Fatigue.

Fatigue is a not so funny, funny thing. You go to sleep, you wake up and still feel as if you could sleep but your mind is wide awake yet at the same time giving you brain fog – a term in which is used to describe the inability to function mentally with the fatigue.

Your body says no can do today. So you wish the next day for yourself to be full of bounce and able to do some simple tasks. But again you wake up repeating the same process, hoping the next day, then the next day for this lease of energy. You struggle to shower, get dressed, you forget medications or forget to eat, the housework and daily chores are literally – a chore! Your body aches and some days the fatigue can make you feel low in self esteem, lack confidence and just feeling down in the dumps. You nap and wake up feeling worse then unable to sleep at night and before you know it your sleep cycle is totally f*cked up!

Then a day arrives that you get energy and it is truly amazing! You get all the housework done and the house is sparkling clean, if you have animals or children everything is all upto date and all are washed and clean with clean bedding, you remember to take your medication, you make a meal and eat, you drink plenty fluids and enjoy listening to the radio or music, you are able to go for a walk and actually enjoy it without the aches and pains of your body. You can read a book without looking at the words without being completely confused by gobbidly gook!

So what steps could you take to help in preparation for a bad day of fatigue?

Having drawers for certain things really helps – for example my bed side drawer I clear out monthly which holds my medications, glasses, hand cream, wipes, peppermint oil for my sinuses and lip balm. On my bedside table I keep a bottle of juice to keep hydrated and to take my medications.

Cleaning dishes – I got a table top dishwasher so that all I need to do is rinse my dishes and put them in and they are done in an hour or so. As for the dogs, I have their bowls and food looked out on the counter so it’s easily accessible. You can also benefit from hiring a cleaner if that is something you can afford!

Changing bedding – Changing bedding once a week is hard but if the day of changing my bedding arrives and i’m not able, I will do it the next day, having a dedicated day each week to do this may be difficult but it’s handy as you will get into a routine of say for example “sunday is bed change day“, you can rest the day before.

Freezing home made food is great. I recently had my fridge freezer break so I got an american fridge freezer so meals are more accessible and I know that they are home made and I like them. Sometimes I will find it handy to take things like crisps and biscuits into the bedroom so that if I don’t feel like eating a meal, snacks are at hand.

Don’t feel bad for asking for help. Sometimes it can feel degrading asking for help because you are so tired, but don’t feel bad! If you have a partner, friend, neighbour, healthcare professional or family member that is able to attend your home and help you – ask! When my fianceè comes to visit I ask for help even though I don’t like to. That one person can make that one day much more bareable and easier for you and the company is also really nice.

Netflix and NOW TV on a TV or laptop helps pass the time. There are many good shows on Netflix such as The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Jane The Virgin, Grimm, Riverdale, The Ted Bundy Tapes, Evil Genius and The Staircase. On NOW TV there are great Disney films such as Moana, The Lion King 1, 2 and 3, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory and Tangled.

Many people that donot suffer with fatigue think that fatigue is the same as normal tiredness after a hard days work or a sleepless night. The reality here is that it is not the same thing. The definition and meaning of Fatigue: extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness.

I hope this can help some of you or better; all of you!

-Alannah A.K.A Glittergutsx