Sleep Study

Perhaps you remember that Paige isn't the best of sleepers (especially in the sleeping-in department).

Perhaps you remember the Tonsil Incident of Early 2012. Let us speak no more of that - just remember, okay?

Well, over the past few months we've noticed that while she sleeps Paige is still snoring, still breathing through her mouth, still making lots of noise, and still getting up at the ass-crack of dawn rather early. We tried to phase out her nap earlier this year, and it just wasn't worth the horrible evenings that resulted.

So, Paige is still taking a 2+ hour nap every day, and is still heading to bed around 7:30 (asleep by 8:30 at the latest) every night.

And yet, she was still yawning on the way to school. Still losing her you-know-what every afternoon and evening. So, after a loooong appointment with her pediatrician, we scheduled an appointment for a sleep study (we also ordered a book called "Parenting the Strong-Willed Child", but that's a story for another blog post).

I'd be building up the "sleepover" to Paige for a few days. I prepped her teachers in case they heard any "sleeping in the hospital with Mommy" talk (they indeed had - and they also said "you all always have the most interesting things going on!" To which I replied, "If by 'interesting' you mean 'crazy,' then welcome to the Feldmann family!"). We talked lots about the stickers they'd be putting on her. A lot about how she might not be able to sleep so well. I even watched some YouTube videos of a pediatric study and talked with a friend whose son had one to fully prep myself.

And it went pretty well. At first.

We arrived around 7:00 pm and quickly got settled into our room (which was huge, by the way). I got Paige into her jammies, turned on "Tangled," and proceeded to set up my pullout bed (which I'm pretty sure was made out of leftover flooring from when the building was built ... either that, or concrete. Whichever of those two options would be the hardest, most uncomfortable material known to man).

The respiratory therapist who would be monitoring Paige all night came in and introduced herself. And she quickly got to work placing the stickers and monitoring equipment onto Paige's little body. 

One minor snag - I forgot to mention that the "stickers" would have things underneath them (the sensors). And that they would be placed directly onto her skin. And that there would be something taped to her toe (Okay, FINE - three minor snags. Within the first 5 minutes.).

Still doing well after learning about the sensors and toe-taping. We had a few tears and a mild panic, but we pulled through it. She was having a snack and I was reading books to her.

STILL doing well - the gauze around the head was iffy, but then she found out it was hot pink and all was okay in the world again.

Then, the shit hit the fan (no dancing around the word this time). 

I didn't realize there would be a sensor that went up her nose. Which also had a little stem attached to it that pointed down into her mouth. That was then taped to her face. 

She panicked. She sobbed. I found myself getting stressed out about it, then I realized I was being ridiculous. 

What the hell was I apologizing for? This WAS scary, and she had every right to cry, maybe even scream a little, and be afraid. We cuddled, talked about it, and I may or may not have gotten my own nose tube to wear and promised to wear it all night (Don't tell Paige - I didn't. That thing was crazy annoying!).

Paige, with all the equipment in. Don't think I'm a horrible parent for taking this picture. They suggest taking pictures so your kids can see how "silly" and "funny" they look. This was the best I could get. Let's just say she wasn't amused ...

I finally got her settled down around 8:15, and it was immediately lights-out. 

My poor, poor, poor baby. 

She had a box the size of a shoebox filled with wires next to her in bed. She couldn't move, and kept saying my name every 2 minutes. I wanted to just crawl into bed with her, but couldn't. I finally realized that if I got into my bed and smushed up against the side, I could reach her little outstretched hand. 

So that's what we did. I had a magazine and a book to read with my book light, and election results to monitor. And instead I stayed perfectly still in the most uncomfortable position possible to hold my little girl's hand until she fell asleep. Okay. Fine. And for a little longer after that.

I was so, so proud of her. She was SO brave - especially for being only 3 years old, and having all past hospital experience stuck in her memory as horrible. She didn't sleep very well at all, and I slept in 15 minute increments checking on her and responding to her calls for me.

She woke up at 4:00 am and the therapist came in and said they had plenty of information, so I asked if I could get into bed with her. I did, and we snuggled until she fell back to sleep. At 5:15 the lights came on, the stickers and sensors came off, and Paigers and I headed to Dunkin Donuts. We went inside so she could pick out whatever she wanted (a pink-iced doughnut with rainbow sprinkles and some Munchkins, in case you wondered. L.A.R.G.E. coffee for Mommy.).

So, cross one more adventure off the Mommy/Paige Adventure List (Hmmm...I don't remember making that list, and I sure don't remember putting this on it.). 

Once again, Paige was braver than her Mommy, and came through the other side doing what little girls do best.

Eating pink-iced doughnuts.