The Spoon Theory

For my Realism Documenting project, I tried to focus on things that most people do without thinking, things like cleaning off a counter top. A very small part of why I chose to do this was because of The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino, it is a small story about how Christine explained to her friend what it is like to have a chronic illness via spoons, spoons are kind of like energy. She explains how your average healthy person would have an unlimited number of spoons in a day, but when you have a chronic illness your number of spoons is limited and varied by day. Every activity that you do takes away a spoon, from making food to taking a shower.

I have a few chronic illnesses, such as chronic migraines with an everyday headache, chronic joint pain, and a mystery illness that affects my immune system that doesn’t have a diagnosis yet. Having these illnesses causes every day to be different, I don’t know how I am going to feel in a few hours, and I definitely don’t know how I am going to feel tomorrow, every day is a toss-up. On good days, I try to get as much done as possible. On bad days, I try my hardest to do at least something.

(Seen in photographs 3 and 9, as well as getting ready to see Grandma in 6 and 7) Because of my health issues I am in an all online program through my school, it is a great opportunity for someone like me. Through this program, I’ve been actually learning instead of just doing the work to get it done like I was on the homebound program. (This is seen in the 4th photograph). I practice Spanish every day, as at some point in my life I hope to be certified bilingual, I also take an online Spanish class. (practicing Spanish seen in photograph