The Lighter Side

Jason told me I should be sure to write down the funny or interesting things that he sometimes does in his sleep, so that we can be sure to have a record of the Lighter Side of dealing with combat PTSD and the stories we get to tell.

I've shared about Jason being asleep in the closet.  A few weeks ago Jason was asleep with ALL the covers, on the floor, part way under his side of the bed.  I walked in to see him there, the bed only with the fitted sheet on it, and me trying not to giggle as I attempted to figure out how to get him BACK into bed AND reclaim the covers.  Hmmm.  I DID consider getting additional covers for myself, and just leaving him to continue his peaceful sleep on the floor, because he was ontop of his body pillow, so it's not like he was suffering on a hard floor.  (though, that doesn't phase him in the slightest.)  I ended up untangling the covers from him, which led me to the conclusion that he MUST have just roooolllllled out of the bed and landed on his body pillow, preventing injury, or loud thud, and allowing him to continue to sleep the night away.  I re-made the bed, and it only took about 15 minutes to get Jason to get up off the floor, NOT fall over, and climb back up into his spot on the bed.  Whew -- .

Okay, so Last night we had a funny New thing happen.  As I said at the end of yesterday's post, I heard Jason up and down, so I went to go see what was up. He was just hot, and tossing and turning.  He was sound asleep moments later, so I figured I'd take a shower and let myself sleep in a little in the morning.  I get out of the shower, open the bathroom door, and -- NO Jason in the bed.  Hmmm???  He doesn't like to use the bathroom with the light on at night because it feels like a massive spotlight to his eyes, so I thought maybe he was in the kids bathroom.  NOPE!  Hmmm???  I'm thinking to myself - please oh please let this be funny not scary.  I quickly got dressed, while checking closet, floor, and hall closet.  As I was turning the hall light on to check that closet, I realized my cat was looking at me, then down the stairs, then back at me...like she was telling me where to go, NOT that she was interesting in going downstairs.  THEN -- I heard it...Crunch! Chomp, chomp, chomp.  CRUNCH!!! CHomp CHomp CHOMP.  CRRRUUUNNNCH!!  What the Heck?

As I walk down the stairs, "Jason?", and see him sitting, eyes shut, "staring" at the t.v., bag of chips in hand, speed eating them as he chomps LOUDLY away.  I asked him what he was doing as I slowly sat on the love seat about an arms length away from him on the the other couch.

"I'm watchin' Camando, with Arnold Schwartzenager."

"Oh, uh, okay.  Can I have the chips please?"

"Oh, ya want some.  They're really gooooood." and he tilts the bag my direction.  As I tried to take the bag from him, he put a death grip on the bottom.  He was NOT going to let go. 

"Jason, do you know where you are?"

"Pfffttt. Yeah! (with uh-duh kind of attitude) I'm in the chow hall."

"No dear, you're in the living room and we have to get up for work tomorrow." 

"I'm At the dam! uh?! (the Haditha Dam in Iraq where he went "home" most of his deployment between patrols.) I wanted to take in one last movie before we head out tomorrow on patrol in Haqlanayah.  Stupid 2 week patrols, they suck!"

I'm trying not to giggle at this point...and he's STILL chomping away at the chips between answers, AND is "looking" back and forth from me to "the movie" - still eyelids totally shut.

"Jason, do you know who I am?"

He scrunches up his face in confusion.

"Jason, you're going to get REALLY bad heartburn if you keep eating those chips before bed.  Can I please have the bag?"

This seamed to trigger him out of it a little, as he handed me the bag, and started to mumble, "huh" to himself while "looking around" to "see" where he was. 

"Jason, do you know who I am?"

"Uh, YEAHHH, yer my WIFE! (again, with UH DUH attitude.)"

"Do you know where you are?"

"In the LIV-INGGG ROOMMM."

"Jason?"

He suddenly blinked, opened his eyes - well, it was a squint, but they weren't closed and oblivious to what was NO going on.  He asked, "Why are we down here?" then, before I could answer, he said, "Oh MAN I had the weirdest dream.  I dreamt I was in the chow hall.."

"...at the dam."

"Yeah. And we were getting ready to go to, uhh..."

"...Haqlanayah?"

"Uh, yeah, and I was with Johnny and we were watch this movie..."

"Yeah, Commando."

"Hey?"

"Hunny, it was a dream, but you were down here eating chips and talking to me."

"OH GREAT, now I'm sleep eating.  I'm gonna get FAT."

We chatted a bit longer while he worked on waking up enough to get himself up the stairs to bed.  Nearly missed the bed when he went to sit on it, but I managed to get him all the way into bed.  He had NO recollection of all of this having been anything OTHER then a dream until I told him the story this morning.  He had the kids got QUITE a kick out of it, and I know not to jump to ANY conclusions about WHO ate all the chips.  he he he.

(I will now openly admit - that moments like this, while very funny and you MUST take every opportunity you can to laugh when dealing with Jason's struggles - but these are the reasons I don't like to take a sleeping pill for ME, nor do I fall fully asleep at night.  If you see the extra luggage under my eyes, you know why.  I don't freak out, I just have to talk away the concern till I fall asleep, and be grateful for the simplicity in resolving where he was.)

SO - another busy day at work tomorrow.  I managed to luck out, and today I just had to be the lone worker half the day -- Yeah for patient fabric store patrons, who willingly waited their turns at the cash register or cutting table as I ran back and forth while the managers finished up all they could to prepare for INVENTORY - dun du DAHHH.  ugh.  Once we got really busy, they stepped in quickly where needed, but OH are my legs feeling the burn from the workout I gave them today.  I'm REALLY hoping that tomorrow I get to hide and do the inventory work, NOT the customer work. 

Good Night Everyone :o).