News from Dreamland

Growing up in the South, I became fascinated with the Underground Railroad and one of my favorite historical characters, Harriet Tubman. I also became interested in a physical condition she had called narcolepsy. Hers was caused by a severe blow to her head when she was ten years old. Evidently, I share a common condition with this amazing woman of the Civil War era (without having suffered the blow to the head). I met with my neurologist yesterday and he has determined that I most likely have narcolepsy. He felt confident with that diagnosis, according to my last sleep study. This was exactly what I had prayed for: a clear indication from the study, rather than just my explanation of certain symptoms and struggles. He assured me that I'm abnormal - yay for me! You all are thinking, "I could have told her that a long time ago!"

I'm struggling with just grasping this reality of having narcolepsy. I admit that I feel so relieved and validated, since it answers many questions I've had for so many years about feeling so sleepy - even as a child. This definitely has not just come on since having kids, however it greatly magnified the issue. Narcolepsy is fairly rare, with only 1 in 100,000 people having it. Strange that it's me...

I'll be taking medicine that will hopefully help me feel more alert during the day and not feel the overwhelming need to take a nap. Did you get that - ERIN WON'T NEED A NAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You mean people actually do things in the middle of the day other than crash on the bed??? I hear that there's all sorts of things one can do from 1-3. Can't wait to find out!