Thursday, November 08, 2018

Surviving a Crash - A Look Back in Time

Couch, sweats, blanket, book & herbal tea = REST day!
I am now in my 4th week straight of being badly crashed - something that has become extremely rare for me in recent years, thanks to OI treatments and treating immune system dysfunction to prevent virally-triggered crashes. In fact, I hit an all-time low last year of being crashed and unable to function only 3% of the time all year! That's WAY down from a high of being nonfunctional 25% of the time back in 2007. So, this current, unexplained crash has hit me very hard, and I am out of practice dealing with crashes, so it's also been frustrating!

I don't have the mental energy or physical stamina to actually write an original blog post, so here are a few of my favorites on the subject of crashes from the past - enjoy!
  • The Boring Sameness of Crash Days - ugh, I am really feeling this one today! I have a looong list of things that need to get done, and I am unable to do any of them. I have been reading a lot and trying to stay off the laptop (not very successfully, as you can see!), but that boring sameness is starting to get to me.
  • Feed a Crash - ha ha This is a classic but still true today! For some reason when I am crashed, I want to EAT. Ironic since I am burning no calories and unable to exercise at all.
  • Living the Horizontal Life - describes a situation very much like I found myself in this week where I finally stopped fighting the crash and trying to get stuff done and just gave into it and focused on really resting. Also, a nice reminder in this post not to wallow in self-pity because I still have plenty to be grateful for - even more so now, when crashes like this have become so rare.
  • Need a Laugh? - my son always says that laughter is the best medicine! This week I have been getting my laugh on listening to Trevor Noah's memoir, Born a Crime, on audio, which is warm, moving, insightful, and very, very funny about his childhood in South Africa as a mixed race child. This old post features 3 links to hilarious websites that never fail to get me belly laughing - all three are still favorites of mine today!
One other thing that occurred to me reading these old blog posts is that I am SO fortunate to be able to just lie on the couch and rest when I need to now. Back in those days when I wrote most of those posts, one or both of my sons was also crashed or at least battling ME/CFS, so no matter how bad I felt, I still had to take care of them, drive them back and forth to school to catch a class or two, etc. They are in their 20's now (and one is fully recovered), so the mostly empty-nest means I can take care of myself when I need to. Something else to be grateful for!

3 comments:

Billie said...

Sue, I have read your latest blog, and don't know how to contact you any
more, so am doing it this way. It's Billie from Australia. Sorry for your crash, I am in and elongated one, but not so bedridden. Mainly, I think from too many emotional shocks. I wanted to say that had it occurred to you that putting
your laptop on your bed, I suppose on your body, would be so detrimental
to your recovery. I don't know how much EMF or EMR affects you, but it
blows me away. There are ways of protecting yourself, I am too exhausted
to tell it all. Hope this helps. Love Billie

Sue Jackson said...

Hi, Billie -

You can always contact me here, same as always.

I've never noticed any negative effects from EMF, but thanks for the tip!

Sue

Billie said...

Thanks Sue, you are one of the lucky ones, that way. At least make sure your
wi fi modem is 10 feet away, and is turned off at night, and don't give in to
smart meters for your electricity supply. Hope you, and I, pick up soon.
Thanks for all your work. Love Billie