Dreamland — A Tale of Two Guardians

Summary

The author discusses the significance of their dreams, particularly as a warning system for their health due to being a type 1 diabetic, and reflects on the differences in dream recall and interpretation among individuals.

Abstract

The article "Dreamland — A Tale of Two Guardians" delves into the author's personal experiences with dreams, categorizing them into two types: ordinary dreams that offer guidance, peace, and reflection, and highly vivid dreams that serve as a critical alert system for potentially dangerous blood sugar levels. The author reveals that their dreams have been exceptionally vivid lately, sometimes incorporating elements from the sitcom "Friends." Despite not recording dreams as they once did, the author finds that significant dream elements still guide them. The narrative intertwines a recent dinner with friends at a restaurant near a medical center, where the author reflects on a past health crisis that led to their diabetes diagnosis. The author's dreams are not just a subconscious journey but a life-saving mechanism, as they can indicate a blood sugar crash that could lead to a diabetic coma or even death. The author's mother, similarly, would wake up sensing her type 2 diabetic husband's low blood sugar. The article concludes with the author accepting the interruptions of their dreams by their protective subconscious, which acts as a guardian during sleep.

Opinions

The author believes that dreams can serve as a protective mechanism, especially for their health as a type 1 diabetic.
They express that writing down dreams did not accelerate their learning process, suggesting individual differences in dream recall and interpretation.
The author values the role of vivid dreams as a warning sign for low blood sugar levels, which can be life-threatening.
They acknowledge the trade-off between having a mind that actively monitors dreams for health cues and the potential for less restful sleep.
The author mentions that their experience with dreams is unique and that others may find different methods of dream interpretation beneficial.
They appreciate the guardian-like function of their dreams and subconscious mind, which can alert them to danger even while asleep.

Dreamland — A Tale of Two Guardians

My dreams sometimes guide me. My dreams sometimes let me escape. My dreams sometime let me remember. My dreams sometimes protect my health and possibly my life.

Diana mentioned that my dreams have been vivid lately. They have been. They had for days the theme of Friends. Sometimes even in the middle of the dream or the end, pops up the title screen of the sitcom of that title. No one friend came to mind. I made more of an effort to lower my barriers and let my friends know I care and know they are important. My sleep two nights ago was the most peaceful in weeks.

I do not record my dreams. I did a long time ago, by keeping a journal by my bed and writing down thoughts when I woke. I found for me that it didn’t seem to change things. It didn’t seem to speed up the lessons I was to learn. I found that the highlights I seemed to be needing to remember to guide me did anyway, whether I wrote them down or not. I have spoken to others about that and most have said writing them down made a difference. We have to be ourselves. There is something else that now makes my dreams more profound, that confuses and clarifies a dreams purpose to me.

I went out to dinner with two good friends last night. We were having dinner across from a medical center that does diagnostic work. We were there because my friend had gotten her mammogram done. I remembered the restaurant when she mentioned the place because twelve years ago I have gotten an MRI there. The year I almost died and became a type 1 insulin dependent diabetic. Part of my pancreas died that year and the ability for it to produce insulin was lost. That is important to my story of dreams. Synchronicity once again.

I categorize my dreams in two types. There are the normal dreams, which can be pleasant and much of the above descriptions. The other type are the most vivid and the most important. They are my body telling me that I am in danger. Sometimes they are almost like hallucinations. They indicate that my blood sugar is low and crashing. I do not know what would happen if I did not wake. I do know that I can go into a diabetic coma. I do know that I can die from those. I do not know and never wish to find out how low my blood sugar has to be for that to happen.

This might be the reason I do not need to write things down. My mind actively monitors my dreams. It is not something I try to do. I believe it tends to make my sleep less restful than most people because my mind will not turn off. It can’t.

I have been in the middle of a dream and had my mind interrupt and ask if this is a vivid dream or is my blood sugar low. I sometimes wake up soaked in sweat from the blood sugar crash. I sometimes check my blood sugar and find out it was a false alarm and just an amazing vivid dream with my blood sugar levels fine.

My father was a type 2 diabetic and my mom would sometimes wake up knowing something was wrong. His breathing or something tipped her off. A couple times needing to call paramedics to assist in raising his blood sugar. Then a trip to the hospital.

I live alone. I only have my guardian dreams to protect me. I am fine with my mind being alert and sometimes interrupting an amazing dream because it is there to protect me.