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...I offer up my hardships for you today.
Doug had to go for a sleep deprivation EEG this morning. This is a lovely test that involves staying awake for 24 hours and then having your brain activity recorded after you fall asleep. I'm sure it was a blast. I slept through most of the fun.
But, the reason that I mention it, and the reason that I offer up my hardships for third shifts wives today is because after he got home from the test this morning, he went to bed. And I had to keep the children quiet. After telling them, oh, fifteen times, not to slam the screen door, and not to bounce the basketball in the driveway in front of the bedroom window, and no they could not open the garage door, I called my mother.
"How did you deal with this when we were little?" I asked. You see, my father was a police officer when I was a young child, and third shift comes with the territory. When it was his turn for third shift, he would work 11 p.m to 7 a.m. and then come home and sleep, with four little kids under the age of four in a two bedroom apartment. And my mother had to keep us quiet. And this went on and on, periodically, until we were in school.
In response to my question, my mother said it was hard. She would take us outdoors for walks -- four little kids up and down the stairs (second floor apartment) to play for a little while. And in the winter, she would take us to the apartment basement (up and down two flights of stairs with four little kids and the laundry) where the washer and dryer was, so we could run off some energy while she laundered.
And so, I realize, as I do often, that my life is pretty easy.
And so, if you are the wife of a third shift worker, and you have children at home, you have my prayers today. And I ask St. Joseph to smile on you and offer his own prayer for your sacrifice.
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Barb:
ReplyDeleteI've been the wife of a third "shifter" and thank heaven's we don't have that cross to bear any longer! It was so hard to live during the day, trying to keep home a restful place. Not to mention that 8 hours of daylight sleeping is not the same as 8 hours of sleep at night. The dear man was never well rested, no matter how quiet I kept the house.
BTW: My husband did the sleep study a couple of years ago. Sleep apnea. I'm praying that your dear one doesn't have to deal with that particular cross...
David occasionally has to pull 24 hour duty, less often now that he has enough rank to get out of it! But when he does, I usually take the kids out for the morning so he can rest, coming home after lunch. If we had to do it every day, well, I don't know!
ReplyDeleteBarbara, since Wayne's a nurse we've been dealing with shiftwork for 20+ years. It's a challenge....thankfully my husband can sleep almost anywhere/anytime. He also uses a mask to block out the light, earplugs to decrease the noise and a fan for *white* noise. Those help but sometimes the kids still wake him up.
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