Getting myeloma made me more conscious about how I use my energy
I try to keep a reserve for the things I want to do
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About 20 years ago, I worked seven days a week at two different jobs. My weekday job was an hour north of my home, while my weekend job was an hour south. Frequently, my weekend shift ended at 11:30 p.m., while my weekday job had me starting as early as 5:30 a.m. As you can imagine, Mondays were not fun.
People would ask me how I did it. The answer was simple: I had to. I had bills to pay and a family to feed. If there’s one constant in my life, it’s learning what I can do because I have to.
That also applies to multiple myeloma. During treatment, I learned to do things I never thought I could, like taking my daily medication doses — anywhere from five to 27 pills at a time!
The point of human endurance
Of course, taking 27 pills is not like working a full shift on less than four hours of sleep. And it’s just not something I can do anymore.
That’s not easy to admit when you’ve always been driven to work hard and fast on tight deadlines, keeping multiple balls in the air at once. That’s been part of my modus operandi since high school. In college, I came across a cartoon that summed up my philosophy perfectly. It showed a person swimming — or maybe they were drowning — with the caption, “Look for me somewhere past the point of human endurance.”
For me, that point has moved a lot closer to shore than it used to be. I find I get tired much more easily than I once did. If I spend a Saturday morning running errands, I’m likely to need a nap on Saturday afternoon.
Since I’m six years into stringent complete response to my myeloma treatment, and it’s been four years since my last maintenance treatment, I’m not inclined to blame this fatigue on myeloma. It’s more likely due to a heart valve problem diagnosed earlier this year. That said, fatigue is an all-too-familiar symptom for myeloma patients.
Shifting with the tide
It’s important for me to guard my energy levels. In one myeloma support group, I learned about something called the “spoon theory.” It goes something like this: Spoons represent units of energy, and each of us has only so many spoons to expend every day. Everything we do takes a spoon, so we have to choose where we use those spoons.
I don’t count spoons, but that theory made me think about how I use my energy. Where I can, I take advantage of conveniences like Zoom meetings, my robot vacuum (named Rosie, of course), and grocery pickup or delivery. And I’m getting better about asking for help if I know something will be difficult for me on my own. That helps me maintain a reserve to do something other than take a nap on a weekend afternoon, like reunions with old friends, pop culture conventions, or early dinners out with my husband.
There will always be things I have to do. But if I’m smart about them, I’m also able to do the things I want to do.
Note: Rare Cancer News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Rare Cancer News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to rare cancer.
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