Impending Crash

[LastUnicornLady]

Hey, everyone! I shared that I would be doing a performance,and I'm finally finished. It was an incredibly long week, full of stress (physical and emotional) and exhaustion, and as sad as it makes me to say, I think it will probably be my last for some while. I've been acting for over four years now, and I love it. However, my body can no longer cope with the stress. My joints are in severe pain that ibuprofen doesn't touch. My brain feels as though it's turned to mush. I'm crying at every little thing. My vision goes dark every time I stand up, no matter how much water I drink. (Thankfully I haven't completely fainted just yet.) Each muscle in my body feels as though it is just on the verge of collapse. If I do any more plays, they will have to be much more low-key than this one.

Part of me is really regretting being in the show, but the rest of me thinks that it was worth it. I had such an amazing experience, and everyone was so understanding of my illness and my condition. They were very passionate about theater, and they shared my same beliefs. Everyone was so incredible, and they just blew me away by how invested they were in me as a person, not just as a character. But every muscle in my body has been so tense this whole week, and my brain is completely fried. I'm still running on the adrenaline from the shows, but I'm about 99.99% certain that I'm headed for a huge crash... And I don't know that there's anything I can do about it. Has anyone ever headed off a crash before???

[BeforeTheMorning]

Congratulations and Well Done on doing all your shows, that's amazing!

The only thing I can suggest is to really rest and make sure you get enough fluids, which I'm sure you're doing already.

[looneymom]

Do you have a juicer? You can increase your B vitamins which should help with the added stress load and the high antioxident levels could help with the inflammation that's built up. Rest and stay hydrated. Congratulations on getting through the week of shows.

[Becia]

I'm in the same situation of sorts. I was asked by my friend Clark to participate in a competition choir at the local welsh festival. Singing is very important to me, and one of the first things I had to give up at my diagnosis. I tried, but it is very physically taxing. I said yes, because I wanted to see if I could do it, I wanted to be with my friend, whom I love dearly, and has supported me in so many ways since I've been ill.

Yesterday was the competition, and while I was very sick for most of it, and came home and totally crashed, I managed it, and we came out on top. We got first place, and a standing ovation, the only choir to do so. I don't think I'd seen Clark this happy in ages, and I was so grateful he thought of me to do this with him. It took him and my friend Corey to get me on stage (still in wheelchair, was very triggered, and already had had a seizure that morning, so they were being very careful with me), and Clark's dad and another gentleman to get me off stage, but I managed to sit up in my chair surrounded by the alto section (and I'm a first soprano, so that made it so fun, lol), sing a beautiful version of an E.E. Cummings poem (I Carry Your Heart With Me), and got to see Clark really in his element for the first time in ages.

When I finally got home yesterday, after having the most amazing talk with Clark, accidentally getting sunburned on my neck (Corey didn't stay behind me blocking the sun, I didn't think much of it, but I'm guessing I'm very sensitive to the sun now because it was only just a few minutes), I had several seizures, just from my body being super taxed and stressed. I ended up sicker than a dog. But man... It was all so worth it. For a few hours of being outside this house, in the fresh air, with friends... I will feel like this for a few days more, but man... Memories were made.

I tackled that competition like a boss. I've got bumps and bruises in many different ways, mentally, emotionally, physically... But I'm straighting my crown, and owning them, like a boss.

Never headed off a crash, but honestly for me, just embracing the fact you know it's coming, try to hydrate and do your usual thing, and allowing yourself to rest, makes them easier. The crashes that are the worst for me, are the ones that you try to ignore.