A Wretched Night

Sleep is not my friend.

Last night was a difficult night for me. 

Due to a brain-burp I missed taking my evening dose of meds. Every night at the same time I take my meds, give a cat a dose of her medication, and we give our cats an evening treat. It's usually automatic. Last night the added distractions of my being tired and there being a TV show on that had caught my attention lead me to getting everything done but taking of my meds.

Note to self: Try Very Very Hard NOT to do that again. It hurts.

I have been on long term opioid therapy for severe chronic pain for over 20 years. I take extended release every 12 hrs, with the occasional extra bit of instant release for pain spike agony. It is very bad to miss a dose as it tends to cause withdrawal problems to hit you. It is nasty. Hot/Cold/Shivers/Sweats - all at the same time. Gut cramps/the runs/nausea/fluid dumps keep a body running to the toilet. Body pain spikes. Nasty time. That hit me last night. Thankfully I take most of my heart meds in the morning.

Due to my heart problems I can have problems breathing when laying down. I will feel suffocated. I can get palpitations. I have sleep apnea, both obstructive and central, and use a cpap as much as I can. Last night using the cpap was not possible. It was very difficult finding a position where I could breathe and sleep. 

Getting up every half hour to hit the toilet, having problems breathing  and having waves of the flushing meant little sleep happened.

Then there was the rodent. Sometimes a wild rat will come in through the pet flap. At a 3 am bathroom run the cats had a rat trapped by the toilet. I was in no shape to interfere with the household vermin control squad doing their job so I left them to it and made sure that my bedroom door was firmly closed.  

Thank goodness for Immodium, GasX and for the breakthrough meds. I made it through the night- feeling as if I was wrung out but I made it. Time for the morning meds for me and the one cat and what do I find but that the pill container for last night was still full! Yikes! Mystery as to why I felt so rough solved. 

As for the rat, no trace has been yet found. I did hear a battle in the night between cat and rat and it sounded as if the rat was the loser. Maybe the rat got back to the pet flap and escaped. 

So today I am having a recovery day. My chest feels tired with the occasional palps. I have little energy for anything.

Having heart disease is a challenge in living.