I Have Slight Narcolepsy (SN)

No, this is not a medical diagnosis- just something a few of my friends have deemed a humorous problem of mine over the last several years. It started out fairly minor- drifting off to sleep in car rides when the weather was warm, the sun was in my face, or I was cozied up with a blanket leaning my head against the window in winter. This also led me to start drinking double-shot espressos on an almost daily basis one summer so I could be fun with youth kids in the car.

 SN (Slight Narcolepsy) progressed some in college. I would go to class having had some coffee in me, psyched for the new day of learning (really-I read everything assigned and typically loved class!). But eventually, and unbeknownst to me, my eyes would open and my nose would be half an inch from the paper I was taking notes on and I had NO IDEA I had fallen asleep! Didn't matter if it was an 8am class or one after lunch.

Then it got worse. On a roommate getaway to Ft. Worth, we were having a late-night discussion when all of a sudden I heard "Kayleigh! Kayleigh!" I immediately woke up... I was falling asleep right in the middle of a sentence--a sentence I was speaking! This has happened again and again during late conversations with friends over the years.

AND it happened when I was being trained on leading a support group for my first job. It was just two of us in a room. He began speaking with a monotone voice and before I knew it, he asked me "Kayleigh, if you want to get up and walk around, go to the bathroom, or get some coffee, please feel free to do so." I had FALLEN ASLEEP right in front of him while he was talking!

Well, I have now been deemed "The Worst Co-Pilot Ever" due to my frequent sleeping in the car. Recently while we were driving back to Austin, Craig asked me to name every state I have been to (moving east from Texas) and I only got to Mississippi, Arkansas...! When Craig or my siblings are around, they typically mess with me (aka- they count to three and scream in unison, slam on the brakes, and I wake up thinking life is over!!) 

All these things considered, I think that I was most recently the most embarrassed when I had worked a full week last week, made a trip to Waco, and wanted to work a World Vision shift on Sunday at the mall. I had an hour break and decided to sit down in a chair and read for a little while. The next thing I knew, I heard girls giggling. I looked up and there were two young girls pointing and laughing at me from the second floor. They had been watching me falling asleep and trying to stay awake in the middle of the day! 

So next time if you see someone sleeping at the mall, don't laugh at them! They may have SN like me  :)