How do you plan your day and conserve energy? Are you a Spoonie?

@becsbuddy Gosh, you're playing my tune! When I head out, I make sure there is lots of water and a healthy snack or two with me. I have gotten over the embarrassment of having to kick back and take a nap in the car before continuing. Bless their hearts, a couple of times police have stopped to see if I was okay, but fully understand I am not feeling well, and getting enough energy to drive home!

Tomorrow I have to be at a procedure at 7am, an hour away from here. While I have a list of things I want to do while in that town, nothing is a requirement, the only gotta-be-there is the procedure. I have found that to be safe on the roads, having enough spoons in my cache is critical!

Are you feeling better today!
Ginger

Yes, I’m so much better and learned my lesson! Now I’m off to the dentist. Mike will take me since it’s snowing ☹️

With Myasthenia Gravis, I’m a spooner, I’ve heard of this before. As I use my eyesight during the day, I use up my energy. By evening, my eyes want to be shut.

@becsbuddy, @johnbishop, @Erinmfs, @gingerw, @artist01,@marye2, @hopeful33250 Well, my goodness, folks! This is wonderful.....what a wonderfully simple, reasonable system for handling all this junk we deal with every day and night. This woman has obviously experienced these issues and is a survivor. I love it!

Every time I think of counting my spoons, I 'hear' the Sound of Music, 'Just a spoon-full of sugar...'...that may be the impetus for the theory, but whatever, it's in my head! Not so bad....I like the song and love the concept, so.....spoon counting it is.

Interesting, I often find hooking my bra is a spoon, getting dressed is one or sometimes two spoons, but by the time I walk out the front door to go to the doc, I've used most of my spoons for the day and barely make it to the car to sit down! So, can we add more spoons????? Nope, I know. Negotiating again - But, I, too take a bottle or two of water, diet coke, Kind protein bar or two with me every time out. Good thing.

Side bar: finally got my new bed delivered yesterday! I've rescheduled 4-5 times as yucky stuff arose, but did it, Got it! Getting ready took 27 spoons.... my housekeeper came by for emergency help Monday to help get the bedroom ready. I still was up until 2 doing laundry....it's gotten harder to handle the in and out, lifting wet sheets and towels, folding and getting them upstairs and put up. So, I enjoyed meditative, good piano music while folding sheets. I used my cognitive thinking, relaxed and took my time, used things learned this last 2 years w/Mayo.

Rested in between folding each sheet. Drank iced tea and then a cup of mint green tea as I got things done. Took my time and made it pleasurable! But, I used up several tablespoons. My back was screaming at me, so I sat in the comfy recliner for 10-15 minutes, ate a Kind protein bar, breathed well and got upstairs with the folded linens. That was remarkable. Took an extra extra - strength tylenol and a half extra dropper of 1:1 MMJ, melatonin and to bed, old bed,

Quite a couple days, I'd say. Interesting, because I was able to accomplish tasks at hand, got it done, but with the rests, energy breaks, liquids, meditation, positive thoughts only.....putting into action what we've all been working on for so long. It worked well. Slept like a dream on my new bed last night! This was a huge deal for me. Got a good one, online!!!!!, Macy's clearance/close-out year-end sale. NEVER saw it, custom firm w/pillow top. I added a topper cover w/extra padding. It's great! Whew!

My back, feet, legs and hands were screaming. But, I used our pain tools, plus some Voltaren cream before bed and lidocaine patch to go to doc yesterday. These insights, tools work. I'm adding the spoons, and already doing better!
Blessings to all you warriors, life-livers and forward thinkers. Use our spoons thoughtfully! elizabeth

@ess77 Hi Elizabeth
So glad that you used your spoons wisely! Keep it up. It's a life-long habit for me.

@becsbuddy On the way to my procedure yesterday, I had to drink 40 oz of water. A short procedure, but I had had nothing to eat for over 12 hrs. Stopped at a fast food place to get quick something into my system, sat in car with my coffee from home, rested. On to first store, got most everything I needed, went back to car, rested and drove home. Spoons available to me had all been used up.

Today we are supposed to go on to BLM land and harvest firewood, but I have elected to stay home. Neighbors are going too, so I know my husband will not be alone. If they weren't also going, I would have to go.
Ginger

I love the Spoon theory!
I have significant mental fatigue- made worse by any stressful event.
It started with me burning out at work just before early retirement. After a couple of years I developed a difficult to diagnose autoimmune illness that caused pain or discomfort 24/7 for 10 years or so. After a final, difficult treatment I had run on empty- no more stress hormone reserves.
I manage when I have to be sharp- like when my daughter was just hospitalized. When it’s over I’m drained. Spoons are all gone- in the dishwasher! I’m now trying to stock my spoon drawer again.
We are moving within a month- I will run out of spoons again.

@astaingegerdm, @becsbuddy, @gingwew, hopeful32250 Hello, all. Good to learn about how you use your spoons and handle this concept. I explained the spoons to my son a couple days ago and how it's helped me with acceptance of limitations, to stop fighting 24/7 against my body... he noticed improvements in attitude, how I deal with pain and limitations. Good conversation with him, so I'm very hopeful he will let it sink in and activate the spoon theory in his life.

Becky, it sounds like you had quite a challenging day with that procedure. I've had many of those, as well, but only occasionally have enough spoons to use for shopping on the way home. I've tried it, but other than a drive through I pretty much head on home. Then, rest and catch up on quiet, low energy things.

Yesterday, I had a procedure, bonding injections in the ureter to combat leakage. I didn't sleep well, as often happens before an unknown, and had to be at Mayo by 9:15, that means leaving home by 8:15ish .Mornings are difficult, but this is early up and out for me. Did it, but had a tough time, pretty tired. I didn't do well after the procedure, had to stay for observation for several hours and came close to an ED visit. I got home after 2pm, straight to bed, but had to be up and down a lot, etc.. Today, some better, but I'm taking antibiotic for my stupid infected toe!!!! so now my tummy's in trouble! Talked w/nurses this morning, stopped taking med, drinking lots of water and staying in bed all day.

Spoons aren't available. Bed is required. Cancelled designer appt for kitchen redo, housekeeper picking up meds.....so, tomorrow I have my spoons refilled and will be out of bed, enjoying my birds and flowers. One of our several steps backward days. Decided I won't have another of these procedures. Ever. I'll deal with the issues.....

Hey! I'm comfy in my NEW bed, NEW mattress.....Ain't that grand! No dips or lumps or sliding off the side! It's a good thing.....Blessings all. elizabeth

Well, I think I used up all my spoons before I even got started! Getting ready for my son and family wore me out before they even got here! Two under-seven kids, a blind dog, an explosion of toys, snow, dinner to make because other son and wife were coming, too, and on and on. Needed 100 spoons! But, I survived and had a great time!

@becsbuddy Wow, lady. What a lot of energy....where'd you find it? I'm so happy for you with the flurry of family and stuff....that sounds like a good life, Becky. Blessings to you and family! 2 under 7 would be enough....blind dog? Wonderful....