Energy Pennies

[MegsMess]

When trying to help people understand some of the things I cope with as an MSer, I have been using the "Energy Pennies" analogy to describe the fatigue... most people wake up from a good night's sleep & have 100 energy pennies, I'm lucky if I have 70. Doing the dishes, wiping down the kitchen takes 3 energy pennies for others, 15 for me. Others can use up their energy pennies, take a 1/2 hour cat-nap, and they're back up to 100 pennies. If my energy pennies run out, then I'm done; there is no savings/second wind & who knows if it will be an afternoon, a day, a week, or how long until I get some more energy pennies.

This analogy has been effective in helping a lot of people understand & some of my support people even use it to remind me "don't waste those energy pennies", however I have now run into a problem... over recent years I have been giving financial support as well as overextending my energy pennies on some folks who aren't really reciprocal in support. I do not begrudge any money I spent helping them out, but when I try and explain the "energy penny" barrier of why I can't physically do something, they get into the whole discussion of money. I am not asking them to write me a check, I'm asking them to understand and stop giving me guilt trip comments when I'm not physically able to do something they want. Not "bad' people, just oblivious to the reality of Invisible Disabilities.

Does anyone have another good analogy to explain how much the fatigue costs us that doesn't compare to money?

[aitch10]

There's the famous spoon theory, but I don't get it. I'm either feeling well or I'm not. Spoons or pennies or unicorns have nothing to do with it.

Lots of people really like the spoon thing though.

[its2much]

Energy Spoons

Can some one post the energy spoons analogy? Thanks!

[Seasha]

Here it is in its entirety- http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wp...-spoon-theory/

spoons, pennies, marbles, whatnots - it's basically the same!

[zilphia01]

whoa.....

that is a fantastic story!!! I especially like the part where she tells her friend that she used one of her spoons just to be with the friend.

[bwmorris]

I was just today discussing the spoons thing with my spouse! She told me about it years ago.

I don't really like using spoons in particular—just a personal preference—but whatever works to communicate. Spoons are established and so people can recognize and connect to them as the example item.

I think what "spoons" and "pennies" really do is make it easier to show the finite nature of our energy. It is much easier to think of something as limited if you talk about it using sortal terms (where there are 'packets' or individuals), rather than in mass terms (like water or meat).

It's easier to imagine spoons being removed than to understand "some of my energy going away", or even to understand a "15% loss" of energy.

As a communication tool, I do recommend using small objects that can easily be moved about. It takes a lot more mental effort to move those unicorns around!

[KatieAgain]

What a great analogy! Thanks for sharing. I love it.