My class load this semester was at full-time level - 12 credit hours. Add an intense weekly group therapy session and emotional stress brought on by my battle with the scale plus the physical affects of the Adipex. Plus still leading the support group and doing my normal work schedule. I remember saying to someone before this semester even started, "It's just 10 weeks. You can do anything for 10 weeks, right?" Wrong! All that craziness adds up to a very tired Pam.
But unfortunately, it's not just "tired" anymore ... it's turned into "sick" now.
Last week I was battling a major headache that had me down for a couple days. I still wasn't focusing well over the weekend and then Monday I got up with a sore throat and what feels like the beginning of an ear infection. I've also got this sneezing thing going on. It happens sometimes -- basically I just start sneezing and can't stop and no medications will touch it. Just a steady stream of sneezing for hours (it drives my co-workers nuts!). This time around it started at midnight on Tuesday and is still hanging around tonight (Wednesday at 9pm). My body is fighting back. I've pushed it too hard for too many weeks in a row and it's telling me to stop. I can't stop yet - finals week next week - but I am finally getting the message that I pushed too hard this time. I'll do what I can in the next 7 days to take care of myself and not push too hard.
A few weeks ago when I was registering for classes for the Spring semester everyone who cared about me told me to cut it back to two classes this time instead of three. So I did. Just two classes next semester. Except I wasn't convinced. Up until a couple days ago I was still contemplating signing up for that third classes - it was still open and it would have been an easy class (speech) and I kept checking the schedule to make sure it was still available. Yes, I really was going to sign up for that third class against the advice of some very smart people.
Today I was sitting at work feeling like crap when I realized my body was forcing me to slow down whether I wanted to or not. OK fine. Lesson learned. Slow down, Pam! I won't register for that third class next semester. And I'm going to do a better job of saying no and focus more on taking better care of myself.
~Pam
