Episode 3: Falling is funny

When my narcolepsy/cataplexy first hit me, it hit hard like a weight watchers convention going to a buffet on cheat day. I would just be walking and all of a sudden fall, and I don't mean stumble and catch myself, nah that would have been manageable. When I say fall I mean hands at my side and timber, whichever way my body was leaning. Everything goes into slow motion and your looking at the ground trying to get your hand, arm, pretty much anything that can brace you for impact to move, and your bodies like ha ha think again. The hilarity of this, at least to my sister is she got to give me a new nickname "Baby Tumbles". So now not only do I fall randomly but my family also think its hilarious to use my new nickname enough to where my kids start calling me Baby Tumbles. So with this new trick of mine in my life, I have to start making sure I have something that is stable enough near me to help myself up. Cause not only do you lose all muscle control, you feel like you just completed a marathon. Going along with me needing something to help me up, apparently my sister is not that sturdy, it doesn't help that I am a big guy either. One of the times she tried to help me up, in between laughing at me, we both take another tumble and end up laying in the floor cackling. Most people have an emotion tied to cataplectic attacks, me not so much. The only emotion that I can think of is stress, it does make my symptoms worse, but I'm a parent when am I not stressed in some way. This emotion would make sense tho because my sister, wow, she really know how to bring the pain in that category. I love her to death and think the world of her but there are times that if I wasn't on meds I'd be writing this from behind bars. She likes everything nice and neat, which is great, but she is only gonna straighten it up once or twice. After that she is going to start the nagometer and slowly tear away at your soul with it, till a little part of you dies, usually its part of your sanity. Luckily my cataplexy attacks would hit me part way into one of the tirades and she'd flip her crazy switch off and come racing to my side concerned for her baby brother. See she's not all bad crazy she has her good crazy side too. I just got to find out which voice in her head make that side come out, just kidding, my mom is gonna fuss at me for that one. Speaking of my mom, her reaction to me falling was concern followed by bursting out in laughter after she saw I was fine. She is my Inspiration to keep pushing myself, the person I can talk to and know she is gonna listen and try to understand. The voice of reasoning when I am completely turned around and upside down. She has her own set of health issues but she keeps her house spotless, her family fed, her grand kids happy, and all the crazies from having complete meltdowns. Whats bad about all that is she is starting to develop some of our tendencies. What do you expect she's been doing this for my dad for 33 years. Well while talking about my dad I guess I should give how he deals with my situation. I have the best dad ever, and that's not me blowing smoke that is the truth. He is the epitome of manly, with the compassion and heart of a saint. He cares about me and my family so much it almost runs him ragged. He didn't finish high school, but he has the know how and drive to do pretty much anything. The only downfalls my dad has is that he is a lunatic sometimes. Not like mean and hurtful but like making random noises, not under your breath mumbles no I'm talking shout and yells. This does not bode well for my cataplexy, because sudden excitement can trigger an attack. Which brings me to his other issue, no matter how many times me or my mom tell him about the different symptoms of my narcolepsy, he forgets them two seconds later then freaks out when I have an attack. Then he'll baby me for the rest of the day, which I'm not complaining about, and worry him self into a tizzy till he goes to sleep and resets. I know it sounds like we might be two  scoops short of a banana split but that is how  we make it lots of laughter, at myself and at my  family. No one is hopeless or worthless, the  only person that can stop me is me. If you feel  like you have no one to lean on or no one to  help you, go out and find someone to help or  be that shoulder to lean on. It just might make  you a little stronger, and help you forget about  your issues for a little while.                 #narcolepsy #cataplexy #sleep