1. Do you ever get that overwhelming feeling of exhaustion in your arms? Your hands and arms ache as you wipe off the kitchen counter. It starts with a little burn and then rushes into a deep ache that doesn’t quickly go away with stopping what you are doing. That can’t be real. Am I really that sore and tired that they burn and ache doing something simple like wipe crumbs off a counter? Maybe, I just rode my horses too long yesterday or maybe I pulled something while dirt biking. That is what I used to tell myself until it wasn’t just one day. It was one day, then another, then another and then months went by and years. Confusion? YES! Lots of it! I did not understand, I was so active and so healthy and life was…ok. So, what was the issue?
2. Stepping out of the shower and my world was about to drop to the ground. That was exhausting. Lifting my arms to wash my hair and scrub my body and here I am fresh out of the shower but yet I worked up a sweat showering. I looked around for somewhere to sit down and rest. I rested for an hour, two hours, three hours before I could get up and brush my teeth and get dressed. Does this sound crazy to you? I thought so too. I have this overwhelming never give up attitude so here I go. I am going for it! I stand up and go to the sink to brush my teeth. Grab the toothpaste, grab the toothbrush, load it up and raise the toothbrush to my mouth. Pause, why is my arm so painful? It is a toothbrush; it weighs hardly anything. Ok fine, I reach over with my other arm and grab my elbow and lift it so that I can help my arm while I brush my teeth. This is ridiculous…This cannot be from overdoing it the day before or pushing myself too hard. Can it?
3. Laundry day! Lets do this! I reach over and grab the laundry basket and it comes about two inches off the ground. OK set it down. Ready lets do this again. Deep breathe, bend knees, LIFT! The basket falls back against me and I brace it against my stomach and my knees and take baby steps all the way to the laundry room. I set it down and I am out of breath. Seriously? Is this real? Did a laundry basket just kick my ass? (excuse the language lol) Lets not even talk about trying to get the wet laundry out of the washer. We will save that for another time. All of this has me humiliated, in pain, lost, scared, surprised, terrified and a bunch of other feelings that I could list. Enough was enough. What next? Who do I ask for help? How do I explain what is wrong? I sound dramatic, silly, and nonrealistic so how will they not just laugh at me?
THIS is how to know when there is a bigger problem going on. Do you relate to any of this? Message me, because no matter how embarrassed you are, humiliated, or how dumb you think your question will sound, trust me, I have been there. Message me to find ways to feel better!
Angela Newhouse
"Fight Back"
