Sleep clinic

I briefly mentioned the sleep clinic in last nights blog. But honestly wanted to take on the first night of the new regime before commenting. But really I wanted to be proven wrong. I wanted the Dr's advice but right. But really I could see the flaws and both John and I walked out of the appointment gob smacked and in shock over the request.

So why are we there in the first place?
About 18 months ago Thomas was still in his cot. He still used the Angel care baby monitor with breathing sensor mats. I purchased this monitor 3 years ago when he was about a month old as I was home alone one weekend, I noticed on the Sunday morning he was sleeping longer than normal for him (yes he has been a rotten sleeper from birth). So I went to check on my new born miracle to find his complexion rather grey. He was still breathing. But it was shallow. From the next day on wards he had the breathing sensor pads on his cot. We never had an issue with them going off without due cause. (The spin cycle and the use of the sewing machine in it's old place at the same time for some reason set it off).
Suddenly before his second birthday the monitor's alarm was going off. On investigation it was going off because indeed he had stopped breathing. A stimulating rub on his chest and calling his name seemed to snap him back. This could happen up to 3 times a night. It was scary. No Dr's at the time could work out what was happening. His pead at the time was a down right jerk about the situation, going so far as to tell me that it was impossible that it was happening. We never went back to him. He also refused to help get us seen at the sleep clinic.

So I did what all scared mums do. I fought hard and long for an appointment. In the mean time, Thomas turned 2 and had grown out of his cot and started climbing it. That it had actually become unsafe to even try to keep him there. So we had to put him into his bed. Which meant no more monitoring. Which meant once again fighting harder for an appointment. I was ringing weekly. I felt that I was getting no where fast without the support I needed.

In the mean time it was getting harder to get him to sleep, night terrors started which meant he was awake for up to 3 hours at a time. We were going through hell. Sleep deprivation was effecting everything in our life.

Finally in November last year an appointment came available. The Dr's thought it was his tonsils, But it had previously been dismissed by the Ear nose throat Dr who referred us to them. We then had to wait a couple of weeks for the sleep study. Which we were on the cancellation list for. It meant a sleep over at the hospital attached to wires and meant to be an O2 monitor in the form of nasal prongs. But that could not be done.

That night he woke at 3am and refused to go back to sleep. That is all they found. We were sent away to come back for a review in 6 months. That appointment came a week after his diagnosis. The Dr we saw was a rude cow who forgot who she was there to see. She ignored Thomas so Thomas went burko. We were made to feel like bad parents and once again we were told to change EVERYTHING we were doing, that previously been told to do by child health nurses.

Then 3 months later we had a review. Finally a decent Dr. A Dr who listened, could see we were not coping. Took us seriously about his diagnosis. Before I could even ask about Melatonin he was writing the script. It seemed to be the god send we needed. But it was only getting him off to sleep. It was not helping him sleep through properly yet. HE was still waking at 3:30-5am every day.

So we headed back for our 8 week review. We were put in a special clinic to see a certain specialist. We had heard great things about this Dr. People had raved about her. I guess we were expecting big things yesterday. Once again we were let down. We were given another junior registrar. Who we had not seen before. Thomas was once again high as a kite. He could not care how high he was getting. Than he decided that he would go consult with the Dr we were there to see, leaving us in the room alone for 20 minuets.

The result was to give our toddler SR melatonin. in tablet form. Yes this Dr wanted to give Thomas at 3 tablets to swallow. Straight up I said no, then he suggested crushing it in honey and I quizzed him to weather it was possible because as far as I knew from personal experience you can't crush these tablets. So after he called the pharmacy, I was proven right.

Plan b. Lets give Thomas an extra dose of melatonin at 12:30am. WTF. we go to bed at 10:30 by the time we chill and do the things we need. This Dr wants me to wake 2hours later to give my son more medication. Clearly this man does not have children. The issue is also I take night time medication to control resting pain. Once I am asleep, that is generally it. So the decision was that if this medication was going to help him sleep longer, than I was going to stay up, work and give him his meds at midnight.

So this plan seems easy right. Take one already sleep deprived mum, give her more tasks in the middle of the night with the hope that it will make the child sleep in. Oh yeah you have to get this medication in the child's mouth at midnight, with out waking them. Then try and get off to sleep your self.

Well reality, I made it to 12:15 and went nope can't stay awake any longer, gave the medication, fought with him to open his mouth, got into bed. Husband snoring. GREAT. An hour later I get to sleep.

At 5am Thomas wakes screaming for me. Kicking walls. Yelling, signing etc. It is now 8:30 we have school in an hour. Some how I am meant to function for this. Not sure yet how. But I guess we will battle on. What choice do I have.