I listen to songs on my tablet from Christian groups before I pray. When I wake up, I give God my whole day. Then I remember a song I heard the day before. Of course, I am on a med that handles my social anxiety and depression. I get manic sometimes but my husband and my daughter touch me on my hand to let me know I'm getting manic.

@amberpep I too will be interested in hearing responses. Many nights my head is swirling around, preventing sleep, but generally it's all in the background in the morning -- not gone, but in the background.
I know right now I will be having many of those sleepless nights soon because of so many things about to happen -- BIG vacation in October followed immediately by TKR surgery, then while still recovering my daughter's wedding ceremony followed by lunch, then a month and a half later the wedding celebration!
It's a weird way of doing things, but that's my daughter. I am curious to see where they will live after getting married since he is based in Philadelphia where he has started a business and she is NYC where she has a HUGE network, something that is necessary for her since she is a free-lance writer. Time will tell.
JK

@amberpep

Could it be a side effect of a medication? You might be able to program an alarm clock to play something that you find soothing and relaxing.

Jim

@contentandwell You do have a lot on your plate, JK! Can you plan some self-care in the midst of the flurry of activities? Teresa

@hopeful33250 Teresa, the self care is our vacation in October, a lengthy one for us. Getting there and returning will be exhausting (Hawaii) but once there I plan to relax and enjoy.
I have little involvement in my daughter's wedding so far. Initially I was helping them look in Boston but her fiance is a very large influence and the wedding will be taking place in NYC and they are handling everything. I never said i would pay for all of it, I will contribute, so I can't really expect to be overly involved. She knew a long time ago that we would not be totally footing the bill since we did pay fully for her college education.
JK

@contentandwell A trip to Hawaii sounds like perfect self-care!! Teresa

Hi contentandwell ..... yes, I totally understand. Often our adult kids just don't think of the effect their decisions have on anyone around them. Fortunately you're having the TKR afterwards .... that's a good thing. My kids never understood my reluctance about leaving my hometown in MD to move down closer to them in VA. It took me 5 years to decide and almost 2 years to even come close to adjusting. But, someday they'll all be older - yours and mine - and then they'll get it. Right now ... there's no experience except where it relates to themselves and what they want.
abby

@hopeful33250 Teresa, I am really excited about it and a bit nervous too -- that's a lot of flying, it will be exhausting. We do have long layovers, in SF on our way there and in LA on our return, which will help. I still can't believe that my son pushed me to do this him and his girlfriend. He knew I wanted to get away so he jumped right on us joining them. We will go to Maui first and then go to Kauai to spend time with them.
JK

@contentandwell How wonderful!! Both the locations and the family get together. Teresa

@amberpep So true, Amber. My two have changed a bit though, out of gratitude that I am still here. I must admit, I do spoil them, for instance making sure when they arrive to the place in Maine I will have everything on hand that I know they like. My son (in photo with his girlfriend) really eats very healthily and likes to have plain boneless chicken breasts for lunch so I went out and bought a bunch, trimmed them and individually wrapped and froze them. I am also making meatballs and sauce for their first night there. They both love it and really appreciated how good it was after leaving home and finding it not so good elsewhere. My husband is of Italian descent so I learned to make great meatballs and sauce from his mother. My daughter eats less healthy but since her fiance was brought up vegetarian I always have to modify things or take that into account when preparing meals. She is less picky. When she is up at the "camp" in Maine she spoils herself eating sausage and bacon. My arteries choke just thinking of that stuff!
I texted to my son last night asking him if this girlfriend whom he seems really serious with knows how spoiled he is. He responded that she will find out next week. I figure though that I will not always be around to spoil him so I will continue to do so as long as I can, and he spoils me too.
JK