Let's talk about spoons.
I bet you're thinking "Seriously? Spoons?"
Normally, spoons are what you'd use to eat all the Rocky Road in one sitting or the musical instrument that allows you annoy the socks off your mother while you slurp that last sip of chicken noodle soup. Well, what if I told you you had 6 spoons to get through today and you had to think long and hard about how you would use each spoon?
The spoon theory is the idea that all chronic illness fighters start the day with a set number of spoons. Sometimes you may be blessed enough to have 7, or maybe you just have 2; whatever your number, you better use them wisely.
"The Spoon Theory" was created by a chronic Lupus fighter. The way she explains things is, a chronic illness fighter, aka "a spoonie", wakes up in the morning with a certain amount of spoons. What would require little, to no spoons for a healthy person, can take multiple spoons from a person at war with their own body. For example, say my healthy friend Claire were to wake up, brush her teeth, shower, make and eat breakfast, and walk to school as her morning routine. This would probably use up 1 whole spoon for Claire, or maybe even none; but for me, or for another spoonie, each task can use up multiple spoons.
For me personally, it takes several spoons to shower. Once I have used those spoons, I must nap in order to gain another one. My overactive mind and my ill body are constantly at war over what spoons should be used and when.
If I were to make myself breakfast, it would take a spoon or two to get the ingredients out and cook it. Although eating could potentially gain me another spoon, I have to choose wisely because I still need a spoon to clean up.
Essentially, spoons are energy: what I can accomplish in a given time frame.
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