45-year battle with sleep disorder | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

Gary Grant greeted me at the door of his Mount Maunganui home - and within 30 seconds fell asleep.

Standing against a wall, his mouth quivered while his wife, Margaret Grant, held his arm.

She gripped his blue woollen cardigan and told me he could still hear what we were saying. Fascinated by his sudden slumber, I watched him sleep.

He is not tired though.

The 74-year-old has a rare neurological disorder, which means he can fall asleep any time, anywhere with little warning.

Mrs Grant told me I was lucky to see him experience one of these "sleep periods" because they didn't happen very often when Mr Grant was in control of his medication.

The attack - called cataplexy - was one of the symptoms of the rare disorder called narcolepsy.

For the past 45 years, Mr Grant has been medicated to prevent him falling asleep when he is supposed to be awake - a condition caused by insufficient peptide, Orexin, in the brain.

He loses control of his muscles but his brain is still alert.

This is a man who still drives his car around the city and who used to race in 24-hour motorsport events.

Narcolepsy, he assures me, can be controlled with medication.

The retired mechanic said it has had no major effect on his life.

He knows of a handful of other narcoleptics in the Western Bay and said medical treatment should be used to ensure the best lifestyle.

He approached the Bay of Plenty Times following a recent television documentary about the disorder, which profiled three women whose lives had been affected by it.

"By taking sufficient amounts of the medication available regularly each day, a narcoleptic can live a normal life.

"You have a good idea what time it is going to occur."

It was when medication was wearing off or in times of stress that attacks came on.

"It is just impossible for you to not go to sleep."

Mrs Grant said her husband has had more frequent cataplexy attacks since reducing his medication last month.

A heart attack in 2000 and recent stress had convinced him to do so.

"It is not imperative that I am sparking all eight cylinders at the moment," he said.

Mr Grant was passionate about cars, racing and being a safe driver.

When his new bride saw him have something "like an epileptic fit" three months after their wedding in 1958, 27-year-old Mr Grant sought medical advice and was soon diagnosed.

Short-term memory loss was a problem and memorising things impossible.

"I can remember something that happened 50 years ago - but remembering something five minutes ago is a bit dicey," he said.

He never tried to memorise a phone number or the specifications of a particular vehicle during his 33-year career in mechanics.

"Ninety five per cent of my customers wouldn't have known I had it.

"It's never effected my work at all."