Spending Spoons like a Drunken Sailor

For most of us in the auto-immune world, the Spoon Theory is the language we use to communicate our energy levels and how exhausting it can be to have a chronic disease. I've not used it much, but it's a powerful metaphor for how we get through a day and try and allocate our energy.

I've been on a new biologic, Xeljanz, for the past three months. I've also started back on Leflunomide  around the same time and am still taking the ever-present steroids. And throw in some form of pain meds as and when needed - more often than I'd like, but a girl's gotta live.

I'm approaching this blog entry slowly, tip toeing up to the topic, not wanting to disturb anything. Because I may actually have some energy back. Maybe. I may be taking less pain meds. I may not have super swollen feet 24/7 that are hard to walk on. I may actually be feeling a bit better. Possibly. But shhh. Don't tell anyone so I'm not jinxed.

So, of course, I'm spending spoons like a drunken sailor!

Why not? I've been feeling pretty crappy for - frankly - several years and this is the first time in recent memory that I don't have to meter out my energy worried about how I'm going to make it through the day. I can make it to the end of the day, and still have some spoons left. It's like I'm almost a normal person. Almost.

But I'm an over-doer. I try and cram too much in. And I'm paying for it this week. Work has been busy with lots of stress, long hours and weekends, with no real relief in sight. Home is busy with hockey time two, competitive swim schedule, dance, homework and trying to feed everyone and ensure that they are in the right place at the right time with the right equipment (trickier than you think!). However - I'm not as bad as I've been in the past under similar circumstances. Again, don't tell my body that. I'd hate for it to revert back to it's usual state of flare.

As every good Canadian knows, Gord Downie, lead singer of the band the Tragically Hip, passed away last week. The Hip were an integral part of my musical life since high school. His poetry, expressed through song, provided support, meaning and insight at various points in my life.

One song that stands out in light of this post is "Firework". It's my go-to Hip feel better song (apologies for the language). It's about how temporary things can be - they can last as long as a firework. I'm hoping upgraded spoon allotment is more permanent.