the spoon theory

What started off as two friends sharing lunch soon turned into a pioneer term for those living with chronic illnesses. The spoon theory.

A woman by the name of Christine Miserandino came up with the term while struggling to explain to her friend what it is like living with Lupus. She grabbed a handful of spoons off restaurant tables and spread them across the table to her friend, telling her to count them. The friend then had to go through her daily routine and take away a spoon for each chore or activity. Christine explained that healthy people have all of the spoons they could ever need, while those with chronic illness or disabilities do not. The goal is to make it to the end of your theoretical day with as many spoons left over as possible. The problem with chronic illness, you probably never will.

I remember first being introduced to this term from a friend who lives with a severe form of narcolepsy. I had confided in her when my illness took a turn for the worse and she told me to read up on the term. I finally had found a way to put my feelings into words and take a deeper look into my own personal energy and how I spend it throughout my day.

When I was 15 I was diagnosed with a disorder called Factor V Leiden, a blood clotting disorder. In future posts I will dive deeper into what it means to live with this disorder and how the spoon theory has impacted my outlook on life. Stay tuned for more posts 🙂