Wednesday, October 14, 2009

When Sleep Deprivation Meets Neurosis

Last night Cassidy slept. She woke up once around 1:45am, so I went in and rubbed her back. She laid back down again immediately, which is a GREAT sign... usually means she'll go back to sleep easily. So I settled into the rocking chair next to the crib with my arm extended into the crib for her to hold my hand ... our latest middle of the night comforting ritual. My mind wandered to work as I dozed and thought about what I had done that evening and what I would do tomorrow.

My eyes popped open as I remembered that I never put my transformation plates into the incubator. Okay, not the end of the world. I could put them in the incubator in the morning and they'd still be ready to use by late afternoon/evening. Then panic set in as I realized that I couldn't recall turning off the gas bunsen burner on my lab bench. I sat there trying my hardest to remember what I had done, in what order, and where I had walked when I left the lab because surely I would have noticed a bright blue flame when I turned off the lights... wouldn't I?

Crap.

So I snuck out of Cassidy's room after she had drifted back to sleep, woke Jeff up to tell him I had to go to work, and crept out of the house at 2:25am. Ridiculous, I know. But the entire drive (all of 10 minutes --- traffic is wonderful in the middle of the night, and actually so is radio.. much better than when I normally drive) I had visions of toxic smoke and flames billowing from the 7th floor of our building. Relief started to set in as I exited the highway to see our building still intact without any emergency lights flashing around it.

In the lab I found ... my lab bench as it should be with no bunsen burner lit and my plates in the proper incubator where they should be. I still have no recollection of doing either of these things.

I was back home in bed by 3:05 and able to sleep (which I know full well I wouldn't have if I hadn't gone into work to check.) Yes, I know... I'm completely neurotic. I've accepted it. You should too.

And a brief update on Cassidy: Running a low grade fever this morning again, not the least bit interested in eating anything, whining, and snotting all over. No daycare for her. I'm home again.

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