Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Reasons I'm not an adrenalin junkie

The main reason is I absolutely hate to throw up.
Let me explain.
When you do things that aren't natural to the human body, like jumping out of perfectly good aircraft from great heights, rappelling from helicopters, getting shot at in firefights and driving large four-door sedans with flashing red and blue lights on the roof at excessive speeds through city streets your adrenal gland dumps huge amounts of adrenalin into your bloodstream.
This causes Blood to be sent to the major muscles and organs causing increased strength. It also causes heightened vision, hearing and sense of smell. It also give some a sense of invinciblity and feelings of euphoria. This is a survival mechanism that all animals have, including humans, and is the basis of the fight or flight reaction to stress.
It all happens very rapidly.
And as it happens very fast, the crash is even faster. Adrenalin doesn't stay in the bloodstream long. Seconds after the danger is past, it's almost like it's dumped out of your system. This "crash" effects people differently. My friend John the paramedic gets the shakes. My partner on the PD would become sullen, quiet and withdrawn.
I on the other hand get the shakes violently... Then I vomit. A lot.
And I hate throwing up.
And I was reminded of this yesterday afternoon. I had finally finished packing all my stuff and have it stacked in the living room of my apartment ready to take over Bill's place today and I'm feeling quite content. I've thrown out a lot of things, but managed to get everything done and packed except my dishes and things I'm going to need for the next few days.
Then I get this overwhelming feeling of nausea...
And wind up praying to the porcelain god for about 20 minutes. I otherwise I feel fine. No fever, I'm not feeling sick at all really. I feel pretty good. But I just can't stop doing a technicolor yawn.
After this bout I crawl into bed and go to sleep. I'm now up at 1:30 AM feeling ok besides my stomach muscles are all cramped up and my esophogus is raw from the bile. I'm clueless why this happened. I didn't eat anything nasty, I wasn't on a alcoholic bender the night before, in fact I haven't had any alcohol for several weeks now. I feel fine.
I know I'm a little nervous about the move and the new job, but not that nervous. I really hope I'm not coming down with something. That would really suck.
But I hate to vomit at anytime. So I'm not an adrenalin junkie.
Copyright 2006 Thomas J Wolfenden

10 comments:

Courtney O. said...

Hope that was an isolated incident and not the flu or something...Congrats and good luck on everything :)

Kev said...

You're just coming down off a cleaning high.

Martha Stewart may come looking for you soon.

Lisa said...

Eeek. I HATE vomiting too. Its just as bad when you live with a loud barfer. Icky.

You've given me a very good reason not to skydive. I don't want to watch people puke and I don't want to be the one barfing either.

Okie said...

technicolor yawn! good one.

Mrs. S. said...

I'm not an adrenalin junkie because I'm the world's biggest weinee..

I also hate to throw up..

Cheryl said...

I hate throwing up too. Hence, my new-found hatred of vodka.

My adreneline crash is a pounding headache and shakes.

tsduff said...

Watched a surfer drive off the cliff on Malibu Canyon Road in his VW bug... I pulled over and ran to the edge to peer over the side to see the result. Barefoot, the surfer came crashing up and out of the underbrush which had saved his life by stopping the downward plunge of his car before hitting the creekbottom rocks down below. His adrenalin must have been whaling because he running around in the middle of the road, screaming something about his car and his wrecked surfboard as it lay broken in the middle of the street. Me? My legs were already rubbery as I tried calm the dazed kid and get him back to the side of the road where he wouldn't be squashed by oncoming traffic (could have been that the heels I was trying to walk in didn't help matters :-D) No throw up though... can't remember a time when stress or horror (or anything other than morning sickness, the flu or tequila) made me vomit.

Feel better yet?

Keshi said...

take care of urself dude...

I just LOATHE vomitting...its not for a sensitive soul like me...I just basically die for few days whenever Im sick with vomitting..

Keshi.

Jay said...

I really felt a sense of "uh oh, where is this going?"
Sorry to hear you're feeling icky. Vomiting does suck big time. Take care of yourself.

Sherri Sanders said...

Hope you're feeing better soon! I, myself, hate to throw up as well. There's just something about stomach acid sitting in your sinus cavities that doesn't sit well with me. Ack!!