My Health Update

I have been under an enormous amount of stress lately. Curious, I completed the Life Event Stress Scale which accounts for major life events that have taken place in ones life over a 12 month period. The scale shows the kind of life pressure being faced. Depending on ones coping skills or lack thereof, this scale can predict the likelihood of falling victim to a stress-related illness. A score of 300 or more indicates a high susceptibility to stress related illness, 150-299 is a medium susceptibility, and 0-149 is a low susceptibility. My score was 619. Some of my stressors over the last 12 months (score is in brackets) have included:

• Death of my Grandfather (63)
• Training for, and completing, my first marathon (?)
• Finishing my Masters (26)
• Divorce (73)
• Change to a different line of work (36)
• The sudden end of a contract due to department closure (?)
• Outstanding personal and professional achievement (28)
• Change in financial status (38)
• Change in the health of three family members (44x3)

The cumulation of these took their toll this weekend. I could not get out of bed until after 4pm as a result of extreme fatigue and mild stiffness. I am still suffering with iritis in my left eye. I have not felt such fatigue in a long time. My mind was alert and thinking of all the things I wanted to do, but my body felt like lead. Everything was an effort. I was planning to run 21K this morning in the 3rd annual Las Vegas North Half Marathon. By 2am last night, I knew it was not going to happen, and that caused me some anxiety (I hate not fulfilling a commitment).

I pride myself on my optimism; it shapes my perception of stressors and allows me to cope in healthy ways. I am confident that my flares are more managable as a result. Overall, I manage quite well and truly believe that everything happens for a reason; personally, I see every circumstance as an opportunity to learn or demonstrate something. I have often said that it is during the most difficult times that I learn the most about myself. One thing is for sure: I am very resilient. As with other things, I know I will bounce back from this flare.