I've always gotten them in my calves, and usually at night. Back when I exercised regularly, they used to happen three-four times a week. "Stretching" never seemed to help that much. Anyway, I've gotten pretty good at recognizing when they're coming: I begin stretching, extending my knees, and I feel the superior aspect of my calves tense up.
It's peculiar. I know what's about to happen, and I know it's going to be painful. I'd probably cry if it lasted more than a minute. Though I know it can't be stopped, I still try to think of a way. Lately, I've started quickly flexing my knees back and forth. It still hurts, but I like to think the pain passes faster. Not really, though. Without fail, the burning pain shoots up my thighs and down my legs, like a huge boulder fallen in the middle of the ocean, causing two waves in opposite directions.
When the cramps are bad enough, I know I'll be sore for hours after, though those waves of severe pain will last less than a minute. More exercise seems to help, except for one time when I was teen when I tried to exercise going up and down some steps in the park near my house, and my thighs were sore and weak for a month.
I haven't exercised at all this month, unless you count the hours running to and fro in the ER exercise. The pedometer on my phone claims I'm consistently walking at least ten thousand steps a day, but I know it doesn't have much going for it in the way of accuracy.
ER shifts are making me discombobulated. Being in that relatively narrow strip of hospital, with no windows and a constant stream of patients, can be disorienting. My diet, sleep, and exercise schedules are a disaster. I haven't gotten much of a chance to read pathology, or write. Or go to the gym. Switching from day shifts to night shifts is making me confused about what day it is constantly.
At least, I'm getting lots of perspective of how an ER in a busy hospital works, which should help for the scenes in my novel that happen in a busy ER. The most important aspect of the atmosphere will be constant noise.
Somehow, I always know when the sun is out. It must have something to do with the atmospheric pressure.
I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteLoved working on the ER. I love the rush, but too much adrenaline can be so exhausting and tiring physically and emotionally.
Hope you get some needed break.
Not getting much of a break I'm afraid. Working at an inpatient service.
DeleteProbably the worst part about being a student is that I have no defined duties, but I need to show interest.