Exhaustion

February 21, 2013

Wow! I was on a roll with blogging, and with life in general, and then it all came crashing down!

Exhaustion.

I got a really accurate portrait of it last week, as well as a very eye opening reaction to it.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever experienced real exhaustion – to be honest I don’t even know if what I am experiencing is the epitome of it, but it sure feels like it!

Last week I had a Dr’s appt, and this doc suggested I stop taking one of the medications I take for pain (I’ll write about that later).  So as the good patient that I am (or try to be) I obliged, because actually my pain has been much better since the weight has come off.  I had previously cut my doses in half and was doing well with that so I figured now was as good a time as any to try it out.  On top of taking that medication away I added a med than can cause drowsiness (but that I take at night), and was coming off of night shifts.  Due to all the changes at once I can’t be sure about the cause of my exhaustion but I think I’ve narrowed it down to pain.  I’m not going to elaborate too much, but I’ve had pain for most of my life, and it’s never altered the way I live my life.  I tend to not focus on it, and unless I stop and really think about it I wouldn’t say that I am “in pain.”  I’ve realized since taking away the pain med that one very vital expression and symptom of pain is exhaustion and I am definitely feeling that!  I’m usually a morning person, but with exhaustion I can barely pull myself out of bed before 9-10 am, I feel like I’m getting sick (cold/flu), I literally find it hard to get into the shower and get ready, it feels as though it’s bed time from the time I wake to the time I go to bed.

I don’t write all that to extract sympathy from you because it’s not that bad, and give it a month or so and I’ll begin to be able to function as before.  I just wanted to give you a bit of background and talk about the effects of exhaustion that I have realized.

I’ve noticed a few things the past week and I’m attributing them to being so exhausted:

• I literally have close to no self-control, I look at a piece of cake and I buy it with the knowledge of how terrible I will feel after eating it.
• I can’t make myself get to crossfit, and when I do go I can’t put in the full effort (although I feel great about even making it there).
• I’m impatient with everything and anything.
• I don’t plan my meals, which drastically increases my food failures during the day.

This past week has really made me aware of just how important rest is to the big picture of health.  I think it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life, going here and there, picking up this and that, having coffee with him and her, leaving the house in the morning and not getting home until late at night; even when at home there’s always “something to do.” When we live in a busy society we become busy people, and exhaustion just becomes the norm. This week I’ve been forced to slow down (although still busy) and take time to rest, and even beyond that, trying to learn to function on a healthy level in the midst of the exhaustion.

I’d love to hear your tips and tricks to functioning in exhaustion, or to beat exhaustion, because I have a feeling this may become my new norm!

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29

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