One Of These Days…

Does anyone know if action dreams, or sleepwalking, can kill you?

I am sure one of these days my heart is going to give out after a night of action in my sleep.

Last night, I woke up screaming with my husband yelling at me to stop. I was dreaming Cosmo our kitten was pulled up to ceiling by his string toy and wrapped around the ceiling fan, which we do not have. I also lost our son and suspected he was up there, too.

Thankful, the baby was in bed and the kitten was lying calmly beside me.
The husband, not so much.

Not only was he extremely displeased I woke him up again, but I think he was embarrassed and kept checking the window and muttering ‘people will think I am murdering you in here.’

My heart was beating so fast and my body was trembling. It took a good 10 minutes before my heart returned to normal speed.

While camping with my mom, sister-in-law and niece, I had another action dream, this one seeing me push hard on the light above my head.

I dreamed someone was trying to get to my family through the light and I was pushing them back in the light.

I was thankful my mom woke me up because I think if she waited much longer I might have broken the light. Again, my heart was racing in fear.

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger but I am wonder how many years my poor heart can handle this kind of drama.

Singing the praise of Sick Kids

When our son was one month old, he was airlifted to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Those first few days were dreadful as we watched our little guy struggle to live - his heart racing and skipping at 240 beats per minutes, double what it should have been.

While we were petrified our son’s heart would be damaged beyond repair if it didn’t stop working so hard, we never doubted the care or expertise of the doctors and nurses at Sick Kids.

We were constantly told by family and friends that while no one wants to darken the doors of Sick Kids, if you have to be there, the downtown facility is the best.

They were right.

Our son received constant care and so did we. Our endless questions were answered, and the nurses and doctors were patient, kind and professional.

Once our son was stabilized we were moved out of the cardiac intensive care unit to the cardiac unit. Despite the nurses having multiple patients, we never felt our son was not receiving the best care.

Almost two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, we were sent home - glad to be going but worried.

Our little guy will be seven months old in a couple of days and while we still worry, we know he is better. We also know that if we need to, care and compassion will be found at Sick Kids.

Sick Children’s Hospital information
http://www.sickkids.ca
Donations
http://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/donate/

PS-A special thank you to Markham Stouffville Hospital for the care they gave to our son then and now.
Markham Stouffville Hospital information
http://www.msh.on.ca/
Donations
http://www.msh.on.ca/donate_now