What to do with the boredom?

[Sarajmt]

Some days the pain is at a level that I can actually get out and do things.  Some days it's so bad I'm lucky to get out of bed.  And then there are the days that I hurt to badly to really do anything but it's not so bad so as to stay in bed.
I call those days purgatory.  

I usually like to read and do crosswords.  But if my hands are bothering me or headaches so I can't read, I'm left with TV.  And there's usually not that much on.  So I get on the internet to divert my attention away from the pain.

What do you do?  Do you ever just get to the point you can't do anything but your mind is soooo bored.

[mellie4]

I spend a lot of time with the TV on but not necessarily paying attention to it.  I find with all the medications I don't have the attention span to follow a movie all the way through.  I go through different shows I like.  Right now I'm loving House Hunters, especially the international one.  I also play on the computer (way too much.)  I've been on an online dating site for a while.  I actually had a wonderful romance that ended up with us splitting up recently but I had stayed on the site as it's also a social site.  There's journals to read and quizzes to take and it helps pass the time, and I've made some nice e-friendships, both men and women.

One of the guys from that site (that I actually met in real life) is living and working in the UAE for the past couple of years.  We emailed a lot and I found myself becoming fascinated with that part of the world.  He had a photo blog and from there I found other blogs, many that I follow, mostly about women living in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern Countries.

I also used to love to read but, again, my attention span isn't too great anymore.  I tend to read a lot of magazines, short articles and pictures and celebrity gossip, recipes (that I never end up making) and other things that don't require a lot of concentration.

I'm at a point now where I avoid company as much as possible.  It's either the pain or the meds have me cloudy.  This is the part I hate the most.  I was always very social and always had people over.  I'm just not up to it anymore.  I find myself even avoiding family a lot of the time.  I do like connecting with people through the computer though.  Maybe it's because it takes a lot less energy than in real life.  I can converse without worrying about how I look or worrying about mis-speaking or having trouble finding the right word.

[Sarajmt]

Yikes!  I'd hate that!

I was wondering.  I have a son about your age.  He's 20.  If he were in your position, I'd go to the doctor with him if it would help him get relief.  Do you have anyone who could go with you sort of in an advocate sort of way?  Any family or older friends of the family?

Btw, I don't normally go to the doctor with my sons unless they ask me to.  I'm not that weird of a mom!  

[BP88]

Well, it really depends on how bad my pain is.  If it's really bad then I don't like other people around either, but if my pain isn't too bad then company doesn't really bug me as long as they're not loud and obnoxious.  I work some nights at a local bikini bar as a barback and I have to deal with drunk morons on a nightly basis so you could only imagine what that's like when my pain is really bad.

[Sarajmt]

Good ideas both.  But when I'm hurting, I don't like anyone around.  If  only I could be more like you and enjoy people when I'm in pain.

[BP88]

Music and my computer keep my mind off of pain and help pass the time.  Another thing that helps is having company over such as a friend or family to talk to.

[Sarajmt]

Thanks!  It looks like a cool site.  I love places and sites where I can just get lost and have fun!