Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Oh for the love...

So it's the holiday season. Can we say ho-ho-hormones...not what you were thinking? Well then, too bad for you.

My trip was fantabulous, as I'm sure you've all read. But for some reason I cannot recover from this. I was no more or less busy than I usually am, just a different location. And instead of running kids here and there, cooking dinner and doing laundry, I was dashing all over Manhattan. But still no more or less busy than usual right? So why am I so friggin' exhausted?! Is it because I have so many pregnant friends? I'm vicariously exhausted for them? (And seriously, they're all having GIRLS!) I mean honestly, I could put my head on this desk right now and be out like a light and DROOLING within minutes...minutes I say! I get tired...everyone does...but this is beyond that. It's like a haze. What the shit is going on? Jet lag? I DROVE the last two legs of that journey and the time difference was only an HOUR. But I was reading up on jet lag, because everyone talks about it, but I didn't really know what it is and I found these interesting pieces of information:

Jet lag is: fatigue and disorientation (check); broken sleep (check); confusion/fuzziness (check); becoming uptight (CHECK); dehydration (check) and some other things that are involved with the actual flight process. I think I have delayed jet lag. DJL. That's me...that's what I have.

Causes of jet lag: Your pre-flight condition -
If you're over-tired, excited, stressed, nervous, or hungover before the flight, you are setting yourself up for a good dose of jet lag. How many times have you heard travelers say "Don't worry, I'll catch up on the flight"? Well you don't. The wise traveller who wants to get the most out of a trip has a good night's sleep prior to departure.

Ummmm, yeah - I had so much trip anxiety over this that I dreamt I missed my flight because I simply forgot to leave the office on time AND THEN my computer caught on fire. ON FIRE, people. Because THAT happens all the time! And the man who owns my company was of course, standing right there when it happened. Anxiety much? Yeah, I thought so.

And then I also read this:

Alcohol
The impact of alcohol on the body is 2-3 times more potent when you're flying. One glass of wine in-flight has the effect of 2-3 glasses on the ground. Add this to the other problems mentioned here, and you can get off the plane with a huge hangover that simply compounds the effects of jet lag.

Really? REALLY? One glass = 2-3 glasses?? Why did I not know this before? I really haven't flown all that often, and I'm not a big drinker when I do. Usually a beer while I'm waiting, maybe a beer in flight. I don't want to have to go to the bathroom. I was tramatized the first time I ever used an airplane bathroom so I try to avoid it if at all possible. But I know some people who get absolutely LOADED on the plane which means they are, in reality, super DUPER loaded. Who knew? Did you know this?

So I'm exhausted, and maybe I am jet lagged (is that a word?) because my head is a mess and I can't keep my eyes open (even after coffe and diet coke...isn't that SAD?) And now is the time when my hormones decide that it's time to change things up a bit. Are you kidding me? I don't need this now. I'm bloated, I'm crabby, I just might take a swing at you if you look at me funny. I'm snippy, I'm bitchy and I don't even really want to be around me, so you might not want to, either. I completely understand. You know what I need? Bowling night. That's the ticket. So maybe I don't have DJL, maybe I'm just a hormonal bitch. That's entirely possible I guess, seeing as I'm producing enough estrogen these days for the entire northern hemisphere. Do they sell testosterone in a pill form? Maybe that's what I need. Or maybe I just need sleep. Hard to tell. In the meantime this little treasure was emailed to me at just the right time. If you're wondering how to deal with me this week? Stick with the ultra safe option. Works every time.


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Living in ORegon with family in Ohio and Florida, the jet lag is a very real thing for me when traveling. It usually takes me a week to recover from the trip back, but I've read that for every hour of time zone that you cross it can take 1-2 days to recover. Does that compute? Or if its hormones, my favorite birthday card from my best friend read, "I had a nightmare last night that there's no such thing as PMS and I'M JUST THIS WAY." Always a possibility. Aren't I cheering you up?

Rebecca said...

Actually Eileen, you totally are. That's good stuff right there.

Anonymous said...

Have one of those yummy hormone balancing shakes...that'll fix you right up. Yum!
Also, I highly recommend taking a few days for yourself. Call off work, don't get out of your pj's and vegetate. But don't call off work tomorrow, because I'll miss you.

Anonymous said...

How can you call off work when you get the week between Christmas and New Years off?

Oh wait. That's me!
I'm so flipping busy at work because we close for extended holiday, the end of the year, the beginning of the year, and other peoples poor planning. I really want to get my holiday shopping done.... is anyone done?

I've already had two diet cokes today.... but I want a third. I'm trying to force myself to drink water, but I keep thinking of diet coke!

Anonymous said...

I tried to give up Diet Pepsi after my surgery, but slowly worked my way back up to 3 32-ouncers a day. It's awful (but it tastes so good). I'm sure I'll be glowing by the time I reach 50 and they discover just what is in nutrasweet, but until then...

Anonymous said...

I knew about the 1 drink = 2-3 they taught us that in skydiving school so after we all jumped for the day, we would drink beer and go for a plane ride, what a bunch of fucking idiots I say, but I love my crew.

Could it be lovie that you are sick??? I just got over a nasty sore throat that ended me in the clinic at Wal-Mart (for those uninsured, there is a low cost clinic at Wal-Mart Valpo) and am on 10 days penicillin 3x a day, I love getting up at 3 am to take a pill. Anyway, before I knew I was sick I was sooooo tired for about a week prior, that I could hardly stand it, and what a bitch I was (not that you are)

Anonymous said...

May I offer you some wine??

Anonymous said...

May I offer you some wine??

Anonymous said...

so yesterday I went to the City, Chicago that is, and when I caught the 4:34 p.m. South Shore at the Roosevelt station, I was hoping to see my friend Jbrave. SO, I started at the first car and worked my way back to the last car yelling JBRAVE, JBRAVE, but no one answered

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, and one more thing befo I don't shut up. check that shake for soy. If it has soy, you are adding more estrogen to your body. KNOCK IT OFF

Rebecca said...

OH MY GOD - that's hilarious. Julie catches the 3:35 train out of the city or something like that...so I don't think she would have been on it. And I think eggo leaves on a later train!

BUMMER!

I was worried that I might, in fact, be getting sick. I'm in denial about it. Travelling can do that to ya. I REALLY hope not...I've got too much to do!

Rebecca said...

Well, the truth of the matter is that I can't figure out a way to intake the powdery estrogen reducing shake without gagging...

so actually, I'm not taking it at all. Kathy is going to yell at me.

Anonymous said...

Sugar Snap Pea (may I call you Pea for short? Don't want to be presumptuous) Are you really waking up at 3 a.m. for your meds? My doctor always tells me to take it three times a day during the hours you're awake (e.g., 7 a.m., 3 p.m., 11 p.m.) So if you're not directed specifically to do the 3 a.m. KNOCK IT OFF!

Rebecca said...

Seriously, Pea - knock it off! It's not doing you or your bod any good to wake yourself up for meds...

As long as you're taking them at intervals, listen to Eileen. She's smart.

Anonymous said...

Of course, you may use any form of pea that you would like. Yes, I am waking up at 3am and that's only because I started taking the pills immediatly which is resulting in the 3am, 11 am, 7pm routine. I can't knock it off, I tried, I just can't

Anonymous said...

O.k I will listen, should I skip the 3 am dose, take one at 7 am and then go from there, but still, I would have to wake up at 11 pm, cause I am asleep then, see, I am trying, I just can't stop being difficult

Anonymous said...

Okay, skip the last one, start when you wake up, and divide them up equally through the day until bedtime. Call the pharmacy if you're uncomfortable, but since my baby's started sleeping through the night there is barely anything that will get my butt out of bed at 3 a.m., especially penicillin.

I've done it that way for years and I'm okay (of course, none of you can verify that fact, which is cool for me).

Anonymous said...

I did not miss last nights 3am med wake up call. This is working for me. All my stuff is right next to the bed, the dual alarm #1 goes off, I take my pill, and go right back to sleep. I don't think I will change my pattern as I only have until Sunday and then I am done and can someone explain to me why taking meds while awake is any different than taking them whilst sleeping??? It's the same thing, the meds do the work no matter what you are physically doing, and usually I am doing the same thing awake that I do sleeping

Rebecca said...

I don't think it's that the meds work any differently while you're sleeping or awake - it's more about actually waking up to take them being a pain in the ass. But if it's working for you - then do it, to it, sistah.