And then they kissed...

runsforcelery wrote:____________________________________________

Hi, guys —

First, I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long. More about that in a minute.

<SNIP>

My a neurologist told me “Get out of the damned office and stay there for two months.” I said, “I can’t, because —” He said “Get out of the damned office and stay there for two months.” I said, “I’d love to, but —” He said, “Get out of the damned office and stay there for two months. Am I failing to make myself clear?” At which point, She Who Must Be Obeyed, said “Oh, you’re making yourself perfectly clear.”

So, starting in October, I meekly got “out of the damned office” and stayed there until after Christmas. And being “out of the damned office” included staying off of the forums, which are my only concession to “social media.”

<SNIP>

Now, as to the reason I hit the wall.

<SNIP>

Then we pulled the memory card on my CPAP machine and discovered that for a period of approximately five months I had averaged approximately 3.4 hours of sleep a night. Most of it was probably production deadlines. I wasn’t consciously getting myself up to go back to work. I was simply waking [i] up and, being unable to sleep, deciding to get up and get some work done. I thought I was dozing off in my chair while I worked because I wasn’t getting enough sleep. We now believe that was happening was that I was [i]coming to in my chair, having passed out without even realizing it.

<SNIP>

I would guess that I was probably working at somewhere around 40% efficiency, but I was still getting some work done, which is what made it impossible for me to admit I simply had to stop and recover.

<SNIP>

Now, having said all of that, I can truthfully say that I think I’m back at or near the top of my game.

<SNIP>

In short, I think the hiatus was good for the work, not just for the worker.

I’m also trying to remember the other point which Doctor Absher, in his infinitely tactful way, expressed to me. He said “David, you can’t be doing this. You’re not thirty-five anymore. You’re not even forty-five anymore. Hell,” (and he could have stopped before this next point, you understand) “you’re not even fifty-five anymore!” I thought that last little bit was gratuitous piling on, but Sharon was too busy laughing to show me a great deal of sympathy.

I am, however, trying to be good, which means I’m eating my vegetables and getting at least 6-7 hours of solid sleep every night. I’d love to get more, but that seems to be about my maximum without pharmaceutical assistance, and the whole idea is for me to find my natural sleep rhythm and stay with it.

<SNIP>

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