Dear Insomnia

Dear Insomnia,

Look. I understand why you like to hang around. I don't do a whole lot to discourage you. I mean, I'm up at 3:45 a.m. one day and up 'til 2:00 a.m. the next. Sometimes I pull an all-nighter, although with age those have gotten fewer and farther between. Between a job that goes anywhere from 4:30 in the morning until 11:30 at night, and two classes that meet until 9:00 p.m., I'm all over the place. Then sometimes I do something silly like drink a 20-ounce Mountain Dew at 10:00 the night before I'm having surgery on my mouth. As if worrying about teeth and gum tissue being dug up and rearranged (and the cost of said procedure) weren't enough to keep me tossing and turning! You hardly needed any help with that one, did you?

*Le sigh*

Even when I try and get a full night's sleep, you're there, waiting in the wings to pounce on me before I can get to the REM stage. Almost like clockwork, you shake me awake every 3 hours. But Insomnia, you're never around when I need to be awake, are you? Nope. Where the hell are you when I'm nodding off in class, snapping at a co-worker, or nearly driving my car into a tree? You're probably taking a nap. Asshole. Oh, and hey - thanks for those dark circles under my eyes.

Not too long ago I got some painkillers from the doctor. They were the kind with an orange label, and I thought, "YAY! These will knock me out!" Then I found out that they have a potentially fatal interaction with one of my other medications. Well, you know how I'm always saying, "I'll sleep when I'm dead?" I decided to hold off on that one for a while. Insomnia: 1, Deedee: 0.

Well, I guess at least I could thank you for the many sunrises you've allowed me to see. Sunrises are beautiful, you know. I just wish I could enjoy one after a full night's sleep. Could you cut me a break one of these nights? Please?

Thanks.

Love,
*yawn*
Me.