I remember as a kid watching a Pepto-Bismol commercial and thinking it was funny that these people couldn’t manage basic bodily functions. Little did I know, I would be afflicted with a chronic illness (Ulcerative Colitis) that had similar symptoms that I made fun of as a kid. I’ve been able to maintain control over the disease in the past 5 years while my ‘other’ illness (PSC) is on the downswing. I recently read this article on living with a chronic illness that made me cry and remember some of the more difficult days I had to deal with.
The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino
“She asked what it felt like, not physically, but what it felt like to be me, to be sick. As I tried to gain my composure, I glanced around the table for help or guidance, or at least stall for time to think. I was trying to find the right words. How do I answer a question I never was able to answer for myself? How do I explain every detail of every day being effected, and give the emotions a sick person goes through with clarity. I could have given up, cracked a joke like I usually do, and changed the subject, but I remember thinking if I don’t try to explain this, how could I ever expect her to understand. If I can’t explain this to my best friend, how could I explain my world to anyone else? I had to at least try. At that moment, the spoon theory was born.”
– See the full theory at: (http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/)
The Derek Janiak Hepatobiliary Forum 