Wakey, wakey!

Hi all,

Thought you’d probably heard enough of my ramblings for a while, so I didn’t bother you for a few months.

Hope you didn’t get too used to it, here’s some more rubbish.

I’ll start the year with activities in the bedroom – – – – – – no, not that sort of thing, shame on you. In my experience waking a deaf person can be fraught with problems. A gentle shake can produce a scream of shock or, worse for me, some form of self-defence strike.

As we all know, sound won’t disturb a non-hearing person. A small glint of light through a tiny curtain gap, I’m assured, can be the equivalent of a dripping tap to a hearing person. The light on a smoke alarm would seem to be another sleep depriver. On a trip away once I precariously balanced on a chair at 2.30am to slip a folded piece of paper over that little glimmer – did that twice in fact, first effort was too thin to block the led. Of course a dream can be engrossing and so dim ones reactions, I don’t understand the allure of Harrison Ford or Tom Selleck, they may be rich but I’m younger – ha!

I don’t sleep well and often leave our bedroom while Sue’s asleep without putting on any lights, so as not to disturb. Keeping Sue ‘in the dark’ has however produced a few heart-stopping moments for both of us when she sat bolt upright demanding “is that you, what’s going on?” or worse “whose there?” So now I don’t try not to disturb her so she is aware of me moving – seems to work. And don’t ever admire the moonlight by poking your head through the curtains, that one took about ten years off me when she screamed.

Now, ways to subtly waken a deaf person who doesn’t use a shake-awake-alarm.

A poke on the arm – bad method, get’s extremely bad response, and such language!

Poke to the body – same, forget it.

A good old shake – never, ever, do that unless you want a bad mood all day.

Don’t even think about switching the light on or drawing the curtains for street light illumination – just not worth the effort.

I’ve found gradually applying a hand to the shoulder (don’t dare use a cold mitt) then gently increasing contact until I can lightly rub her arm is the most pleasant way to produce a non-aggressive “is it morning already?”

Then go downstairs, make tea and watch the news for ten minutes before repeating the process.

Cold, dark, winter’s morning may require a few extra rousings.

What I don’t get is how it’s possible to fall asleep on the sofa with the side light on and the TV silently playing away when a tiny led light prevents dozing off.

Me? Naturally I bounce out of bed fully awake and raring to start another day, full of the joys of life.