Bathing with “Spoons”
Chronic illness makes you ration your energy, and I need way too many “spoons” to bathe myself. What to do?
My therapist once told me that my energy levels are like money. Most people start out their day with a whole dollar, but I only get a quarter. Another common analogy used to describe individuals with chronic illness is the “spoon theory”. This creative description, concocted by Christine Miserandino, describes the concept of limited energy using spoons as a unit of energy. Every task an individual engages in, such as showering, brushing their teeth or even getting dressed, costs a single spoon. Once your handful of spoons runs out, there is no more energy left to do anything else for that day. The concept visually illustrates that individuals with chronic illness must ration their energy, or spoons, throughout the day in order to function.
I honestly prefer to describe my energy as gasoline though. A night of sleep leaves individuals with a full tank of gas in the morning. Me on the other hand, I get to start my day with only a quarter tank of gas. I prefer this analogy because it reflects how I feel more accurately: A scrap-of-junk-for-a-car that has horrible mileage, is broken all over, and tends makes weird noises. This struggle to use my energy wisely is what often leads to interesting moments, much like a driver trying to reach his destination despite his gas valve pointing to EMPTY.
Having low levels of energy is a constant hindrance to anyone’s daily life. Managing this lack of energy can be overwhelming and in itself exhausting. I decided to consider conserving energy during my mundane daily tasks so I could spend that energy on other things. I decided to tackle a more difficult challenge of mine: the struggle of bathing. It’s a completely daunting task and getting clean can take multiple “spoons” from individuals with chronic fatigue. But feeling, and being, hygienically clean is greatly important! So much like how I start most mornings, I began my day just sitting on the bathroom floor.
I wholeheartedly recommend investing in a shower chair or stool to facilitate bathing.
It is a game changer. I tend to get by just sitting on the shower floor, but it is not nearly as efficient as a chair. Firstly, the water gets too cold by the time it hits me on the floor. And I have to tell you, I like my showers hot. I mean, burning-your-skin kind of hot. My body, like many with fibromyalgia, has great difficulty regulating its body temperature. So a consistent water temperature is so important.
A shower chair also allows easy access to shampoos and soaps, which often can be a struggle to get while sitting on the shower floor. This eliminates any excessive energy spent on reaching for heavy bottles. It also eliminates the need to reach or stand up to turn off the shower. Investing in a shower chair, even a simple one, can make the world of difference.
Extension handles on sponges and brushes minimize energy spent on reaching and scrubbing.
Individuals with chronic fatigue can be easily winded by simple, everyday tasks. Bending over to scrub your feet or reaching up to wash your hair can be both tiring and painful. Extension handles are quick and easy ways to reach difficult areas without expending nearly as much energy. I ended up purchasing a hair shampoo brush that assists with lathering and scrubbing my hair. I still have to raise my arm to reach my head, but it has greatly minimized the amount of effort I spend on scrubbing. And to be honest, every little thing helps.
The post-shower is part two of this exhausting ordeal.
The physical requirements needed to dry your body, hair, and apply topical creams is a nightmare. I’ve resorted to simply laying on my bed or bathroom floor to complete these tasks. This is where manipulating my environment has been quite beneficial. I’ve moved mirrors strategically to be easily accessible on days that I am really struggling. Mirrors placed on the back of doors, near the floor, allows me to continue my routine without being completely blind.
Trust me, you can accidentally apply lotion to your eyeballs and into your mouth simultaneously.
I also moved my moisturizers and topical ointments into lower cupboards or baskets on the floor to facilitate accessibility. Of course, I’d advise placing the baskets in locations that are out of the walkway to avoid tripping over them. I learned that the hard way.
In my journey I have also found that I truly despise having to apply lotion to my body. It is simply a chore on top of a chore. I would completely forgo this action if it were not for the fact that my skin’s allodynia would make me regret it. During my struggle I found a love for in-shower lotions. I cannot stress how much time and effort an in-shower lotion has saved me on days where my body just can’t handle doing anything. Just apply, rinse, and you’re moisturized! Of course, my more eczema-ridden patches of skin require a more intrusive lotion application, but for the most part this had sufficed for the rest of my body.
Drying wet hair takes many spoons, but wet hair can be painful.
Wet hair is heavy, uncomfortably damp, and can be even painful when it is not dealt with. Yet the effort it takes to dry it takes way too many spoons. This has left me with the option of drying my hair while laying down. I have resorted to laying with my hair hanging off the edge of the bed, or sprawling out on the bathroom tile, while I blow-dry my hair. This allows me to rest my arm on a surface while I let the air blow, which cuts the effort I use in half. But let’s be honest, most days I do not feel well enough to even do this. It’s times like these that I resort to using a hair towel, which is often smaller and lighter than a normal towel, to dry my hair. It fits like a head wrap, so the weight isn’t nearly as painful as a full-sized towel.
Bathing can be a chore, but it can be doable. Rationing your energy in one area can allow that energy to be used on more important tasks. It is all about conserving the spoons when you can, wherever you can, so you can make it through the day.
And worst-case scenario, when energy is way too low, reach for the wet wipes.
