Making Plans

[KatieLadyKeymaster]

Can anybody else relate to the sometimes awful experience of making plans? My friends all want to go to the beach this weekend. I love the beach. I love my friends. But the thought of driving 4 hours and spending the day at the beach, just to come right home, is so exhausting. I know that I would have a blast if I went, and I wouldn’t regret going, but missing out on my precious Saturday relaxation time and time to catch up on other things sounds so debilitating. But I also can’t just not go because it sounds exhausting. Ugh. Life of a narcoleptic.

[FerretModerator]

Are you a good car napper? If you can nap (maybe with earplugs) in the car, enjoy the time at the beach, and then nap all the way home then I’d say go. If not, either because it screws up your normal timing or being unable to nap at the drop of a hat, then I probably wouldn’t.
I am a lousy passenger because I conk out the minute the car starts. My hubby was always wonderful about it… said a sleeping passenger was way better than one that talked non-stop.

[kinistoniscoolParticipant]

i know what you mean totally, long road trips are not my thing, like ill sleep in the car and then by the time we get to the beach which is like noon, ill be most drowsiest while everyone is having fun on the beach, the only thing that kept me going is if i had like a powernap on the beach/incar beforehand or if i drink coffee or energise myself with cold water. I go time to time, not my favourite kind of outings but an interesting one for a narcoleptic

[WonderfulworldParticipant]

Long hours in a car. I usually fall asleep but like kinistoniscool I would be drowsy afterwards. What helps me is to get out in the rain but I guess you don’t hope for rain when going to the beach. Maybe if you go directly into the water and get something cold to drink? How do you feel about sleeping in the car with your friends in it? I don’t know why I personally don’t like falling asleep in the car unless it’s with my husband and therefore I’m afraid of driving with anyone else. Am I weird?

When I get home after a long day somewhere it can ruin the whole next week so I completely get your dilemma. I do it sometimes anyway because I have decided I want to be allowed to have fun once in a while and then take the consequences.

[TheRabbitKingKeymaster]

I having trouble actually forming the plans. Like the brain fog kicks in and I forget to do some logistical thing until the last moment, like arrange to get pets boarded or babysat, and I’m paranoid the whole time leading up to whatever vacation I have planned that there’s gonna be some critical dealkiller I’ve overlooked. It’s like my anxiety meets N and they team up to take all the joy out of anything I have planned 🙁

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by TheRabbitKing.

My current jam: Anathema - Springfield

[JasonKeymaster]

I look at it this way. If you let a condition control your life, it will. I’ve fallen into that trap several times. As long as there aren’t any next day repercussions, I say to hell with it and go to the beach! But yeah I refuse to stay out past 9pm on weekdays so I know how you feel. Really I don’t like to be out late any day because I dread being exhausted the next day.

What sucks the most to me is when you feel pressured to do something. Not many people understand it’s not easy to stay out late for us, plan trips, etc.

[KatieLadyKeymaster]

Thanks for all the responses, everyone! It’s really encouraging to know that others understand my hesitation and how I feel. I decided to commit to going to the beach, only after I got assurances that I will be able to sleep (with earplugs and all!) on the way home without judgement or annoyance from my friends! DeathRabbit- I totally get the anxiety thing! In fact I have a clinical problem with anxiety generally, so narcolepsy worries just makes it so so much worse. For me it’s not like I’m going to forget something, but I get anxious thinking about my future feelings of being sleepy and overwhelmed and stressed, and thinking about what others will think/say.

Jasonm is right- I can’t let narcolepsy control my life. I love the beach, I love my friends, and I will have so much fun. I’ll take my stimulant, I’ll jump into the cold water like Wonderfulworld suggested, and I’ll sleep on the way home. 🙂 maybe a tropical rum drink on the beach will ease my anxiety as well…… 🙂

[JasonKeymaster]

@katielady doesn’t sound like you’ve let N interfere with your life goals, lil miss law review 😉

No clue how you pulled that off without treatment.. that or you’re way smarter than me. Uh my ego is being wounded from this train of thought. Abort!

[EnginerdParticipant]

@KatieLady The thought process in your original post is the story of my life! I hope you went to the beach, though, and your friends were understanding when you needed to take naps under the umbrella and in the car on the way there and back XD

[KatieLadyKeymaster]

@Enginerd , I did end up going! I had a blast, and my friends were great about it 🙂 We stayed the night so I got to sleep on a bed, and then also got to sleep on the way home- full on pillow and blanket sleep in the backseat. Very glad I went!

[FerretModerator]

Your friends are “keepers” Katie. You’re a lucky lady!

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