Pre-aneurysm I was a very high energy person. Six hours of sleep was enough and I could and did work 12 hour days. Post aneurysm my energy is very low. I need 8-10 hours of sleep and, per my doctor, can't stand for more than 30 minutes or lift anything heavier than 50 pounds. I have to break tasks down into smaller steps with rests between them and the ones that cost me lots of spoons are the tasks that can't be broken down into smaller steps. My high spoon count things are similar to yours cooking, showering, and cleaning. Cooking sometimes isn't something that can be broken down into smaller steps, showering definitely isn't, cleaning usually is. To help me with my energy issues for cooking I'll cook large. It doesn't take that much longer and when I do that I have microwave safe entree containers with lids. I'll cook double, triple, or even quadruple batches and before I sit down to eat (because consuming carbs will make me sleepy) I portion out what won't get eaten that meal into those entree containers and put them into the freezer. Then on a day when I have no energy left I can just go to the freezer, pick out a tray, and microwave it. I also bought a kitchen stool with a back rest. I get tired having to stand at the counter or stove but the stool is the right height for me to sit and still cut produce or stir the contents of a pot or a pan which allows me to save a spoon or 2. The stool also has a pull out foot rest which helps and for someone who is short (like my wife) it can be used as step to reach things on top shelves. For the shower I bought a shower chair and put a shower nozzle on an extension hose. I can sit in the shower, run water to get wet, take my time soaping up, and then turn the water back on to rinse off. It takes longer but it is less exhausting since I can take 60 seconds or so before doing the next thing in the shower. The other thing that is an advantage for me is having my wife around. I do tasks that take fewer spoons for me but more spoons for her and she does the tasks that take more spoons for me and fewer spoons for her and then we share the results. She can't cook so I do the cooking but she washes the pans and pots and helps make up the trays. Its a win/win for both of us.
I love all of your tips. I use many of them myself and having that extra set of hands definitely makes for lighter work. I use a rolling stool in the kitchen and shower to help battle fatigue and it made a tremendous difference. As always, I appreciate your insights! It makes me feel less alone :)
I first heard of this theory, from a cousin who ended up with a lingering illness, a few years ago & after that was aware when others happened to mentioned it. Tamara, I hope that you continue to be remain diligent in your priorities & plans, because many experiences are not always what they cracked up to be. Being disciplined financially is always important, but equally as important is being disciplined health wise & mentally. Glad that Rob is a willing & reliable source of support for you. So take care & save some spoons for an upcoming Happy Birthday!
💜 I always try to be. :) but you know me. Work work work. I always want to fit one more thing in. Thank you! I hope it will be a mice day Megan and I plan to do something together
oh wow! a completely new concept for me. well, the most spooney thing for me is to serve more than one food itoms to my family members. even cleaning the house is really exhausting. I really love your speach. you speak so fluently.
Good to see you are still about it all. This makes sense to me. I am a natural introvert. However Some people do energize me. So loads of socialization is never a problem. I never heard this before, however it does give me a reference to explain it to others. As a diabetic. That is visually impaired, tunnel vision and a whole bag of crazy wet cat complications that goes with it. It will make it easier to explain to others. I would like to add I am not looking for sympathy feels. Just letting some one with issues their self that it has been two horrible days. I had to surrender permanently my drivers license ( thought I never used it. ) Just yesterday, and was at my disability Doctor setting me up for the same. Not that I really want to have to do it. I am disgusted that every where I apply is interested until they find out I am legally blind.( though that is never why I do not get the position, of course "sigh" )That and cities where I had to go are so loud, and disorienting to me. I get home feeling like I just got stomped by the hulk. Anyway, I look forward to your videos. They remind me I am not alone. They show me I cannot give in. Thanks for all you do. I do appreciate it. Cheers!
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough couple of days, but happy that I can offer camaraderie through the content I make. I loved what you said with the crazy bag of complications that goes with a disability. It’s so true. It’s rarely just one thing with disability. t’s a whole list of things that can change with the wind or so it feels like some days. I hope your coming days are brighter and if not, we are all here to commiserate together any time you need!
@@UnsightlyOpinions I noticed when I started cane training, a simple walk around my neighborhood took a lot more effort. I was having to concentrate and listen a lot more than I am use to. Plus getting use to the movement of the cane was exhausting on rough terrain. What was once effortless now takes a lot of spoons.
I totally agree with you. Along with me being considered deaf blind. I have to make sure my hearing aids are working for when I travel outside crossing streets in the city bus with my guide dog. And it takes like you said some spoons. There are some days where I just don’t have energy to make either breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. The nurse sometimes I just don’t have the energy to make breakfast lunch or dinner. And I totally understand. There are some nights where I don’t have any or enough spoons to take a nice hot shower we’re in the morning I may have a few extra spoons to take a shower. Because along with me being vision and hearing impaired I also have trouble with the top part in the bottom part of my spine that gives me pain through the lower part of my back along with numbness and tingling. And I also have bursitis in my right hip and right leg. And I think I have bursitis in my right hand and wrist. So there are days I just don’t feel like doing anything. Like when I got home I was just tired so I just made something quick. Lay down for a few hours with my guide dog lay down for hour and a half and then took a shower. It’s only have two spoons left and I need to save those spoons so I’m just laying in the bed. Where I know tomorrow I won’t have a lot of spoons so I’m taking the door to door service so I don’t waste all the spoons for tomorrow going to the vet. But I totally agree and understand.
Thank you so much for sharing part of your story. It makes me feel better knowing others experience similar things to what I deal with. I hope you have lots of spoons to do whatever you are hoping to accomplish today. And if not, rest up, give yourself a break, and hopefully tomorrow will be better. :)
Tamara, I was unfamiliar with this theory. Thank you for educating us. I think this should be taught to nurses, teachers, and the general public. ( I'm a nurse btw). I would also add that we should remember to extend this theory to mental health struggles such as depression. Hugs to all of you who must carefully ration your spoons.
So true! I didn't know about this theory, but at some points I realized I have cut some activities including hanging out with some energy draining friends after my illness. Now I know why! Also, I am so theoretically correct!!😅
I need to shower today. I need to feel clean. But it’s so exhausting! I don’t wake up with many spoons because I don’t sleep well, so I can’t do much until sometime in the afternoon usually. I feel like a bum because I sleep late and can’t always be as productive as I’d like. After a day of errands or even going out with friends, I need to rest the next day.
I don’t know what it is about showering but my goodness it’s so exhausting! I have felt very much the same some days like I’m a waste and I feel really guilty any time I can’t do or live up to my own internalized expectations of what I should be able to do. But let’s be kind to ourselves and know that we are not alone and that no one can do everything in a day. :)
Pre-aneurysm I was a very high energy person. Six hours of sleep was enough and I could and did work 12 hour days. Post aneurysm my energy is very low. I need 8-10 hours of sleep and, per my doctor, can't stand for more than 30 minutes or lift anything heavier than 50 pounds. I have to break tasks down into smaller steps with rests between them and the ones that cost me lots of spoons are the tasks that can't be broken down into smaller steps. My high spoon count things are similar to yours cooking, showering, and cleaning. Cooking sometimes isn't something that can be broken down into smaller steps, showering definitely isn't, cleaning usually is.
To help me with my energy issues for cooking I'll cook large. It doesn't take that much longer and when I do that I have microwave safe entree containers with lids. I'll cook double, triple, or even quadruple batches and before I sit down to eat (because consuming carbs will make me sleepy) I portion out what won't get eaten that meal into those entree containers and put them into the freezer. Then on a day when I have no energy left I can just go to the freezer, pick out a tray, and microwave it.
I also bought a kitchen stool with a back rest. I get tired having to stand at the counter or stove but the stool is the right height for me to sit and still cut produce or stir the contents of a pot or a pan which allows me to save a spoon or 2. The stool also has a pull out foot rest which helps and for someone who is short (like my wife) it can be used as step to reach things on top shelves.
For the shower I bought a shower chair and put a shower nozzle on an extension hose. I can sit in the shower, run water to get wet, take my time soaping up, and then turn the water back on to rinse off. It takes longer but it is less exhausting since I can take 60 seconds or so before doing the next thing in the shower.
The other thing that is an advantage for me is having my wife around. I do tasks that take fewer spoons for me but more spoons for her and she does the tasks that take more spoons for me and fewer spoons for her and then we share the results. She can't cook so I do the cooking but she washes the pans and pots and helps make up the trays. Its a win/win for both of us.
I love all of your tips. I use many of them myself and having that extra set of hands definitely makes for lighter work. I use a rolling stool in the kitchen and shower to help battle fatigue and it made a tremendous difference. As always, I appreciate your insights! It makes me feel less alone :)
I first heard of this theory, from a cousin who ended up with a lingering illness, a few years ago & after that was aware when others happened to mentioned it. Tamara, I hope that you continue to be remain diligent in your priorities & plans, because many experiences are not always what they cracked up to be. Being disciplined financially is always important, but equally as important is being disciplined health wise & mentally. Glad that Rob is a willing & reliable source of support for you. So take care & save some spoons for an upcoming Happy Birthday!
💜 I always try to be. :) but you know me. Work work work. I always want to fit one more thing in. Thank you! I hope it will be a mice day Megan and I plan to do something together
oh wow!
a completely new concept for me.
well, the most spooney thing for me is to serve more than one food itoms to my family members.
even cleaning the house is really exhausting.
I really love your speach.
you speak so fluently.
Good to see you are still about it all. This makes sense to me. I am a natural introvert. However Some people do energize me. So loads of socialization is never a problem. I never heard this before, however it does give me a reference to explain it to others. As a diabetic. That is visually impaired, tunnel vision and a whole bag of crazy wet cat complications that goes with it. It will make it easier to explain to others. I would like to add I am not looking for sympathy feels. Just letting some one with issues their self that it has been two horrible days. I had to surrender permanently my drivers license ( thought I never used it. ) Just yesterday, and was at my disability Doctor setting me up for the same. Not that I really want to have to do it. I am disgusted that every where I apply is interested until they find out I am legally blind.( though that is never why I do not get the position, of course "sigh" )That and cities where I had to go are so loud, and disorienting to me. I get home feeling like I just got stomped by the hulk. Anyway, I look forward to your videos. They remind me I am not alone. They show me I cannot give in. Thanks for all you do. I do appreciate it. Cheers!
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough couple of days, but happy that I can offer camaraderie through the content I make. I loved what you said with the crazy bag of complications that goes with a disability. It’s so true. It’s rarely just one thing with disability. t’s a whole list of things that can change with the wind or so it feels like some days. I hope your coming days are brighter and if not, we are all here to commiserate together any time you need!
@@UnsightlyOpinions Thank you. you are most gracious.
I love this theory. I have used it to explain planning your day to people with cronic illnesses.
It’s what I use to explain some of my experiences with health issues as well! :)
@@UnsightlyOpinions I noticed when I started cane training, a simple walk around my neighborhood took a lot more effort. I was having to concentrate and listen a lot more than I am use to. Plus getting use to the movement of the cane was exhausting on rough terrain. What was once effortless now takes a lot of spoons.
I totally agree with you. Along with me being considered deaf blind. I have to make sure my hearing aids are working for when I travel outside crossing streets in the city bus with my guide dog. And it takes like you said some spoons. There are some days where I just don’t have energy to make either breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. The nurse sometimes I just don’t have the energy to make breakfast lunch or dinner. And I totally understand. There are some nights where I don’t have any or enough spoons to take a nice hot shower we’re in the morning I may have a few extra spoons to take a shower. Because along with me being vision and hearing impaired I also have trouble with the top part in the bottom part of my spine that gives me pain through the lower part of my back along with numbness and tingling. And I also have bursitis in my right hip and right leg. And I think I have bursitis in my right hand and wrist. So there are days I just don’t feel like doing anything. Like when I got home I was just tired so I just made something quick. Lay down for a few hours with my guide dog lay down for hour and a half and then took a shower. It’s only have two spoons left and I need to save those spoons so I’m just laying in the bed. Where I know tomorrow I won’t have a lot of spoons so I’m taking the door to door service so I don’t waste all the spoons for tomorrow going to the vet. But I totally agree and understand.
Thank you so much for sharing part of your story. It makes me feel better knowing others experience similar things to what I deal with. I hope you have lots of spoons to do whatever you are hoping to accomplish today. And if not, rest up, give yourself a break, and hopefully tomorrow will be better. :)
Tamara, I was unfamiliar with this theory. Thank you for educating us. I think this should be taught to nurses, teachers, and the general public. ( I'm a nurse btw). I would also add that we should remember to extend this theory to mental health struggles such as depression. Hugs to all of you who must carefully ration your spoons.
I definitely feel the analogy can help people understand energy in a more concrete way. :) So glad you can take this an apply it with your patients.
So true! I didn't know about this theory, but at some points I realized I have cut some activities including hanging out with some energy draining friends after my illness. Now I know why! Also, I am so theoretically correct!!😅
So true! Thank you for your video and extremely meaningfull subject!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
I need to shower today. I need to feel clean. But it’s so exhausting! I don’t wake up with many spoons because I don’t sleep well, so I can’t do much until sometime in the afternoon usually. I feel like a bum because I sleep late and can’t always be as productive as I’d like. After a day of errands or even going out with friends, I need to rest the next day.
I don’t know what it is about showering but my goodness it’s so exhausting! I have felt very much the same some days like I’m a waste and I feel really guilty any time I can’t do or live up to my own internalized expectations of what I should be able to do. But let’s be kind to ourselves and know that we are not alone and that no one can do everything in a day. :)