My body has some predictable reactions.
When I was in University and then subsequently in the workforce, if I pushed through with an insane schedule, at some point my body would crash. When I was younger it would be about once every three months - when I had 5 part-time jobs with full-time school and was part of at least 3 athletic teams that played once a week each - and then my body would scream at me to slow the hell down for a couple of days. My illnesses would flare and I would be hard-pressed to find any kind of relief, so I would take a couple of days off from several things and take the time to recuperate.
About 6 or 7 years ago, these crashes were happening more often from less and less activity. I would crash once a month if I was going to a few appointments a week, worked 30 hours a week, and played on one team.
Intervals kept diminishing and my schedule dwindled, and now my body crashes from minimal activity.
For instance, this last week I had to pick up syringes from my specialist's office on Friday, we set up Hallowe'en decorations on Saturday, visited with friends that night, 4 days later I visited a friend for lunch and did a load of laundry, and right after that came the burning pain. The Crohn's screaming at me to slooowwww dooowwwnn. It's the kind of pain that doesn't subside until it decides to on its own. Pain meds, anti-nauseates, antacids, food, water - nothing settles this pain.
It literally feels like acid is pooling in your stomach and seeping through your entire digestive tract.
You can't sleep, you can't focus, and I tend to instinctively rock back and forth for hours until it goes away.
Yesterday it started at around 3pm. No matter what I tried, nothing worked. Previously, again when I was younger, adrenaline really helped to mask the pain, so I would go to the gym and work out for as long as I could. The problem now is that working out is such a huge endeavor that it would only make it worse at this juncture.
So, I went into the guest bedroom and watched YouTube videos. I scrolled through social media and did a bit of writing. I listened to music and coloured in my "Color Me Calm" colouring book. There was no way I was sleeping, so I passed the time in any way I could until one of two things happened:
1. The burning subsided enough to fall asleep, or
2. My brain became so horribly tired and exhausted that I would simply pass out.
At about 8:30 this morning the former happened - thank goodness.
The burning is still there, though it is more subtle. So today's schedule - lie in bed, relax, cuddle with Decker, colour, read, or watch tv. Maaaaybe have a bubble bath if I have the energy to do so. I will need to tread carefully for a couple of days. The last thing I want to do is wind up in a massive IBD flare-up.
So here's to a few days of rest to improve this acid filling up my insides.