I am back in a dorm room after almost 50 years. Bonnie and I lucked out. Because her husband is one of the professors teaching the course we got the RA's room - she's not here right now. It's a small living room/kitchen, bath and bedroom with 2 twin beds. Joe is bunked in the boys' dorm across the way (this is a private, Catholic school). It is old and a bit worn but more than adequate and we are grateful - although I wasn't very full of gratitude at 4 in the morning of my first overnight.
The problem? The bed's mattress and box springs are encased in plastic sheeting; not the kind you can unzip but the kind that is permanently sealed. I didn't realize the problem until I tried to turn over. My turning made one corner of the thin sheet pop off and start working its way toward the middle. Then, when I moved the pillow under my leg (I had my second knee replacement surgery 6 weeks ago and still need to support the new knee on a pillow), it popped the opposite corner of the sheet off the bed. Soon I was sliding around on sheet and plastic casing and moving toward the edge of the bed and sure disaster with the new knee. So up I got and remade the bed. And then it happened again. And again. And again. Each time I fell asleep and tried to turn I was almost on the floor. At four in the morning I was desperate. What could I do?
I checked the next morning with other members of the group. About two thirds had plastic cases on their mattresses and bed springs, one third did not. That gave me hope. I approached the woman at the residence hall desk and explained my problem. She spoke little English and looked a bit confused. When I ased, "May I cut the casing off?", she looked very confused but nodded her head. It was tentative, definitely tenative. I, however, took it at face value and had that cover off in less than 5 minutes.
I am happy to report that I am no longer slip sliding away!
The problem? The bed's mattress and box springs are encased in plastic sheeting; not the kind you can unzip but the kind that is permanently sealed. I didn't realize the problem until I tried to turn over. My turning made one corner of the thin sheet pop off and start working its way toward the middle. Then, when I moved the pillow under my leg (I had my second knee replacement surgery 6 weeks ago and still need to support the new knee on a pillow), it popped the opposite corner of the sheet off the bed. Soon I was sliding around on sheet and plastic casing and moving toward the edge of the bed and sure disaster with the new knee. So up I got and remade the bed. And then it happened again. And again. And again. Each time I fell asleep and tried to turn I was almost on the floor. At four in the morning I was desperate. What could I do?
I checked the next morning with other members of the group. About two thirds had plastic cases on their mattresses and bed springs, one third did not. That gave me hope. I approached the woman at the residence hall desk and explained my problem. She spoke little English and looked a bit confused. When I ased, "May I cut the casing off?", she looked very confused but nodded her head. It was tentative, definitely tenative. I, however, took it at face value and had that cover off in less than 5 minutes.
I am happy to report that I am no longer slip sliding away!
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