Adrenal Fatigue

Have you ever heard of Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction.

Many of the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue apply to me.

The adrenal glands are two small glands, each about the size of a large grape. They are situated on top of the kidneys. Their purpose is to help the body cope with stress and help it to survive.  

You do not have to read all of the below.  It's a lot of information.  But in case you are curious about what it is and you want to know more keep reading!

Here's a description of Adrenal Fatigue:

(taken from: http://drlam.com/articles)

The adrenal glands are the main stress modulation centers of the body. When stressors overwhelm the adrenals ability to compensate, adrenal fatigue may ensue. This is usually a slow and insidious process that progresses through many years, though some can experience it after an intense episode of acute stress, such as death of a loved one, financial distress, or acute infection. 

Stress can be physical, emotional, psychological, eviromental, infectious, or a combination of these.

The job of returning the body to its normal function rests with the adrenals. If a person is under intense and acute stress over a short period of time, or under long-term stress, the adrenals may not be able to mount an adequate stress response sufficient to overcome the stressors. When this happens, the body decompensates and enters into a state of emergency. 

In short, it occurs when the amount of stress overextends the capacity of the body to compensate and recover from that stress or the combined stresses.

People who have marginal adrenal reserve to begin with make it even more difficult for the person to sustain stress.  From an outsider's perspective on a person with Adrenal Fatigue they might be quick to judge thinking that person just gets overwhelmed too quickly, just needs to take a vacation, or is emotionally weak and needs to snap out of it.  When in reality it is just that they are depleated and do not have the reserve capacity to take on the stresses.  "Sucking it up" and "pushing through" does not work, it only causes the person to crash even deeper and steeper.

Many of the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue apply to me.

But I'm struggling with how my body got to this place.  I've always felt I've had a strong trust that God will provide, protect and love me.  Stress is something I've laid at God's feet time and time again, knowing that I can only control so much and that the rest I just have to let go of.  Stress is a part of life.  We cannot run from it, we cannot avoid it.  I feel like I've looked at it straight in the face and dealt with it as it has come.

So...if I am suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, how did I get to this point?  I've already changed everything it seems I can changed, and made my life as stress free as possible.  We eat healthy and do the many things reccomended for healing.

I am still in the beginning phases of research.

We have tried so many routes to find out what is causing my headaches and exhaustion.  This seems to fit.  I'm willing to try anything.  

Some days are so debilitating, and some days I feel almost normal.

It is going to be a LONG process of ups and downs, hopefully all the while increasing in healing a bit at a time.

There's more to come...

Haiti

If you get a chance please visit this link:

http://www.conversantlife.com/global/prayers-for-ronel

it will touch your heart.  It is a picture of a boy, Ronel, who went through some devastating and difficult circumstances and other children in Haiti who are going through the same thing even now.

It just breaks my heart.

cycling to the top

This season is all about cycle racing.  

Andrew is training hard and doing well.

We love cheering him on.

He's also preparing for a few upcoming triathlons.

He's in the best shape he's ever been.  

Exercising and having goals to conquer have been great stress relievers.  

It is quite a challenge to find time to do 3 hour workouts and train as hard as he does.  He does an amazing job at keeping our family as highest priority.   The rest of us have had to adjust and be flexible at times, but that's the way a family works, right?  

I support him 100% because since Andrew is head of our family what is good for his health ends up affecting, in a positive way, the whole family as well. 

In the beginning I was fearful of the battle that could come between family vs training.  Constantly Andrew has fought that competitive spirit from overtaking him and consuming him.   

As Andrew has fought FOR our family, I have chosen to also fight FOR our family by partnering with him, being his support.  Not always an easy task.  Many times I would rather be sleeping or doing something else.  It takes a bit of laying aside my  selfishness...and that is NEVER easy!  :)   

But I know in my heart that striving for health, whether it be physical, spiritual or relational always takes purposeful action.  And it is always worth the effort.

SNOW DAY

SNOW DAY

This was Jeremy's first time going up to the snow.  All the way up the mountain he kept saying, "I am so excited!"

It was a beautiful, sunny day.  

It was just a short escapade.  Only a couple hours.  But that was the perfect amount of time for what we wanted to enjoy without pushing ourselves to the limit (....and before we were too wet and grumpy and frozen).  :)

 

the beginnings of a snow man:

 My camera didn't pick up the snow man very well.  

But it turned out AWESOME!

 It ended up looking like an old woman from the Muppets.   Big eyes, that bulged out of it's face, a big nose, ears and chin, a grumpy frown, and a crown.  

 Who says a snow man has to be the traditional kind?!

What do you do when you remember everything but the sleds?

Andrew paved out a path for the kids to slide down the hill on their rears.  

They had a great time!

Then they all decided to go down together on a train (Dad).

Thankfully there wasn't a train wreck just a pile on top of Dad at the bottom of the hill.

Andrew pummeling Jeremy with snow.  

I know it's hard to tell if Jeremy is having fun, but

he LOVED the snow ball fights.  

He has a little competitive spirit in him, as soon as he realized the game, he went all out! 

Andrew pummeling Joshua!

Joshua had been "asking for it" for a long time.  He kept throwing snow balls at Andrew as teasers.  Then, when Joshua wasn't looking, Andrew tackled him.  

 Andrew is such a fun guy.  He is very involved, helpful and he has great ideas.

That day my head wasn't feeling good at all.   

(These headaches can't stop me from doing things...life goes on.   I usually just have to "get through" the painful times and hope that it lightens up).   Being out in the cold air helped, so once I was outside it was bearable.  But the drive up and back were really difficult.   

These are the memories the kid's will remember.  It is worth every ounce of effort. 

Family time.

Under His Wings

Ps. 91:1-4

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the Shadow of the Almighty.  

I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!"

He will cover you with His pinions; and under His wings you may seek refuge; 

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. 

weekends = races

This time of year the weekends are all about races.  

Bike races.

Last weekend Andrew took Joshua with him to a mountain bike race & run.

They had a great time.

Joshua got second place!

(he's in the middle)

Andrew got second place also.

(he's on the right, with the white cap)