Well you don't hear of this too often

Our family is hiding a strange little secret. Well not really hiding it as I tell anyone who will listen and empathize since my husband refuses. The boys are oblivious but for that I am thankful. What is this strange little secret you ask? Kevin has become a raging lunatic during sleep. Sometimes its minor and funny. He's exchanging vulgarities whilst playing poker with his friends. He stands up and walks around the room looking for bugs. In the morning I fill him in on the funny things his says and we get a good laugh. Other times he's chatting with his Grandmother or telling the boys to settle down, giving them praise, or disciplining them. And then there are times like last night when he pulled his own shoulder out of its socket while trying to save me from only god knows what.

Yes, that is not a typo. Kevin dislocated his own shoulder. I was startled awake by him clawing at the bed just inches from my face. He was in total panic mode. I squeezed his arm and even lightly slapped him on the cheek to try and wake him out of it. He stood up mumbling and then he finally must have come to and realized he was in an immense amount of pain. He was able to pop his shoulder back into place but the pain was getting the best of him. We think he actually went into shock. He was shivering, pale, and could barely move from the pain. I begged him to go to the ER and like most men he refused. I gave him some Motrin and a heating pad. It took about an hour for the pain to slightly lessen...it was a long night.

This morning he went to the dr. and had some x-rays done. He is still in a considerable amount pain but it is better. This isn't the first time he has clawed at the bed in a panic. Almost every night for the first year of the boys' lives he would claw at the bed, throw back covers and frantically search for them. He would have recurring nightmares that they were in the bed with us and were covered by blankets and we couldn't get them out. This is the very reason the boys have NEVER slept in our bed. I fear for myself sometimes.

The mystery of all this is that Kevin is one of the most laid back, easy going people I know. He isn't the least bit aggressive, stressed, worried, or confrontational. I have a few theories....perhaps his heart/cholesterol meds are responsible. He does take them before bed. Maybe his lack of sleep is what is causing it. He stays up late and gets up early. He probably averages about 6 hours of sleep a night. That isn't humanly possible in my world. I HAVE to have at least 8 hours of sleep or I'm completely miserable. Finally could it be that he is internalizing everything that bothers him and it's manifesting itself in his subconscious. Whatever the case I can tell you it is no fun being woken from a deep sleep to the likes of that. I get an adrenaline rush which then makes it almost impossible for me to resume sleeping. I've been losing a night or two of sleep a week for the past several months from this debacle. Time for the hubby to pack his bags, get stickered up, and spend a night at the sleep clinic.