My pain seems to be receding a little today. I use the word receding because that’s what it feels like – my face and my jaw aren’t quite so bad, though my half shut eye will try to tell you otherwise. The pain is largely around the back of my head and a little over the top and side, as I say, receding.
I had my tuna roll for lunch. It can sometimes feel quite daunting making food from scratch, and I know that can sound quite silly to some when I’m just discussing making tuna mayo with sweetcorn and some par bake rolls in the air fryer. But as a task that is often too much for me it really can seem daunting because I can never fully predict its impact. For instance a few weeks back, when I was laid up for a long period like I am now, the thing that brought it on was half a bowl of washing up. Nothing wild, just a few plates and mugs that I thought I’d clear so mum didn’t have to when she got home from work. But that simple 15 minute task fucked me up for over a week.
So I made my roll and I’m in a bit more pain. I sat up whilst eating and remained that way for about 45 minutes. I don’t do upright very well, it always brings more pain, but I try to do this every day at some point. Now, as my pain is higher, my neck is sore, my wires are pulling and my belly is full, I can’t help but wonder just how many spoons I’ve just used. The task of getting out of bed and down the stairs is definitely a spoon. Then another spoon can be attributed to the making of said tuna and whacking rolls in the airfryer. I think the sitting up to eat and staying that way a little longer probably cost me two spoons. Which, personally, I find to be a fucking ridiculous amount of spoons. You could almost consider it reckless accounting. Or reckless spending.
Mums working from home today and while making my lunch she apologised because she hadn’t bought me any pot noodles. I immediately dismissed her apology, reminding her it was me who told her to stop buying convenient food. It’s not good for me, it’s just filling a hole with something that doesn’t nourish my body. I need to not have them to be encouraged to make better choices. Even if it does cost me some extra spoons.
Sitting up I often assess exactly what my body is feeling. I like doing a whole body scan, it’s my favourite meditation and really helps me get what I’m feeling across to doctors and surgeons. I was thanked for my ability to describe minute changes in my implants stimulation during my last reprogramming. But I digress. What I feel in my head and neck when sitting up is that my neck just isn’t strong enough to support my head. My head feels impossible heavy. When with friends I will often have my head on my fist to add support so I can stay that little bit longer. And this isn’t a post op situation, though it certainly made it worse due to all the damaged tissue. This has been ongoing since the vaccine and the start of the decline in my mobility and strength. Which seems rather strange for someone who could bust out reps with 120kg on my back not too long ago. It’s why I’m still fighting the NHS because joint hypermobility just doesn’t account for the suffering of my body. And I’m very aware I only get one body. Perhaps when I pass and my soul finds a new body to inhabit it’ll be in better condition. But right now, with my, my, consciousness, I will only ever know this body and I’d really like to see it working for me again. Not least to see an end to my suffering and counting of spoons, but because with a functioning body I can really do a lot more with life and I think aside from ticking off my own bucket list, I can also play a bigger role in helping others who have gone through this, or are going through this, or will one day be going through this.
But until then I’ll be returning to my horizontal resting place to read a little more, whilst looking at the washing that I very nearly remembered to take down with me when I made lunch.