I need tips on knowing how many "spoons" you should start a day off with?! I thought I had a bunch this morning, but by 11am, I totally ran out and had to cancel my afternoon plans. The fall is coming and I know this is my worst season for flares, etc. Just wish I knew what each day had in store beforehand!
Thanks,
Liz D.
I don't think you can ever be sure, Liz. For important appointments, I try to prepare and rest in advance. Sometimes I fall to pieces after a meal, so I've experimented with fasting or eating a light meal beforehand.
Despite my best efforts, I end up being a no-show sometimes. I missed an appointment with an immunologist last month and I'm still beating myself up over it. There are times I'm ready to go, but I'm too exhausted to go out the door. Oh well, it can't always be helped I guess.
Good question!
Today, I had 3-4 spoons - I wanted to go to a book club meeting today. So... I had breakfast (1 spoon), went to the meeting (should have been 2 spoons, but I was super quiet, because my brain could do much - so lets call it 1 and a half spoons), and then came home. I've been parked in front of the TV since. I'll nuke something for supper - using my last spoon
I'm in a bad place right now - usual spoon count is way higher (and don't forget we all count our spoons in our own way).
Maybe usual spoon is 5 -8 spoons for me.
I usually start the day with 10 spoons.
Shower, make up and hair -3 spoons
I works from home so usually do about 1 1/2 hours of work by 10:30 - 4 spoons
I have to do some of my job outside the home calling on businesses -2 spoons (12pm now)
Get mail and do banking -1 spoon (it's 12:30pm now)
By 12:30 pm each day I've used all my spoons. Most times I push on through the day until be minus about 35 spoons.
At the Living Well With Chronic Illness class I've made an action plan to rest 1/2 hour mid day 4 times per week. I hope to gain a couple spoons during the day by doing that. I will still be minus spoons at the end of the day just not as many.
What is a "spoon"? I read all the posts and can't make it out.
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/ (http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/) The spoon theory
I start my day and assume that I have no spoons. I feel better each day after I find one to use in the morning. I usually run out about 2pm and have to take a short nap of 15 minutes to 4 hours while my spoons are being washed and recycled. :)
I haven't really thought about how many spoons I have. It feels like I have a different number of spoons on different days.
One day like today, I got up, let the dogs out, and put on coffee, (one spoon used) I had to then sit down with something cold to drink as usual and take my morning meds.
On days we have to go somewhere like getting groceries, drug store, or the doctor, I use a couple of spoons just getting ready, and a couple more getting through the doctor visit or picking up meds.
But, if it's groceries, I have used the rest by the time we get home. Actually, have went beyond, and after helping bring in part of them , and putting them up, I crash, and I sleep most of the day the next day to rebuild any strength.
The most cooking I do is if I put something in the microwave. My husband does most of the cooking, and I do the laundry.
Taking a shower uses a two spoons. Coloring my hair uses 4 spoons. :D
I have never just taken a daily count.
susanep :)
I have quit trying to predict how many spoons I have!
I completely agree with susanep that a trip to the grocery is incredibly exhausting!!
sppons?, what spoons?,, mine went to Toledo a few years ago
Joe, Never thought of my "spoons" being washed and recycled while I nap. :D ;D
I've also never thought about how many to start with, but interesting question.
Guess I don't count on having any when I awake. Suppose if I wake with a bit of energy, I pull one from the drawer, then another as long as I can. If I find more spoons later in the day, then I'm excited and surprised I still have some! (guess it's a glass-half full mentality)
I don't count them anymore. I've come to realize my energy level/fatigue changes so often in a day, it's too hard to keep up with. Maybe that's just me... :-[
Meld:
QuoteI don't count them anymore. I've come to realize my energy level/fatigue changes so often in a day, it's too hard to keep up with.
You said so well what I was trying to get at with my nap.
I'm the same as Jozee, regardless of how many spoons I have, I have so much to do in the day, that I usually end up with minus spoons at the end.
I can't really try to count my spoons because I work full time and take care of three kids when I get home. I don't consider myself as having any choice in the matter because my husband also has an AI disease and we can't afford to both be on disability.
If I feel myself running out of spoons, I try to slow down. That's about all I can do.
I too feel grocery shopping is the worst! I can have a pretty good day and one trip into the grocery store and it's over for me for the rest of the day.
Sometimes I feel like it's the lighting in the stores, the hard floors or maybe it's because the grocery store is like an ice box to me.
I coupon now and save a lot of money but the very down side to that is it takes me twice as long to get my groceries. And the riding carts are way too small since I get groceries so rarely I end up with a large cart full.
Today I sealed the back splash in my kitchen which was super easy but a lot of standing. When I finished my legs and feet were killing me but I had to get groceries so my coupons would not expire!
Needless to say...I am in more pain tonight then I have been in a long time. I'd say this pain is in one of the top 10 worst days I can remember. Going to be a long sleepless night.
I used to take Benedryl to help me sleep but now that I wear the Butrans patch I forgot to ask my Dr. if it is ok. He's on vacation for 2 weeks so I will ask when he gets back.
Anyway...seems like grocery shopping is a 10 spoon activity.
I buy Boost supplement drinks and find they really help. They give me a bit of extra nutrition when I'm waning and pick me up, that and more coffee. LOL
amberjolie1 - I'm in the same camp as you, with a husband not working due to disability. It's awful trying to keep going, but these days we work as a tag team, instead of playing, "Who's sicker today?". But sometimes the resentment creeps in...until we re-unite to fight our common enemy. The children! (Joke. Kinda. Okay, sub "lovingly nurture" for "fight").
He shouldn't do the grocery shopping as it aggravates the chronic pain in his smashed ankle - I shouldn't do it because the soles of my feet SCREAM by the end. I only tackle it when I'm feeling just as good as I ever feel. If most people feel like a 7 out of 10 on a regular day, I'm a 3, tops.
Just wondering - does anyone else have nightmares if they go to sleep while in pain? I dream about my worst fears (burning to death, my kids getting a fatal disease) when my feet are burning when I've pushed myself too far.
Thank you all for your replies!! You all had such great suggestions. It seems we all suffer the same and although hard, I just have to accept my limitations. I hate it. I used to have limitless spoons. Now with Sjogrens, I never know what the day can bring.
I have to stop worrying about what other people think of me. I feel like if I do good one day, then they expect everyday should be good for me. Then I run out of spoons early in the day, I feel like a failure and feel people must just think I am lazy.
Liz D.
Hi Liz :)
Yes you MUST stop worrying about what other people may or may not think. You KNOW you are not lazy. You know you are ill and you know what you have.
It is about one day at a time. You take care of yoiurself and stuff what anyone else thinks! It's none of their business. Good friends will understand. If someone doesn't then they are not a good friend.
Take care - Scottie :)
Thanks, Scottie. Good advice!!
Liz D.
Some days the spoon theory works and I'm done after the last spoon is used. But sometimes I can't tell how many spoons I had until the next day. Some days I feel really good and do too much because I don't feel tired. I even go to bed feeling okay, but wake up exhausted and achy with new symptoms trying to come out. I'm trying to be sensitive to how tired I feel but that nervous energy takes over, especially I'm engrossed in what I'm doing. I think the rule has to be a nap every afternoon even when I don't feel like I need it. A nap would probably quiet the nervous energy so I'd feel my level of fatigue better.
Quote from: theosof on October 08, 2011, 07:33:26 AM
What is a "spoon"? I read all the posts and can't make it out.
None of the links to the pages on the Spoon Theory seemed to work for me, but I did find this video. Hope it helps anyone else who didn't know anything about it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5IBsm49Rk&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5IBsm49Rk&feature=player_embedded) :)
Welcome JenniBuginPink.
You may also try this link. http://butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf
Jenni and Joe thanks for the links. It is a wonderful visual for family and friends. I sent it to friends. I will need to think about it more.
theosof,
Yes, it's just a way to explain to others how we "run out of steam" so quickly or only have so much energy, when before our illness it seemed limitedless.