Hello Dear Ones,
To those of you who deal with fatigue on an ongoing basis, the phrase objective fatigue scale might create cognitive dissonance. I get it.
However, when I talk to Carmen (my dear wife) about how tired I feel, I throw about numbers like 2 or 3 out of 10, but I really have no idea how those subjective numbers compare from day to day
My energy is at a low ebb these past months in particular, and while I am trying all kinds of dietary changes, supplements, sleep changes, and more, I realize that I’m not keeping a true record of how my fatigue is responding – and when you’re this tired, it’s all a big blur anyway!
I’m sure this has been done, after the style of the objective pain scales that some doctors use, but I thought I’d try to create such a scale for myself and perhaps it would be of use to someone else.
Another realization I had is that fatigue level changes throughout the day, and perhaps I could keep a record of that – say in the am, pm, and night. For example, yesterday I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. I was later able to have a shower while sitting on a stool, and later still I was able to help walk the dog for half an hour.
This morning, I needed help combing my hair. Then I sat down and started working on my objective fatigue scale, but had to lay down, where I am now writing this on my phone.
When you’re making changes to your health and hoping to see improvement, it’s vital to see any patterns of improvement, instead of perceiving it all as getting worse, which is how it feels lately!
When I finish it, I might share my scale with patrons at Healing Toolkit level and above if there is interest. I’d love to know what you think and whether you agree that an objective fatigue scale is even possible!
With love,
Jane