The Spoon Theory (Content)

[Neojedigoddess]

I post the Spoon theory or the Letter to "normals" on my facebook from time to time to try and educate some of the people who have me friended. I've had fibro for over two years now and it feels like it's getting worse. Doesn't help that I recently lost my job (not fibro related) and now don't have insurance. Thank you for making this and having such a great reading voice!

[brokendoll8777777]

thanks for posting this, i was looking if anyone did an audio vertion of it since ages ago i tried to get my partner to read this but of corse he would forget or it was put off, so while checking this was compleat i turned up the volume on my computer and turned down this game and now he understands a little bit more. I had tried to explain it to him myself but would get to emotional or choked up and would end up making a joke myself. thanks.

[freddiesclaire]

i have had fibromyalgia most of my life,its been chronic for a bout 9yrs,i am tired of people around me "forgetting" i am ill,or bitching about me,ignoring me when i talk,or more frustratinglt,saying "i know how you feel",i want to shout,"do you?,do you really?", i will in future be using the spoon theory,and hopefully i can make them understand a little better,thank you xx

[Xiocus]

I was diagnosed 2 years ago, I'm still struggling with my daily use of "spoons"... I haven't been able yet to know how many I do have when I wake up in the mornings. I hate it so much, the frustration when I say to myself or to some one I'll be there and then I can't... it is very difficult to explain.

The spoon theory it is a nice exercise for my wife... She doesn't understand what is a day in my body but, I don't blame her because I don't get it either.

1.000.000 thanks...

[vonfluffenstein]

You rock. :)

Luv from a fibro & RA sufferer.

[Dragonfaire]

You have been my hero for years now. I have just found out that a friend needs to see your video to make her feel better as well. Now you can be her hero too! Thank you soo much for being the wonderful lady you are!

[wvchick67]

I LOVE what you have said ~ I've lived with Lupus since I was nine years old and I'm 42! It's hard, when we don't look like we have anything wrong with us.

Thanks!

[sonicsuns]

You have my prayers.

[TherapyForTheWhales]

That even me kind of sad..

[Dreamz4Gaara]

Oh wow. You are one of many amazing people I'm guessing to be able to live with Lupus... Thank you for the lucid explanation ^_^

[DrFrankyDolan]

Beautifully put. You have a brilliant mind my dear. Your story, and you, are beautiful.

[FrancisRidley]

They say Lupus is the disease 'with a thousand faces.' I'm a colitis sufferer myself. It's like the junior cousin to Crohns Disease. At first I was in shock about it, but 10 or so years, living with a chronic incurable disease has become 'the new norm' for me. Even though I'm symtomatic in varying degrees most of the time, it just feels like that's how I am now. I just feel fortunate that it's nothing worse. There are small blessings to be found in everything. :)

[noliketoregister]

We have a saying in the trade "Don't let what you CAN'T do stop you from doing what you CAN do." You really read this well, it really got to me at the point when you got choked up. Fav'd.

[LadyMick]

Thank you for sharing. I have an autoimmune disease. Good job.

Cathy

[ModestNeophyte]

Although I have no diagnosis of anything wrong with me, I can totally identify with this. Thank you so much, Kat.

[jazzmom66]

Amazingly accurate article.

[dogplunker]

I thought you were Christine M. - the author of this piece. However you still look really familiar!! Still, the best of everything to you. All the happiness, all the strength, good patience, a multitude of never ending spoons -- ALWAYS. :)

[Katatawnic]

Ah, OK! Now it all makes sense! LOL

[Spytrx]

I know that feeling - you can't explain something simple as pain to yourself. I suffer from ultra severe migraine - people think it is a bad headache and that's it...

you're analogy was brilliant...

[Katatawnic]

Migraines are hell, I feel for you! Yeah, a bad headache is a paradise vacation compared to a migraine. People who've not experienced true migraines rarely get it.... it's hard to grasp what one doesn't personally know.

It wasn't my analogy, the author's name and article/site link, etc., are in the video's description box. I couldn't have come up with a better analogy, and I used to write a lot! :)

[magickcatmojo]

my invisable diseases are mental, emotional and physical . one is bipolar disorder. when I'm hypomanic I have hundreds of spoons I use freely forgetting that they are as you said borrowed against other days , when I am manic they are twisted and bent , unable to hold content or be practically useful . 5 stars , thank you for sharing ,I know from experience how difficult it can be to share certain experiences and raw emotion and vulnerability .

[Katatawnic]

Oh, I can SOOO get it RE: the hypo/manic (both) spoons, in every way you described them! I most definitely end up borrowing on future ones, and then pay for it physically, drasically, afterwards. Can be such a vicious cycle, eh?

[aDementedSon]

all i can really say is, more people should see this. and thanks, kat, for sharing it.

wow... truly great...

[Katatawnic]

Thanks Mark! (Uh, if that's your real name, or is it your YT pseudo name? lol)

It wasn't as easy to share as I thought it would be. The next one I'm planning on will be audio, text, relevant photos and all that jazz. I can talk about this stuff openly on the most part, but some of it is "too close to home" and then I can't compose myself enough to speak without breaking down or at least choking on a few tears. I want to focus on info, not people pitying myself and othes like me. :)

[aDementedSon]

wanting to focus on info is understandable,

i can certainly appreciate you wanting to offer fair representation of the issues- but the emotion is just as real a part, and i feel it shows your strength... it garnered more admiration than sympathy from me... just so you know.

[Katatawnic]

Thank you. :)

Understanding and empathy is what we all need (chronically ill or not), but aside from histrionic people or those who haven't learned to deal/accept, we are insulted by pity.

Oh, I'm not saying I'll never again put up a vid that is emotional, as it is ME and as I said in the vid I posted the other night, keeping it real is what is important. ;)

But some of it makes me too emotional to speak at all, much less coherently. Those are the times my vids will be text/audio.

[aDementedSon]

appreciated...

[Bingolly1]

My sister has Lupus and has had it for about 20 years now. She is 65 now and does good but hers was not a bad case. Unfortunately I do not know much about it. 5/5

[Katatawnic]

I don't know if you saw the "intro" or only this post. I know it was long; but I read the article as fast as I could. (lol) It's highly believed I have an autoimmune disease, most likely MS, Lupus, or RA. But Medi-Cal won't approve tests further than blood work! Once Tom & I are married this summer, the Army will run ALL tests necessary till I get a solid diagnonsense. ;p

I'll be doing more soon, for awareness to the healthy & inspiration to those who are sick & feel alone. :)

[Bingolly1]

Your inspiration is what helps others to deal with and understand it better as well. Sometimes others need to know that while it might effect our health it does not effect our heart.

[Katatawnic]

Unfortunately, it does effect our hearts as well. :(

Some days, the anger at it all is SO consuming! "Why?! I didn't ask for this!" (etc.) Severe depression is also very high amongst the chronically ill. It's so angering and depressing to be imprisoned in one's own home and/or bed, watching everyone around us LIVING while we are struggling to SURVIVE.

However, I think that most of us learn to have more compassion for others. In *that* way, it makes our hearts stronger. :)

[Katatawnic]

Damn character limit! LOL

Although I have the "Victim Mentality" and don't mean to come off as such, I'll use this example anyway....

We're not volunteers, we're victims. The causes are unknown at this time, but it IS known that we don't "bring it onto ourselves" so to speak. It's biological. So in that sense, we are victims, as we certainly don't volunteer for this so-called life.

However, we stuggle all the same to not feel like victims all the time. ;)

[Katatawnic]

UGH, typo! LOL

Although I *hate* the "Victim Mentality".... ;p

[michelle2chat]

"the Army will run ALL tests necessary till I get a solid diagnonsense. ;p "

LOL @ "diagnonsense" You're too funny! :)

On a serious note, I sure wish there was some way for a person to donate their spoons. I'd gladly donate mine if I could.

I am GLAD you kept this video up. I am inspired to be thankful (and not wasteful) for my spoons.

Thank you, Kat. You indeed are a treasure.

[Katatawnic]

michelle2chat:

"I sure wish there was some way for a person to donate their spoons. I'd gladly donate mine if I could."

You just did. <333

Have I told you lately that I love you? (In a platonic, YT/Stickam friend kinda way, of course. LOL)

XOXOXOXOX

[michelle2chat]

(((((kat!))))) People who suffer have choices to make in life, they can choose to make the best of their lives and inspire others (and by so doing the world is blessed by how extraordinary they are) which is why I have so much respect for you. I know people don't realize it takes a LOT out of you to make videos!

I want to share with you a video I recently saw of an extraordinary individual who also appears to be making the most of his life. I'm sure it will make you smile:

watch?v=0DxlJWJ_WfA

[lapislazuline]

Well i chose you because of your audacious

comment Kat ,let,s just get that clear.

[Katatawnic]

I knew that from the get-go, Lapis. ;)

We all get our "moods" and I was in one at the time; I'm sorry for that. I saw your subscribing to me as an opportunity for me to "make it up to you" so to speak.

I'm giving you one of my spoons.... a piece of me, and a peace offering. :)

[lapislazuline]

Wow you didn,t have anything to make up Kat,

you,ve charmed me,i,ll keep a good hold

on that spoon :)

[Katatawnic]

Nah, I was being a bitch when you didn't even provoke me. I also have mental illness: Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar I Type. I've worked very hard throughout the years to act rather than react, and when I lash out I feel that I DO need to make amends. "Sorry" doesn't mean a thing without action accompanying it. :)

Hang onto that spoon, we never know when we'll need one! ;)

[dogplunker]

Thank you for being so real and sharing your self and your theory. Don't change a thing. It is perfect. I saw your web page some years ago also. I am glad to hear that you are getting married. Best wishes to you and your future husband. All the best.

[Katatawnic]

Wow, out of the millions upon millions of people on the 'net, and you saw my personal site years ago and NOW my videos on YouTube?! Small world, eh? LOL

Thank you for the encouragement and the congrats!

Just to note, it's not my article that I was reading. The author's name, link to the article and also to her site are in the video's description area. :)

[dogplunker]

I was a friend of your brother's in college. I stumbled across your video. When I saw "spoon theory." I thought..."hey, I've heard that before! Then I thought, she looks familiar, let's take a look at this," and sure enough it was you. I don't doubt you are in a lot of pain, but you look beautiful anyway :) Again, best of everything.

[Katatawnic]

Oh, WOW!!! Which brother?

And, thank you! :)

[dogplunker]

Dominic...I didn't know you guys had more than one brother, I always thought it was just you and Dom for some reason.

[Katatawnic]

I don't have a brother named Dominic. LOL

[debswildhoney]

*Brushing tears away* This is a practical & poetic description of living with and managing Fibromyalgia, Mental Illness, and other "unseen" illness. Thank you for using your spoon(s) to dish this out. 5* favorite.

Take Air,

Deb

[Katatawnic]

After posting this, I almost took it down... I didn't want to get so emotional, I wanted to share The Spoon Theory for inspiration and understanding. But my fiance watched it, and told me that I should leave it as it is, because it was "real" and, after all, I didn't go into dramatics. LOL

[Katatawnic]

I did feel better afterwards, so my "using spoons" in recording this actually ended up bringing me a few back. The less we can "do" the more "useless" we feel. If I can help just ONE person feel inspired to keep fighting, then I've done something useful. And feel whole again, even if only for a while. :)

[debswildhoney]

You have, and I am ONLY one - early on. You will touch more lives because I will be sharing this with friends & family.

Thanks Again, :O) Deb