I woke up this morning and within seconds I knew it was not a good morning. Usually when I awaken the first thing that I find myself saying is,
Thank you, Lord, for another day.
This morning didn’t quite go that way. I awoke with a major disconnect between…
my head and my body. My body was in high alert. It’s the same kind of sensation that you feel when you are in danger. It’s that fight or flight response. I awoke from a solid sleep to my body being in a hyper-alert state. What was interesting was the first thought that came to my mind.
“Oh, shit, I’m awake.”
I’m sorry, but that really makes me laugh! As I said, that is not my normal morning conversation or thoughts.
I actually have Sue from Learning to Live with CFS to thank for this phrase being on my brain when I awoke. Her blog was one of the last things I read before I went to bed. She had written about one of her favorite quotes which came from Katrina Berne who wrote, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Other Invisible Illnesses: The Comprehensive Guide. Unfortunately, that was the one my brain remembered when I awoke to feeling so bad! LOL!
It is amazing to me that the things I want to remember, I can’t seem to keep in my brain. But something like this quote, I read once and then I don’t forget it! How crazy is that!
The funny thing about the above thought process is that today was the kind of day that matched the sentiment! I was at complete peace and contentment in my mind and soul but my body, wow, it was really struggling this morning. I have learned that when my body is in that “danger alert-type” mode that I need to keep still and calm until it passes.
It took me almost two hours to get up this morning. That is really unusual for me. I’m either up in 5-10 minutes or I’m so bad I stay bed. I rarely have this much trouble getting going. My body did eventually calm down, although, I was moving slow like molasses all day. It wasn’t until around4 pm-ish that I even started to get a second wind. And then everything petered out around 7 and I was back in bed.
Today was so bad, I couldn’t even watch a movie or listen to the radio. That was just too much. So, I just rested and finished up a new book by Ted Dekker that I have been reading.
I also had an additional symptom occur simultaneously with the high-alertness of my body. This symptom started about a year ago. Very odd. The palm of my hands feel like I burned them. It’s not quite as painful, but every nerve is wide awake and sometimes the very center of my palms are actually red as if I really did burn them. I have had it for most of the day. I can’t figure out if it’s something I’m doing or it’s just a new symptom I now have to deal with 20 years into having CFIDS/FMS.
Every once in a while, I will get these really sharp, piercing pains that shoot through my palms as well – sometimes at the same time I am getting the burning-like pain. Fortunately, this type of pain doesn’t happen every time I have the the burning-like pain. That would be no fun because the piercing pain does hurt…a lot!
I kept thinking today, great! I have plans with a really good friend on Friday. We have yet to get together since I moved back to Tulsa because I have been feeling so bad. So I am really hoping that come Friday, I am feeling better. I really don’t want to cancel yet again. That really does get old.
At least I can be thankful that the hyper-alert state of my body is over, my hands are calming down, and sleep is right around the corner. Hopefully, my mind will greet the new day with a new comment! 
Determined to continue forward,
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Ouch! Not good with the hands. What’s that all about then? I completely relate to the ‘oh shit I’m awake’ and when I saw it on Sue’s blog it nearly made me laugh out loud. Like you it’s come into my mind on waking this week. I hope you have a little window of energy for Friday. Enjoy!
.-= Jo´s last blog ..Chewing Gum and String =-.
Haha! I have the exact same thought when I wake up in the early hours (which happens A LOT!). I have kind of the same problem with my hand as well. If I’m really tired I get a sharp shooting pain in it, but I don’t have the burning pain. I figured it was just the nerve endings. I also get it if I’m feeling anxious, hyper alert or stressed so might be linked to that as well.
Fingers crossed you get to do Friday as planned! Here’s hoping for an energy boost!
FG
.-= forgetfulgirl´s last blog ..A letter to read =-.
forgetfulgirl – Thank you so much for the fingers crossed for Friday! I am so looking to a day out after 10 weeks of being pretty much house bound.
I hope and pray and wish and hope and pray that you do get to
see your friend on Friday.
I don’t get the hyper alert body, but I get the hyper alert or
better hyper awake state even though my body is exhausted and
I can’t sleep. I have great trouble getting going in the am
I get out of bed and feel weak and out of breath and hear my
heart pounding in my ears and that awful foggy head. I missed
Bible Study this week because all this was so extreme-
I always wish BS and Church could be at lpm when I finally
come alive for a few hours. Yep CFS is one weird disease.
I’m thinking the pain and burning in your palms are FM symptoms
but like Sue told me when we get new symptoms it is so easy
to blame CFS or FM when possibly it could be something else.
EEKS! plese NO something else. What I told Sue about was that
in the last month I was standing still and not dizzy or light headed
and I very suddently fell forward onto my knees. I summed it
up to weak muscles and poor balance blaming CFS. Just hoping
it doesn’t happen again. Real luck nothing worse than bruises.
Patricia – I actually had to cancel my outing with my friend but we will reschedule. You know, that is so wierd. I was thinking I wish things started a little later as well. But I have the afternoon crash to contend with so that makes it a challenge as well.
Oh! I hope that doesn’t happen again, either. Take care of yourself, okay. I would hate to think something happened to you!
Hi, Dominique –
I’m waaaay behind in blog reading – I think I’ve missed a full week!
I loved this post – that phrase does stick in your mind, doesn’t it? Same thing happened to me – the first time I read it, I laughed out loud and it’s the first thing that pops in my head when I wake up feeling bad! Glad it struck you the same way (though I’m sorry you found a use for this phrase so soon!)
I know nothing about the kind of pain you’re describing in your palms, but my doctor is constantly reminding me that ANY new or changed symptom should ALWAYS be checked out. She always says, “Just because you have CFS doesn’t mean you can’t have other medical problems, too. Even though it’s likely that new symptoms are associated with CFS, you never know, and everything should be checked out.”
So, my advice would be to discuss it with your doctor and see what he/she thinks.
I was just reminding myself of this advice this weekend because I’ve been getting weird pains on the right side of my abdomen. It only happens once in awhile, so I’ve been ignoring it, but I know I need to go get it checked out.
Hope your computer problems are solved soon!
Sue
.-= Sue Jackson´s last blog ..Quote It Saturday 3/27 =-.
Sue – Unfortunately, I don’t have the kind of medical care that I can get new sypmtoms checked out. The doctors I have to see still don’t believe in CFIDS and many of them still don’t believe in FMS. So, I don’t do the doctor thing anymore. I am trying to get my paperwork together to see a MD/Naturopathic doctor as soon as I get the money together for it.
You know. I get pains on the right side of my abdomen. My ‘doctors’ keep telling me it is the FMS. I don’t believe that but what am I gonna do. I would be interested in finding out what your doctor says it is.