Christine,
Thank you!!! I love the spoon theory and have passed it along to so many. But even more, I have always told my mother, if I were to ever write a book, it would be titled, BUT YOU DON’T LOOK SICK!.

I am a 39 yr. mother of 2 boys, a college graduate, and used to be a successful member of the corporate world. At 29 I was stricken ill by an unknown illness. It presented as Lupus, RA, and MS, was tested for lymphoma, – ah could go on and on actually for a decade – many Docs. told me it was “all in my head”. Finally in June of 09 they found the problem was in my head, it was my brain. My illness is Chiari Malformation.

The illness, to me, is neither here nor there, but that it is chronic, painful, and it comes like a thief in the night. The bottom line is that when illness like yours or mine hits a healthy individual, you learn very quickly the survival skill of “the spoon theory”. If you don’t, the illness wins. Thanks so much for simplifying what quite frankly I haven’t had the ingenious to do!!! And, may your days be filled with spoons!!!

I love the spoon theory too. We like to think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence but in reality it’s not. I have sarcoidosis too and find that patient support groups and programs are lacking in the USA. Yes, we have organizations for each illness but everyone is segregated off into their own illness. Hardly none focus on finding the reason why so many are sick. Very few places like this one offer help to all types of “chronics.”