Our rescue worker is starting to feel woozy. She checks her watch and sees that it has now been more than two whole days without significant rest from her exertion. She is starting to feel the effects of the final stress response stage,

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In this phase, all of the body's fuel stores are too far depleted to support continued exertion. The body may have even started to break down the

that make up vital organs. Just as important, the continued suppression of the

system is giving free rein to

that normally would be easy to fight off. Unable to maintain her body, much less keep doing her work, our friend collapses and must be rescued herself!