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Here Be Monsters

HBM084: Are You Sure You’re Awake?

Chrissy was having trouble remembering who she was when she woke up.  First she thought it was early-onset dementia, then she thought it was schizophrenia.  She had recurring hallucinations about being stalked by a beast that would talk to her while she slept.

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By Jeff Emtman • Nov 8, 2017 • 19m Listen

Chrissy was having trouble remembering who she was when she woke up. First she thought it was early-onset dementia, then she thought it was schizophrenia. She had recurring hallucinations about being stalked by a beast that would talk to her while she slept.

Chrissy's bed

inability to maintain a regular sleep cycle that helped her get a diagnosis of narcolepsy, explaining Chrissy’s excessive sleepiness, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and episodes of cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle control after an emotional response).

Some of Chrissy's Medications

Sleep Talker. Bec’s show is about sleep, dreams, and nightmares, and she’s covered narcolepsy before.

This episode was edited by Bethany Denton and Jeff Emtman. Our editor at KCRW is Nick White.

Phantom Fauna | | | The Black Spot

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Second, we want to hear from you for an upcoming episode. Here’s the question, what is unknowable to archaeologists of the future? A lot of knowledge can be preserved in writing, or in landfills, or in collective consciousness. But there must be things that the archaeologists, 3 million years from now, fundamentally can't understand about the world today. Maybe it's the smell of snow melting after a long winter. Maybe it's the softness of a stingray's skin. Maybe those archaeologists will look in vain for those "complete breakfasts" we were supposed to be eating with our Corn Pops.

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    Jeff Emtman

    Independent Producer

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    Bethany Denton

    Managing Editor of 'Here Be Monsters'

    CultureArts
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