Spoon theory – coping with disability

A friend who suffers from crippling arthritis directed me to an article about ‘spoon theory’. It is a moving article about coping with the limitations placed upon the author, Christine Miserandino, through lupus. I think it is a good thing for everyone to read.

I am not disabled, but I have always had physical limitations. I empathised with the article completely. I have been fortunate that my health has actually improved as I have got older. I no longer have days when climbing the stairs seems like an impossible task. Sometimes I look at small hills and remember how insurmountable they used to seem and feel amazed. It shows me how low my energy levels were for many years.

A gentle slope or a hill to climb?
It depends on your point of view.
Narbeth, Penbrokeshire, July 2014

I have always had to pace myself: if I do A, will there be sufficent energy left to do B? Fortunately there is enough energy these days to live my life as I wish to live it. I do not know what made the difference and gradually enabled my health to improve. My mother always told me that I was lazy, but I know that this is not true. Now that I have resources, I use them to the full – and enjoy expending the energy.

I have theories about what made a difference for me: daily meditation practice and generally becoming a happier person I would put at the top of the list. I gave up smoking in my 20s but I believe the effects can be long-lasting. Other factors would be: reducing the amount of amalgam in my mouth whenever a filling needed replacing; practising sKu-mNyé; losing weight is an obvious one, but I am still somewhat overweight; using homoeopathy and avoiding orthodox medicine; mostly cutting out dairy, eating an egg every day and reducing my intake of carbohydrates. There may well be other factors of which I am not aware. Whatever the reason, I am grateful that middle age for me is livelier and generally healthier than were my 20s to 40s.