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Thursday, February 20, 2014

The princess, the pea and me


The princess--and the pea




A few months back I suffered a herniated disc.  I had never experienced pain like that in my life.  I discovered that at some point in my life, I had a compression break in my back. (I’m pretty sure it was when I got thrown off a horse with a few loose screws when I was in my 20’s)  Since the herniated disc episode I have had back issues, maybe its psychosomatic and I’m just more aware of it since I have seen the MRI’s.  Anyway, my husband and I decided to get a new mattress.

We chose a good quality orthopedic mattress from the local warehouse store. It was rated to be medium, not hard, not soft. Memory gel foam is internally situated in the mattress, for comfort and coolness--so they say. Unfortunately they were displayed on their sides so we couldn’t lie on them…that was our first mistake. The first night we slept on it brought back memories of sleeping on the hard ground in Girls Scouts.  Definitely not medium softness.  And what in the heck happened to the pillow top?  Was is stuffed with lead. My husband told me to give it a few days to break in...hmmmm now a mattress was like too tight shoes? After the third night I got a thick memory foam pad to place on top.

Let me explain how I have always slept and try not to laugh. I am aware I'm a little odd and have accepted that fact. When I sleep, I cannot have even one wrinkle on the sheets.  If there is a wrinkle I get up and pull it tight.  If the sheet develops a pill I get up and use the clothes shaver to smooth it out. I must have my flat pillow and my fluffy pillow. Even when traveling my suitcase must have room for at least the flat pillow or I don't sleep.   And due to these rather odd idiosyncrasies, my husband has started to call me the “princess and the pea”.

Well the mattress was more comfortable but now the height was really up there and the sheets would hardly fit.  To put it simply the extra thick pad made "climbing into bed" a reality. So I went out and bought some new sheets that were extra deep pockets.  They didn’t fit.  I bought another set that was even deeper and while they fit, they developed wrinkles at night and I've already explained  how well I deal with that.

The next bright idea I had was to get those clips that hold the sheets down tight.  Have you ever used those clips?  If you haven’t you may in for some infantile frustration. The clips are similar to the ones on garter belts that hold up nylons.  Unfortunately sheets are a bit thicker than nylons.  Got a cartoonish visual of me yet?  After fighting with the sheets for 45 minutes and calling my husband for reinforcements we finally got them on.  And guess what...it worked.  The sheets are on, smooth, and the bed is comfy!


I'm dreading changing the sheets but sleeping well...And if you read the story of the Princess and the pea above, you will know that only a real princess could feel that pea and I married my prince.  

6 comments:

  1. This story really had me laughing! I use those garter strappy things to hold on the mattress cover. We have a version of the well known ----pedic mattress with the ultrafoam that sinks down. We love it, but it tends to be hot.

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  2. ROFLMAO! Sounds so much like my latest experience with a new mattress. Since I had my lower back fused (a re-injury 3 yrs later) I have to sleep on my left side. Got new mattress, suppose to be a firm pillowtop. Wasn't. So soft I had trouble getting out of it. So high my feet wouldn't touch floor and needed stool to get into bed. Store had 90 day guarantee so new bed, somewhat firmer and lower box spring to now I don't need stool. I won't get into my strange habits regarding the bed altho I promise you they are right up there with yours :)

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  3. so sorry to hear about your back condition. Glad you are now happy with those sheets.

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  4. I can't stop laughing! Sorry! At least everything is working out ;o) I am sorry to hear about your back! Big Hugs ;o)

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  5. I can identify with you and then some. You see, I have a concentric Bulging disc in my L4-L5. Well, I also am unfortunate to also have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Anyhoo, around christmas our queen ended up breaking and became so painful I could not sleep on it. Well, then my hubby got himself an air mattress but nothing for me as he did not realize that I could not sleep on it though I tried due to it sagging. So then I pleaded and begged anyone who would listen to me to help us get us some twin beds. At this point I was sleeping in the floor which is definitely not the place to be when you have AS. That was torturous! But finally my really kind hearted SIL came over one night and caught me sleeping on the floor. Long story short we each have our own bed which is much nicer for myself as my dear sweet hubby is a Thrasher when he sleeps. It is still not perfect but it beats sleeping on the floor. I have an innerspring mattress on top of a wooden foundation box spring with 2 high density foam pads on it. But my illness has grown more painful and I may even have cancer which would explain the high excruciating pain I live with every day here lately. I like you can not tolerate anything bunching up under me.

    This is what my dear sweet Developmentally Disabled hubby has called me since the beginning.

    By the way, wasn't Goldilocks also a princess? She must have been as she had to have it "just right", lol

    Have a great week !

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  6. P.S. I just use large safety pins for holding my sheets on :o) Non- rusting ones of course :o)

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As always thanks for you comments!