The Remarkable Tale of the Inflatable Bed

Earlier this month I was invited to stay with a friend for a couple of weeks to avoid the disgusting weather near my home. Whilst I love snow, snow doesn't love me! Falling over is not a good idea when your joints have a mind of their own.

An invitation to visit a friend

One thing I failed to ask my friend when accepting their invitation was what type of bed I would be sleeping on. Now, it is not a usual question; normally, a bedstead is made of wood, springs, and fabric. If you're lucky, you might have memory foam, too!

RLS sufferers may struggle with mattresses that are too soft or too hard. Too soft can bring on a fierce attack with increased dynamism, whereas too hard can make your night a living nightmare. It can feel like you are laying on a brick, causing your nighttime pacing to be drastically increased.

A sleeping arrangement conundrum

Imagine my abject horror when, upon being asked to view their new lounge, I saw an inflatable bed set up in a gap between the sofa and their television. Hoping that they were being gracious and letting me have the master bedroom whilst they languished in the cavern between the two most important items in the room, I enquired, "Are you sure you two will be comfy enough there?"

Apparently, my question was hilarious, as the howls of laughter that beset them were physical. Even quotes of "Stop it!" and "I'm going to wet myself!" were banded around. Having a blank look plastered upon my face, the hoots of joy calmed down when they finally realised I was being serious.

RLS sometimes impacts our friendships

Normally I am a gracious host to my visitors, albeit I have been awake all night. Despite me having to explain to them countless times about my RLS, they still seem astounded that I have had no sleep whatsoever whilst they have been snoring away! Do you ever feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall?!

They have breakfast laid out, tea and coffee stewed and percolated, free roam of my home, and use of every bit of food in the kitchen, as I am not going to stay awake to conduct their day for them. RLS even disrupts our friendships, as there is no way I can accompany them on their treks round and about the beautiful area in which I live.

Coordinating a compromise for my RLS

Apologies, I shall return to my remarkable visit story.

My friend blushed from her nose to her toes; it was one of the first times she realised that maybe there might be a reason why a blow-up bed might not be suitable for her disabled 'friend' (I say 'friend,' as at this point, I seriously wondered if she even considered me more than an acquaintance!)

Of course, they apologised and offered their bed for the time I was staying. Once again, I explained that we could share their comfy bed as I would, undoubtedly, be awake all night pacing round their new abode in pain, therefore asleep most of the day whilst they were out at work.

RLS came in handy this time

Thankfully, I only tried the self-inflating bed once. I'm not sure what they had done to it, but I was left feeling seasick whilst lying still.

RLS came in handy this time; it saved me from a week of motion sickness medication needing to be taken while on terra firma. Restless legs syndrome: 1. Normal life: 167345. The count is a little one-sided.