Third Time’s the Charm…or, is it the Fourth?

You might remember a few weeks ago when I was struggling with bungee-jumping brides and fungus-curing dentists. I couldn’t sleep, had bad dreams, awakened often during the night. Well, now there is a new problem in town. I can’t seem to wake up!

Let me digress a bit.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this particular “irritation,” low-blood sugar can be a bitch! It isn’t a particularly dangerous disease, but more of an annoyance – to you and all of the people around you! When someone has low-blood sugar they are moody, temperamental, sluggish, cranky, they cry easily (and for no apparent reason), they have headaches, they feel dizzy, they may be tired all of the time, they may have insomnia, they may have bad dreams…and there are few more symptoms I just won’t mention in a blog.

It isn’t a day in the park.

Well, I’ve dealt with blood sugar issues since high school (when I didn’t eat all day because I was at a super sale at the mall). The problems come and go, but really, they are manageable.

* Eat 6 small meals a day
* Limit breads, potatoes, and some pasta
* Watch your coffee and alcohol consumption
* Don’t eat sugary sweets

Right!

Well, it goes without saying that if you don’t follow “the rules” every now and then, it will catch up to you. I think this explains my Saturday sleepfest and is to blame for my 2-day headache. So – back to the dreams.

Today I set my alarm to wake up at 2:45 (from yet another nap) so I could be ready to teach a lesson at 4:00. My alarm rang at 2:45, I woke up momentarily to slam it off, thinking to myself, “just a few more minutes…”

This is what transpired the next 12 minutes.

I “woke up” and saw that I had plenty of time to get ready for my 4:00 lesson. I sat something on a nightstand in my room, where it immediately feel to the floor.

“Tappeto,” Peppe said pointing to the object that had fallen on the floor.

“Huh?” I said groggily.

“Tappeto,” he repeated, still pointing his finger to the floor.

“What are you talking about?” I asked in a not-so-nice tone.

“You just threw that on the floor!”

We then argue about the fact that I didn’t throw anything on the floor, but the item fell from the nightstand, and by the way, I tell him, “Don’t point your finger at me and say ‘tappeto‘ ever again!”

Then, suddenly…I feel like I am in a daze and a little lightheaded…

“I have to wake up,” I am thinking to myself.

So, I “wake up” to realize that the whole experience with Peppe, the nightstand, and the tappeto was just a dream. I jump up and look at the clock. 3:25. At this point, I am thinking my lesson is at 3:30 instead of 4:00, so I run to look at another clock. 3:10…I’ll go with that one. I run to the sink, wash my face.

“Should I call her and tell her I am running late?” I think.

I feel my heart racing, and then…

“Wake up….wake up….” I am struggling to pull myself out of bed…again! My legs feel really heavy and I can barely move.

I finally manage to open my eyes, only to realize that this was, once again, a dream. I look at the clock and realize I have plenty of time before my 4:00 lesson. I sit on my bed and decide to have a chat with Peppe and file my nails. Halfway through the first hand (and they were looking really good, let me tell you), I feel heavy and dizzy again…

“Nooooo…..not again.” I am thinking in my dream. “You have to wake up this time,” I tell myself.

And, finally…I wake up. I don’t feel dazed, dizzy, or lightheaded, but confused. Did I really just have a dream that I was having a dream, that I was having a dream, that I was having a dream? Is that even possible?

I get out of bed without looking at the clock and pour myself a Pepsi. NOT the best thing for someone with low blood sugar, but I needed the boost. After a few minutes, I look at the clock…2:57. I seriously had the fleeting thought, “Am I really awake this time?” Then, I realized how strange that was…

Strange indeed…