Flight Attendant describes a very fatiguing five day trip.

Narrative

I am writing to address a very serious concern regarding crew member fatigue; which I feel demands your full and immediate attention. As a Flight Attendant for over 13 years; it is no secret that ours is a demanding job of long days and short nights. However; never since I started my airline career in 1997; have I seen perfectly healthy flight attendants suddenly collapse while on the job. I personally have been affected by 2 incidents of collapsing Flight Attendants within the last four months the most recent being one of the reasons behind the delay we took on this trip; while awaiting the late arrival of our pilot crew; whose previous flight attendant crew had one that collapsed while on the jumpseat. I am including in this letter a copy of the itinerary of my last trip; which I found to be very taxing on my health and performance. Never as a 13 year veteran have I ever worked 4 legs on a redeye trip with a 5 plus hours of a layover in the middle of it; then to continue on working another leg. I speak for the entire crew when I claim that none of us were alert enough to have been able to efficiently respond to an aircraft emergency as our job requires; under such condition. I bring this to your attention and ask that you review it and let me know if this is in fact what is expected on me as flight attendant. This is the summary of a 5 day trip where both flight attendants came back extremely drained and ill; where no crew meals were provided; and where the schedule made it so a decent meal was inaccessible. Please note that I am a West Coast based flight attendant; and ask that you make an allowance for the time zone changes. This schedule also fails to note the 1-hour report time that the crew is obligated to meet; prior to departure; nor does it reflect the time it takes to deplane; to wait for; and take the hotel shuttle; check in for our rooms; to finally wind down.Day 1: depart ~0200; en route 4+30; layover 10+30; depart ~1930; en route 4+50; depart ~2300 4+00 en route layover 12+30. Day 2: depart ~2030 en route 1+30 depart ~2245 en route 1+00 layover 5+30.Day 3: depart ~0545 en route 1+00 layover 12+15 depart 2030 en route 5+00; layover 18+30Day 4: depart ~1815 en route 1+45 depart 2145 mechanical return to gate 1+00 depart 0100 en route +45 depart ~0230; en route 3+30; layover 12+00. Day 5: depart ~2230 en route 4+30 END!Granted; that this trip was on my monthly schedule; thus permitting a generous number of days off after its completion to recuperate from fatigue and the cough and cold that I've picked up from a weakened immune system. However; my reserve schedule in July 2010 could very well award me something similar; which would then only give me 12 hours to recuperate or worse; assign me an international flight on the 13th hour of being back in my base. Even the different pilot crews we have encountered while on this trip couldn't fathom our long days. I fully understand the demands of my job; and try to do my best at it each day. However; I find that my performance; judgment; and alertness are severely impaired by the level of fatigue in my system; no less than alcohol would cause. Much as we comply with FAA alcohol consumption regulations in order to ensure our best performance on the job; it does no one any good when we come to work under such fatigued conditions.