Good Morning SEE-Fids

when i first wake up in the morning, i can't move. it's not a matter of pain. i just can't move. that can go on for a while. like a half hour. we're going to get up now. yessir. okay. here we go. getting up. yep. getting up now. moving the leg. move, leg.

sometimes the only way i can get up in the morning is to get the attention of my irish setter, who will then lick my face until i get up.

then, it's the find a matching pair of socks game. pee without falling back into a coma on the toilet. figure out which bedroom slipper goes on which foot. find some underwear. don't trip trying to put the underwear on over the bedroom slippers. put the bathrobe on over the nightgown. untangle the belt from inside my armpits and tie the robe. get downstairs.

the irish setter likes to go down the stairs on my left. the golden retriever likes to go down the stairs on my right. let the irish go first because she's whacko and might trip me, but have to take two steps so she's certain i'm coming with her, then switch to lean against left wall, and golden retriever comes down next to me. sweetheart, she thinks she helps prop me up. (on the rare occasions i actually fall, she stands next to me so i can press on her and stand up)

then, it's the standing in the kitchen game. what am i doing? ritalin. yes, ritalin first. glass. that's easy. glass is in the dishwasher. water. where is the water? no, that's not in the dishwasher. not in the cupboard either. on the other side of the room, in the water cooler. okay. water. glass. ritalin.

okay. now what. the family made coffee for me before everybody left. good. they left me something to eat I don't have to fix (usually tasty cakes crumb cakes). good. coffee cup. don't put coffee in glass. put napkin on saucer under coffee cup because you will spill the coffee. remember to put coffee cup back on napkin on saucer before pouring coffee. okay. now what. oh yes. sugar. okay. why am i holding sugar? for coffee. yes. spoon. where? why do I have a spoon? coffee. sugar. where's the coffee? not there, not there, not there -- ah, there. what am i doing? oh yes, sugar. where's the sugar? not there, ah, there. now. what? milk. okay. milk is not in cupboard with glasses. milk is not in dishwasher. milk is not in microwave. milk is... in refrigerator! yes! why am I holding milk? coffee. where is coffee? not there. not there. there! okay.

ooops, dogs are tossing dog bowls around in kitchen. have to get some water in water dish, some dog food in dog dish before sitting down. if i sit down, i won't be able to get back up and do it. get that done. okay. what was I doing? oh yes. coffee. oh good, it's already in the cup. take it over to sidetable in family room. sit dow .... NO don't sit down yet. something else. coffee cake! yes! go get coffee cake and a paper towel.

why am i standing in the utility room looking at the washing machine? not doing laundry now. doing something else. yes. get coffee cake and paper towel. put them on side table. now what? am I up for reading newspaper or too foggy? get newspaper and take it over to tv table on other side of lounge chair just in case. glasses? glasses? where are my glasses? there? there? i'm not stepping on them am i? oh good, there they are on the table under the paper towel and coffee cake. what was i doing? okay. coffee. tasty cake. took ritalin. glasses. newspaper. dog dishes full. okay. sit down. put nice blankie on top. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

don't let ANYBODY ever tell you that CFIDS isn't HARD work.