether you're visiting Montana for a hunt or fishing on one of the world class fly fishing rivers nearby, or if you simply prefer to relax Fish Creek House is a wonderful home to come back to... while you're away.