A physical toll on us too?

[Stoner]

I look and feel like death warmed over, in other words, Jay McKee. Jay has me beat, scar wise, but I will put the bags under my eyes up against his anyway. I only feel good when the game is on and the adrenaline kicks in -- but that's when my heart palpitations get worse. It's either an extra beat or a delayed beat. As a neurotic person who is afraid to find out what is wrong with me, and a borderline hypochondriac, I of course know all the good medical web sites to go to. I've learned that palpitations in an otherwise healthy person with no cardiac history generally are from stress -- and too much caffeine. Ding. Ding. I have stress. Oh man do I. And I am consuming a lot more caffeine lately, to stay awake after restless nights from either being too high after a win or too worried after a loss, or too worried after a win (see the last 40 some hours). I've also lost some weight. I have no appetite at all the day of a game. Finally, my right shoulder is killing is me. My TV is getting up there in years and I guess my eyes are, too, so I watched Game 1 against Philly on the floor a few feet in front of it, sort of propped up by my right arm. After the Sabres won, I was too superstitious to change positions. It is murder!

 

So after all that, I am just wondering if anyone else has a similar story of the physical toll this exhilirating run has taken on you. I want to hear about body parts and I want details. Monkeygirl, you first. :) Inkman, never mind. We know your liver is month to month.

[X. Benedict]

I haven't slept 4 straight hours since Buffalo beat Philly in game 2.

[Corp000085]

I am a complete wreck...

 

 

Lets start with the obvious: Gametime... I lose my voice, but my heart literally hurts due to the blood pressure and the fast pulse rate. I have not clocked my pulse during a game, but i'd imagine its at swim meet levels... I have a torn abdominal muscle that has not been repaired yet. I can literally feel my pulse in that thing, as you would an open wound that's bleeding out. I uncontrollably drink... Now, mind you, i don't have beer in the house during game nights for this reason... I will drink 2 entire LARGE pure water containers of H2O during the game. that's like 3.5 gallons of water...

 

 

Sleep... I can't... Game nights, i'm up till midnihgt playing nhl2004 and listening to the postgame trying to relax.. Off nights, i'm hitting the refresh button constantly to find new stories to read. I wake up and have to drink a gallon of coffee ot get myself going... its bad

 

 

work... Well, i've made everyone a sabres fan at my job, however i'm always staring at the clock and i'm very pent up and in knots.

 

food... I eat nonstop at home...

 

 

Basically, this hockey is a drug. I've literally listed the symptoms of a heroin addict. Listen, if i had one wish it would be that the sabres win the cup in overtime of game 7, however, if i could make it all end tomorrow, i would.... Anyways, its 4.5 hours till i have to inject again, i'm going to go into spastic nervous fits...

[scottnc]

The worst for me was Game 1 of the Ottawa series. Due to prior commitments, I had to tape the game and watch it and I don't think I've ever been on such an emotional roller coaster. My wife got pretty worried about my heart rate. What made it most difficult was everyone else had gone to bed while I was watching the end of the game around 1:30AM. I had to go through my excitement... disgust... excitement... elation at the end without much more than a whisper. I just had to run around the room wildly waving my arms around looking like an idiot, but I had to expend that energy or I probably would have exploded!

[plenzmd1]

only part of my body taking a beatin is my liver

[X. Benedict]

only part of my body taking a beatin is my liver

Where is the liver? Is that on my right side? Actually my entire right side hurts.

[ThePebble19]

It kills me...on the nights that I am home to watch, I cringe with every pass that circles the zone in the buffalo end...The worst part is my job requires me to work a shift from 2pm to 11pm...therefore, I am required to wait anxiously for the sound of my cell phone....a text message from my father, a Sabres fan since the day they came in the league, telling me the score...well, sort of...whenever there is a 1 in the score, he doesnt know to cycle through all of the symbols on the "1" key to actually find the #1. Therefore I get scoring updates like, "2-! Briere PP"

 

But no matter what...It's all worth it...I only hope I can feel this way every season.

[rickshaw]

So far in this series, I've been pretty good.

I was very nervous when we were up 3 zip over Ottawa. I was worried that it could go 7 for some reason.

 

I am concerned about tonight. I really think a win is imperative.

 

I've been pretty good, although I do get that nervous bowel on game days! :blush:

 

I know that in the last 5 minutes the other night, I caught myself not breathing as much.

And there are the times when you can literally feel your heartrate going up and beating in your chest. But that isn't a worry.

 

All I know is if we win the whole thing, I'll be a mess. I'll be crying like I did when my first child was born. Happy tears are good!!

 

Whew. I need a drink.

[BuffalOhio]

I'm wiped out. I can't work (don't get anything done - can't concentrate). I can't sit still. I cringe with every entrance into Buffalo's zone, I yell at every penalty, deserved or not.

 

I'm living and breathing this. I don't know if I can take anymore!

 

AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

 

I love it!

[Corp000085]

I hate it right now!

[letsgobuffalo45]

Lets start with my ugly looking playoff beard... I have been letting my "beard" grow out for each round, then I shave it off when the round is over. I did that after the Philly series, then let it grow out till the end of the Ottawa series, shaved after that, and its been growing ever since. The ladies HATE it, I guess could almost compare this thing to Danny Briere's beard.

 

Mentally, I'm both exhausted and exhillerated at the same time.... except for right now, as I'm pretty depressed after that loss tonight. The days in between games are grueling, with the Sabres being the only thing on my mind. The anxiety is sure to become overwhelming tomorrow and into Sunday because 2-2 going back to Carolina scares me.

 

Can't really say there's anything wrong with me physically, although, I did knock my knee pretty bad on the seat in front of me at HSBC Wednesday night.

 

Some rituals of mine include not letting anyone else into the living room with me to watch the games when I'm at home. My jersey is put on just before faceoff. I eat at least SOMETHING in between each period. I DON'T watch the intermission reports on OLN or NBC, because they never give credit to the Sabres when credit is due.