Fatigue and The Spoon Theory
Every brain injury is different. Yet, the survivor interviews on this blog have shown that fatigue is a common effect of a brain injury. Once the survivor was energetic – able to do many things. Now the survivor is often tired or worried about getting tired.
Have you ever tried to explain chronic fatigue to someone healthy? Usually he or she doesn’t get it. Christine Miserandino, who has Lupus – a chronic disease, invented The Spoon Theory to show her healthy friend why she is so concerned with the energy cost of doing anything. Christine’s Spoon Theory 
is a simple way to show the difference between being healthy and energetic and being worried about fatigue by having a chronic condition – like Lupus or a brain injury. In The Spoon Theory, Christine writes, “I explained that some days were worse than others; some days I have more spoons then most. But I can never make it go away, and I can’t forget about it. I always have to think about it.”
Christine’s Spoon Theory can be found HERE.
(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)
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Comments on: "Brain Injury Resources . . . . . . Fatigue and The Spoon Theory" (6)
A really interesting way to convey something like this about an illness or in this case fatigue!
A young girl recently described her fatigue to me as if every muscle in her body was being pulled down by the heaviest weights imaginable, times a thousand.
It would be interesting to hear how other people describe fatigue.
Thanks for bringing our attention to the spoon theory.
Maria, information editor http://www.braininjuryhub.co.uk
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My doctor had a great way to explain it. He said our brain is like a kitchen sink, we fill it up all day long. Without a brain injury we automatically let out some of the water. With a brain injury we have trouble releasing this water and it overflows. Hence extreme exhaustion happens.
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Bonnie, that is another way to look at it. Anything to help folks understand is good. Thank you for sharing.
Donna O’Donnell Figurski
survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com
donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com
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This is so very true, I cannot believe how creative she was to make her point!
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I am so glad I stumbled on Christine Miserandino’s “Spoon Theory.” It makes so much sense and is so easy to explain to others.
Thank you so much for commenting, Ed.
Donna O’Donnell Figurski
survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com
donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com
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Maria,
Thank you so much for your comments and for following my blog. I always like to see your smiling face here. The “heavy weight” is how my husband often refers to it, too – especially walking.
Donna O’Donnell Figurski
survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com
donnaodonnellfigurski.wordpress.com
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