I haven’t done a Sunday Inspiration post in a long time. I’ve had to cut back posting as I’ve just not had enough time to do everything I’d like to. But, this week I think it’s important that I write this post.
For those who don’t know, this entire blog was inspired by Christine Miserandino and The Spoon Theory. Christine wrote The Spoon Theory back in 2003 to explain what’s it like to live with Lupus. She shared it online and it connected with so many people. She created the Spoonie community. She is the reason we call ourselves spoonies.
Often people’s first encounter with the Spoon Theory is not through Christine, or But You Don’t Look Sick, it’s through a blog like mine that has adopted the theory into their name. I’ve tried over the years to make sure that people are aware of where the Spoon Theory originated. I didn’t write it, I just live it. Despite my efforts occasoinally someone does reach out to me thinking that I wrote it. I always do my best to refer them back to Christine. She deserves all the credit for not only The Spoon Theory but for creating the amazing Spoonie community and culture that exists online.
Unfortunately, few know who Christine is. Back before most of us thought about blogging, before many of us knew we were sick, she was not only online but she was a health activist in every way. She raised money for many and brought attention to others. Even with the Spoon Theory the attention was on the theory and not on the creator. Who is Christine? I wondered that myself for years. It was only this year that I was finally able to connect with her and discover that there really is an amazing woman behind the The Spoon Theory.
Christine is one of us. She is a Spoonie (the original at that). She has multiple chronic illnesses including Lupus. This last year, as if chronic illness isn’t bad enough, she lost a child. Following that loss she has faced Lupus flare after flare, spending a large portion of this year in the hospital. Now, to add insult to injury, Christine is losing her teeth as a result of too many steroids and way too much vomiting (gotta love nausea). She’s facing extensive jaw surgery and the need to have all of her teeth replaced. As you can imagine Christine is facing serious depression right now. Despite all that she created, she feels as if she’s worthless, she feels that she’s worthless, and that no one cares who she is. Christine has lost her smile both metaphorically and physically. It’s time for us to show Christine that we do care. It’s time to give something back to the woman who has given us so much.
Christine has never asked for anything from this community. She’s never asked for payment or monetized her blog. While many others have created strong incomes off of The Spoon Theory, Christine hasn’t asked for a thing. She won’t ask now either. Fortunately, one of her friends has asked and has set up a Go Fund Me page for Christine, to help raise the funds needed to replace Christine’s teeth. While medical insurance will pay for many things, replacing your smile is cosmetic (or at best dental) and Christine doesn’t have dental insurance, nor enough to cover so many other co-pays and medical costs that she’s incurred. That’s where we can help.
We can give back to the person who has given us so much. If every single person who calls themselves a Spoonie or who has ever felt that the Spoon Theory helped them in any way gave just $1 can you imagine how much we could raise to help Christine? Can you imagine that that would give her her smile back and then some? Please help me let Christine know that she is important and that she does matter just as much as what she’s created.
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