What Spoon Theory Means for Life With Gastroparesis
Have you ever tried to explain why a “simple” day can leave you completely wiped out — and why resting afterward isn’t laziness?
Spoon theory gives people a way to explain it.
The idea comes from Christine Miserandino, of butyoudontlooksick.com. She created “The Spoon Theory” to explain life with lupus, and it has since become a shared language for people living with many chronic illnesses, including gastroparesis.
In her telling, each day starts with a limited number of “spoons” — units of energy. Every task costs spoons: getting dressed, showering, cooking, driving to an appointment, even a social visit. A healthy person may feel like they have an unlimited supply and never really count them. A person with a chronic illness has to count, plan, and choose.
When the spoons are gone, they’re gone. You can push through and borrow from tomorrow, but tomorrow then starts with even fewer — which is how a crash or a flare often follows a day that was pushed too hard.
The number also changes day to day. A flare day may start with far fewer spoons than a good day, so a task that was manageable yesterday may not be possible today. That isn’t a lack of effort. It’s a different starting count.
For people with gastroparesis, that pacing can matter in very practical ways: saving spoons for the appointment that matters most, skipping a non-essential task so there’s energy left later, or telling family and friends, plainly, “I’m out of spoons” — a shorthand that means “I’ve hit my limit” without having to justify it.
Christine Miserandino gave the keynote speech at the September 11, 2010 Lupus Symposium for the Piedmont, NC chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), and closed her speech by reading “The Spoon Theory” live to a packed audience. You can hear her read it herself here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5IBsm49Rk
You can also read more at her site: https://www.thespoontheory.com
We are linking to her work rather than reprinting it here, because “The Spoon Theory” is her copyrighted essay.
If you’re a spoonie, we’d love to hear from you: how do you pace your day, and what helps you protect your spoons? Tell us in the comments, or message the GSSI Facebook page.
Gastroparesis Support Services, Inc. (GSSI) provides non-medical support while you’re being treated — including hotel stays, food and grocery cards, local rides, and gift bags when funding is available. GSSI does not provide medical treatment itself.
Gastroparesis Support Services, Inc. (GSSI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Louisville, Kentucky.
Source: Christine Miserandino, “The Spoon Theory,” https://www.thespoontheory.com; live keynote reading, September 11, 2010 Lupus Symposium, Piedmont, NC chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5IBsm49Rk
#Gastroparesis #GastroparesisAwareness #GSSI #Louisville #PatientSupport #CaregiverSupport #SpoonTheory #Spoonie