Fluctuations in Sleep

When I went to see my mom last Tuesday, she was snoring as I approached her room. This immediately sounded an alarm, as I’d never heard her snore. She is normally a light sleeper. She tosses and turns, and my footsteps alone will sometimes wake her up. I had to wake her up that evening by saying, “Mom!” She wasn’t too different once she was awake. I texted the nurses about this to see if they had anything to report. They had nothing say, even though I asked twice. I couldn’t help connecting this with a recent text message I’d received from the nurses that she had broken free of her restraints and was going to the bathroom on her own. The next evening, she wasn’t snoring, though she was very still and didn’t hear me approach in her sleep. I couldn’t help wondering if she’d taken the wrong meds. I became more guarded in my interactions with the staff. When I left, I explicitly told the nurses I was leaving, and that my mom was alone in her room, unrestrained. The following day, her sleep appeared normal to me. I was relieved.

Four days later, I found her snoring again. Her meds haven’t changed recently. I asked my mom in a loud voice if she’d been taking the wrong meds. I deliberately made the comment just as her primary caregiver walked by. Then I went to the nursing station, brought up the sudden changes in her sleep pattern again, and asked for a list of the meds she’s been taking officially. The nurse asked if I was going to consult a doctor. I said I was going to talk to a friend about this. Her sleep has been normal since, for another five days.