There are many terms we spoonies use that not everybody knows. So here is a list of the spoonie and feelings terms that are frequently used.
SPOONIE TERMS
- Spoonie: Someone with chronic illness, pain or disability (particularly an invisible condition). [Term developed from “The Spoon Theory” by Christine Miserandino]
- Dish: A Spoonie’s spouse or partner (because the dish ran away with the spoon)
- Doonie: A dish that is also a Spoonie!
- Teacups: Children of spoonies
- Saucers: Other supportive family members of spoonies
- Normie: The “average” person not affected by a chronic condition
- Zebra: There is a saying with doctors “when you hear hooves you think of horses”. So you think of the most common thing first. Zebras are conditions/patients that are rare and are not the kind of thing you think of until after everything else is ruled out.
FEELINGS TERMS
- Paingry: The description of the attitude of one living in chronic pain when they become snippy and short tempered. Usually brought about by any or all of these situations: pain, medication has worn off, exhaustion, depression, frustration, fatigue helplessness and most of all, severe pain. (Coined by Kristian Pederson II and his spoonie, Ami Korczak)
- Exhaustipated: Too tired to give a shit
- Painsomnia: Habitual sleeplessness due to pain intolerance OR the tolerance of pain for a length of time in which it is no longer tolerable; inability to sleep through anguish or agonizing pain.
