The reason why is, there's this thing called a "Spoon Theory"... it's a creative yet simple way for chronically ill people to explain to their healthy family and friends what it feels like to live with a chronic illness.
Let me give you the background to how the Spoon Theory was created....
The spoon theory was created by a woman named Christine Miserandino in 2003. She is a lupus fighter. An essay was derived from the discussion between her and a friend when her friend asked her "what did having lupus feel like?" The essay then describes the actions of Miserandino, who took spoons from nearby tables to use as a visual aid. She handed her friend twelve spoons and asked her to describe the events of a typical day, taking a spoon away for each activity. In this way, she demonstrated that her spoons, or units of energy, must be rationed to avoid running out before the end of the day.
So, let me put this in laymen's terms for you...
If you only had 12 spoons for the entire day? What would you use them for?
Before you begin, if you didn't sleep well last night, take your nightly medication, or you're feeling sick with a cold or flu, begin this assessment with only 9 spoons.
Each activity you do throughout the day, take away the proper amount of spoons.
1 spoon each
Get in/out of bed
Putting on your clothes
Taking your vitamins
Watching television
Reading
2 spoons each
Taking a shower
Combing and styling your hair
Studying for class
Responding to a text message or email
Surfing the internet
3 spoons each
Driving to work/school
Cooking and eating one meal
Light home cleaning (nothing that requires bending over)
Talking on the phone
Doing homework
4 spoons each
Being at work for 5+ hours
Being at the doctor's office
Cleaning (that requires bending over)
Exercising
Grocery shopping
Attending a social event
Now, you are allowed to go over the 12 or 9 spoons you were given at the beginning of the day, however, any overage will be deducted from the following day.
If you pay close attention you will see before your day has gotten fully started, you have already used 4 spoons to get out the bed, put on your clothes, take your meds or vitamins, and watching the morning news. Imagine trying to navigate through the REST OF THE DAY with only 8 or 5 spoons.
A person with a chronic illness have to choose activities and events throughout the day wisely, otherwise, we crash! And there's no worst feeling than crashing with a chronic illness. It takes us 10 times as much longer to rejuvenate and get our energy back than a normal healthy person. The rest a healthy person receives in 8-hours of sleep only feels like 2 hours to the chronically ill (and I'm not even exaggerating!) On top of that, the flare-ups we go through can literally take away ALL of our spoons at the beginning of the day, leaving us spoonless for a whole 24 hours (or however long the flare-up may last).
This also doesn't include if you are married with or without children, dating, or single with children because that is a whole other amount of spoons that will have to calculate to be taken away from you.
So the next time you hear someone with a chronic illness say they are tired, BELIEVE THEM, they are extremely tired and have probably used all of their spoons for the day. Take it light on them, and offer your help to get them through the rest of their day. Cook a meal and bring it over, watch their children, or offer to do their laundry... anything!!! Because everything we do while we are awake is slowly taking the energy from us, so if you could assist, we greatly appreciate it. Nothing you do is too small!
Okay, I'm going to rest now... writing this blog took away some of my spoons for the day!😉
