We had an 8 year-old patient in the sleep lab when I got to work today. He finished his overnight study and was in the middle of his day study. The day study (called an MSLT) consists of a series of 5 naps – 1 every 90-120 minutes. Once the nap is over, the patient has to stay awake until the next nap.
Now, for an 8 year-old patient, this can really be difficult. They are basically in their room that whole time. Yes, they will have breakfast and lunch in between a couple naps, but it’s not like they can go outside to play. We encourage parents to bring books, video games, tablets, or things that will keep the patient busy (and awake).
When I got to work, the kid had just finished his next to last nap. He was sitting on the bed watching a tablet or a phone. Through the speaker, I could hear the theme song to one of the great classic TV shows.
Yep. He was watching I Love Lucy! My co-worker said that he had been watching it all day! He was laughing and totally engaged in it. I thought this was fantastic!
A good show is a good show! I think about all the old shows I watched growing up because my dad introduced me to them. The Honeymooners, F-Troop, Get Smart, The Munsters, Batman, and the Jack Benny Show were all “must see” TV to me as a kid. I loved when I was home sick from school because they always played the Dick Van Dyke Show on the station out of Canada. Some of those shows were 10-20 years old by the time I was watching them – and my exposure to those shows set the bar for anything else I watched very high.
“This kid has great taste in TV shows,” I thought to myself. Kudos to him not getting sucked in to the garbage that most kids are watching today. I couldn’t help but wonder if he also liked old music or old movies. I bet he is a Three Stooges fan! I guess I kind of saw a bit of myself in this kid.
He has no idea, but he sure made me smile today.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
I guess classics are classics for a reason?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I Love Lucy is one of my favorites! That’s awesome that he was watching it! That nap cycle sounds like it would be difficult for kids.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome 👏🏼
LikeLiked by 1 person
that is so cute and funny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
that’s cool and would be unexpected. Lucy’s humor wasn’t highly intellectual but it was funny and I guess that it is simple enough for a child to understand and laugh at is why we still talk about her and her shows. But not many kids these days get exposed to it, nor might they all have the patience for it given how fast-paced and explosive a lot of cartoons and things aimed at young are these days.
LikeLike