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Coping with my chronic pain is one thing. Coping with not working while in a city so far away from my family and friends is a whole different beast. Prior to the onset of all this pain I happily participated in several hobbies. I loved to draw, do theatre, crochet, bead and have long conversations with friends. Unfortunately, the pain coupled with the fog have made doing these activities impossible. Either I can't physically manage or my brain fog just blocks my creative juices.
I've had to search hard for things I can do when my pain eases up enough that I can function. It is the only way I manage to stay somewhat sane during this incredibly difficult time. Here are a couple of the hobbies and projects I've adopted to help me cope with my present situation.
1. This blog which I started about 10 months ago has been a real positive for me. My wonderful followers with their understanding and encouragement make me feel less alone in these struggles. I also love reading the blogs of my fellow chronicbabes.
2. Creating a Shutterfly site for my extended family to share photos and events with each other. This is a project I just started in August and have really enjoyed putting together. I've had to take a break as we worked on closing our storage unit last month but can't wait to get back to it when I've recovered. The older I get the more interested I get in my family history.
3. Cooking healthy and tasty meals is sort of an accidental hobby. I'm a housewife so I prepare our meals. I've stopped eating meat and worked really hard to find and prepare healthy meals for my husband and I. It has not been easy, especially on high pain days but is a work in progress.
4. Dates with my husband. It's not really a hobby or project but it goes a long way to helping me feel somewhat normal and helping me to stay connected to my husband.
Honestly I wish there was more I could do. I wish I had the ultimate destresser of face to face time with my friends regularly. Good friends are a very important part of a woman's life - any woman. I think it is especially important when we are facing adversity. That being said, these things really save me from twiddling my thumbs into madness and I'm mighty thankful that I can do these things.
I so understand! I, too, have given up different hobbies because of chronic pain! It is hard when you live so far away from your family. My biggest job is taking care of my Mom (she has Alzheimer's and is in stage 6/7). I don't do a lot of sewing that I used to do nor do I paint like I used to. I used to love painting and stenciling. It was fun. I am hoping to do it again in the future.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the Shutterfly projects.
I do geneaology with a cousin of mine - we share files and do research together when we are able. It can be fascinating! The online shared photos is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteIt does help to share what you are going through. Just get it all out in your blog. Your readers and friends who also suffer chronic pain can certainly identify with you. I'm glad you are finding other things to do to keep you occupied! I've always had a need to make and create. I'm glad I'm back to doing that. Your docs will figure out what is going on with you, and help you get back to normal, too! It just takes time. I may be far from normal, but any semblance of getting there is better than nothing!
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