Holy fatigue, Batman!
We’re not sleepy, but we’re spent. We’re not fed up, but we’re
feeling faint. We’re not exasperated, but we’re exhausted. We’re not down in
the dumps, but we’re dead on our feet. We’re not irritated, but we’re
prostrated. We’re not sleep-deprived, but we’re simply drained. And we don’t
need to snore. We just need to do no more (for awhile).
Multiple sclerosis is tiring.
This isn’t the “I’m a little drowsy” kind of tired. It’s the
“I can’t take one more step” kind of all-over, head-to-toe extreme exhaustion. It’s
the “I was fine a few minutes ago, and now I think I’m just gonna fall over”
kind of total taxation. And it comes on suddenly.
Marathoners talk about “The Wall,” the dreaded threshold in
long runs, where one feels as if one more footfall will lead to certain death. That’s
sort of what MS fatigue is like, when it strikes.
Any one of us can be in the middle of an activity or project
(even something we really love), and suddenly it’s all over. We’re not just
done; we are done in. After resting, we may rally. Or we may not. And we never seem
to know till it happens.
MS doesn’t hold the exclusive rights to this all-consuming
collapse of energy. Lots of chronic illnesses (such as anxiety or depression, arthritis,
autism, cancer, chronic pain, COPD, fibromyalgia, lupus, or PTSD), create
similar conditions. People battling these conditions daily may run out of gas
after a long stretch of enduring.
Some people relate this struggle to The
Spoon Theory, which basically says a person with a chronic illness gets a
limited number of spoons (symbolizing energy) every day. And that number
changes each day without warning. Every action or activity that person
undertakes will use up those spoons. Once the spoons run out, that person is
essentially toast for the day.
Lots of MSers and others with chronic illnesses think of the
same concept in terms of a bank account, in which energy is the money. We try
to budget energy expenditures each day, but without knowing how much is in the
bank.
Occasionally, if we are fortunate, any of us may have the wherewithal
to work a full day, complete a bunch of errands, and still stop at the gym on
the way home for a nice workout. Or, one of us might mow the lawn, run several
loads of laundry, and still have enough gusto to deep clean the kitchen. On another
day, simply driving the kids to school may feel like a gargantuan task.
Yes, MS is tiring. And, no, we know we are not alone in that camp. But we’d still love to raid the spoon drawer for a longer lasting supply.
Image/s:
April A to Z Challenge 2016 logo – fair
use
Vintage spoons - public domain
Vintage spoons - public domain
Adapted from public domain artwork
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Thoughts and prayers for your constant struggle! You are one to be admired! God Bless!
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