Wanted: Adrenaline

I haven’t yet gotten the hang of pacing myself, though that one not-so-easy skill would help immensely in my life. Instead, I go like gangbusters, pushing and pushing until I drop, and then I fight sleep, sometimes just giving up, for the next two days, with a full grump locked and loaded. Don’t even talk to me unless you come bearing gifts. Coffee is nice, but chocolate is even better.

Friday, I got up earlier than usual, rising at seven instead of my normal nine or ten. I was cranked up about our plans to go to the RV and Van Show at the Expo Center (a big disappointment, but more on that later). Being the proactive soul I am, I prepared a naturopathic liver detox treatment (aka castor pack) and settled in to my recliner with my cuddly purple afghan and Tinker Belle. I wanted to make sure my day went as smoothly as possible, and having a functioning liver is highly important in that regard. Less toxins in my system means a chance for more energy and less pain. A little meditation and prayer, and my morning was well on its way.

“Get up, baby. Why are you still asleep?” I was so jazzed about our plans that I could not contain my excitement. “I’m already showered, and my pills are all packed, and my backpack and raincoat are sitting by the door." (Raincoat? Wasn’t I just complaining about 90-degree weather a few days ago?) Breathe, girl. Wow. Do I get pumped about the silliest things, or what?

Breathe.

Slow down.

Pace yourself.

Okay. I am better now, at least for a minute. By the time Ken got up and we got ready to head out the door, it was ten. Where did three whole hours go? Despite our delay, we were finally on our way to catch the Max, Portland’s mass transit light rail system. I love Max. It is quick and dependable, especially when traffic is otherwise snarled and crawling.

 My energy was already fading. Not to be deterred, I smiled a big smile and marched my boots towards the Max, sipping my coffee and refusing to answer Ken who was asking how I was doing. Ask me no questions. Tell me no lies. He could tell my energy was dropping by the subtle changes in my expression and the slowing of my gait. But he knew I could not be stopped by anything he said. I was on a mission. My combat boots were at the ready from the moment my feet hit the floor that morning. Too bad I cannot put little boots and helmets on my adrenal glands; then maybe they could keep up with my battle plans. Adrenal insufficiency is the pits. It could suck the fun right out of my life, if I let it.

So, what is an adventure junkie suppose to do when she runs short on adrenaline?

Should I just close my eyes and let life pass me by? No!

Should I wallow in self-pity, and attempt to make everyone else pity me too? Definite No!

When faced by a seemingly insurmountable task, what is this adventure junkie suppose to do?

Take it one step at a time, and pack a semi-nutritious energy booster. What better for adrenal fatigue than a boost of protein with a little sugar as a catalyst? In hypoglycemia, sugar alone will lift you when you are running on empty, but in adrenal fatigue, a boost of protein with that sugar is vital. Don’t ask me about the science behind it. Right now I don’t know or care. I just know it works. When I am at home, I resort to a tablespoon of peanut butter to quickly get me through, but unless I find a vendor selling fast food packets of Skippy, I am S.O.L. while out and about. And I refuse to become D.O.A., thank you very much.

As I alluded to earlier, the RV show was a disappointment. If we were in the market to buy a rig, well, we would have been in seventh heaven. But we already have our rig. I was hoping for more small vendors of innovative RV products. I was hoping for mini seminars on how to live this lifestyle we have chosen. I was hoping to discover a wealth of ideas, tips, and tricks. The only demonstrations involved cooking, and I already know how to do that. If I can manage to feed a dozen people for two weeks from the tiny kitchen that was in our travel trailer, then I am sure I can manage dinner for two. Besides, if I need more space, isn’t that why we have picnic tables and campfires and a portable propane stove? Oh, and I forgot about the option of barbequing everything. Mmm. My mouth is watering already, thinking of all the possibilities.

Besides, you know I loves me a challenge.

Today’s challenge, then, is finding a solution for a lack of adrenaline.

And the answer is . . .

Replace it with a large dose of attitude!

Put on your combat boots, even if you cannot march. Okay, so maybe you don’t have combat boots. Maybe you are more of a running shoes type of person. That’s awesome, too.

Act like a kid, but remember the rules you learned at camp: Always go with a buddy. Holding hands may be optional, but that is my favorite part.

See things differently. Now, that could be putting on your spectacles, or it could be making a spectacle of yourself. I prefer the second option; it is way more fun to

·         Dance to the canned department store music.

·         And don’t forget to sing along.

·         Smooch passionately in the back of the elevator, whether traveling one floor or twenty.

·         Say, excuse me, sir, when you bump into a mannequin. Then compliment her on her dress before walking away.

·         Toss coins into a fountain from four stories up. If they didn’t want you to do it, then they would not have put escalators all around it.

·         Ask total strangers if they know the way to San Jose.

I am tempted to put one of those do not try this at home warnings on this page, but frankly, that would take all the fun out of it.

So, fly. Be free.

Even if you are having a bad hair day, spread your wings and soar.

And don’t forget to pack your attitude.