A Little Sleep, A Little Slumber

Ethan was here.  If you know Ethan, that is probably all I need to say.  For those that don't know him personally, let me give you a little more insight into our visit.

It was Labor Day and Ethan had Tuesday off from school.  His parents had to work, so Monday afternoon, I drove 45 minutes to the halfway point between our homes.  Danny met me there with Ethan. We grabbed french fries and a frosty, because everyone knows you gotta dip your hot fries in cold chocolate, popped in the Cars movie, and headed home.

At dinner, Ethan wasn't very hungry.  I figured either his late afternoon snack filled him up or his stomach was off.  Apparently it was the latter. He had diarrhea right before I gave him a bath.  Like the kid who doesn't realize he is about to vomit, E didn't quite make it to the bathroom.

Just before 9:00 p.m., we read some books, and it was off to bed.  Only he didn't fall asleep. This Gramma was tired, so ended up laying down with Ethan.  I dozed off a couple of times, only to have Ethan tap me on the shoulder, wave his fist in the air, asking if I'd take him to the store.  By the fifth time or so, I told him if he didn't go to sleep I would NOT be taking him to the store because Gramma would be too tired.  He lay quiet for awhile.

Believing he was close to sleep, I snuck upstairs.  A little later, I heard him trying to let the dog out. Not wanting a repeat of him putting the dog in the washing machine, I ran downstairs. He gestured to let me know what happened, but the odor was unmistakable.  He'd had another accident.

At 12:30 a.m., I was so exhausted I didn't think I could stay awake any longer.  Thankfully, one of Ethan's Auntie's volunteered to take over.  I told her that if he didn't fall asleep by the time she was ready to go to bed to come get me.  Around 2:00 a.m.,  Elisabeth was headed to bed. She had work in the morning.

Once again, I lay down with Ethan.  He couldn't seem to relax.  I dozed off, but opened my eyes to see him getting out of bed.  I watched him take a chair from beside the bed and reposition it across the room-no doubt where it truly belonged.  He crawled back in bed.  A few minutes later, he got up again. I watched with one eye as he walked down the hall.  I heard him go into the bathroom.  Good, at least he got up to use the restroom this time.

He came right back to bed with little coaxing. I must have fallen asleep again, because I awoke when the overhead light turned on.  I squinted, trying to focus my eyes when I saw Ethan ascending the stairs.  I was too tired to get up.  I waited a minute. He reappeared.  He was talking and signing that he was hungry and thirsty.  Really?  On the off chance it might make him comfortable and help him fall asleep, I was willing to get him something to eat .  He'd hadn't eaten much for dinner, and maybe his growling tummy was keeping him awake.  We headed upstairs together.

Immediately he began pointing down the hallway.  I had no idea what he was trying to tell me.  I noticed the bathroom light was on.  I pulled a box of gluten free cereal from the cupboard.  He walked down the hall, walked back and again pointed, with speech and gestures that I wasn't understanding.  Finally, I looked down the hallway.  Oh no!  His great grandmother's bedroom light was on.  Did Ethan really go back there and wake her up?

Quickly, I walked back there with Ethan in the lead.  His great grandmother was actually having a coughing fit and E had been quite concerned. So glad my own conclusions were wrong.

When we got back to the kitchen, I offered Ethan cereal.  He said no, opened the fridge and pointed to the orange chicken I had made for dinner. In a desperate attempt to get this kid to fall asleep, I heated up the chicken. It was 2:30 a.m.

 

 

He ate every bite. I took him back downstairs and we laid down again.  I pulled myself out of his bed by 3:00 a.m. He was finally asleep.  I don't know when I passed out.  I remember lying in my own bed and the last time I checked the clock it was 3:30 a.m.

Around 8 the next morning, err...later that same morning, I dragged myself out of bed.  I walk into the kitchen and who is sitting there with his Ipad?

This isn't the first time Ethan has had trouble sleeping.  This is an off and on difficulty he has had since he was a baby.  We were told this is common with kids who have Angelman Syndrome.  He was given a clinical diagnosis not proven by genetic tests. It is hard to know what sets his insomnia off.  It could have been the swelling of a mosquito bite he had on his leg that was red and hot and raised to an area of 5 inches by 3.  Or the cortizone cream I had slathered on, followed by Benadryl cream, and Neosporin. It could have been the 4 bites he had on his arms that were also raised and swelling.  Or a stomach ache, or quite simply the Bendadryl I gave him to reduce the itching and swelling.

I love you Ethan!

Truthfully,

Joanne

"Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread." ( Proverbs 20:13)