Sleeping used to be one of my favorite activities before my LisFranc injury. Now, I kind of dread it. I have the hardest time getting comfortable at night. My incisions will start to itch randomly, or bump up against the side of my fiberglass cast and cause an uncomfortable sensation. Or, I'll get a visit from the little gremlin that lives inside my cast, and he will randomly stab my foot with a knife, or a searing hot poker, or a taser. Whatever he can find. I have a pillow fort set up, that encases me in a wall of softness. This helps will my comfort level, because I can rest my elbow or knee on the pillows and take some pressure off because my foot demands to be elevated at all times. But, it also closes me off from my husband, so I kind of feel like I'm in cuddle jail. I miss snuggling with my nice, warm, husband and drifting off to Hawaii Dreamland. I'm a side sleeper, and sometimes I can contort my body into a position that will allow me to somewhat sleep on my side, still have my foot elevated, and not have too much pressure on my incisions. But, it's like getting all 9 (that's right, 9, I got your back, Pluto) planets to align. I still can't stand the sensation of a blanket on my exposed toes, so I have to stick my foot out of the covers. That drives me insane, because ever since I was a little girl, I have hated to have any body part hanging out of the covers. Because monsters will get them. So I lay there, staring at the ceiling in the dark, imagining all of the horrible creatures lurking unseen in my bedroom looking for a midnight snack. I used to be able to read for an hour or so, and that would make me nice and comfy and sleepy. I could probably read all night now without getting tired. Even on work nights, I am staying up well past midnight still reading my novels. Then finally turning my Nook off, and tossing and turning for what seems like days. Then my cat decides she wants to cuddle with me, so she comes and lays on my chest and belly. And she'll sit there purring, softly nuzzling my face, pawing at me with her adorable little paws, drifting off to her own Hawaii Dreamland. I suppose it's more like Tuna Dreamland or Treats Island. Of course I can't move or disturb her once she's fallen asleep - that would be rude. Eventually she leaves to go bully our other cat for her nightly capers. I hear him being tackled and screaming like a little girl. I chuckle and can focus on getting comfortable again. I have tried different sleeping techniques, breathing exercises, and playing around with the settings on the Tempurpedic to induce that lovely feeling of being tired. To no avail. Don't get me wrong, I can take a sleeping pill, or a Melatonin, or a Klonopin, and that'll do the trick right quick. But, I want natural sleep! I have to remind myself that this is only temporary! It's been 3.5 weeks since surgery. Only 8.5 more weeks being in a cast or boot. Then... it's all about Hawaii Dreamland.
