So I'm stuck at home with nothing to do

[Sajiri]

Earlier in the week, I woke up in what was possibly the worst pain I have ever felt, all in my neck and shoulder. Luckily, it just so happens that I had a relative visiting and sleeping in the next room who is a nurse that was able to help me, but long story short I've been stuck inside on rest and in a lot of pain and discomfort. I got up today thinking it had improved enough that I could go back to work, but the short drive there made me realise it was not better, and I barely got two words out before the teacher I work with told me to go back home and rest.

So here I am, missed my last three days of work, and I have the rest of the week and weekend with nothing to do either. Except it's too painful for me to sit at my desk for too long, certainly too painful to play any computer games with a keyboard and mouse, and too uncomfortable to try to sleep the day away. I'm running low on books I havent read as well, and I feel bad if I keep calling the husband in to talk and entertain me when he has stuff to do.

Anyone else been in a situation like this? How did you keep yourself occupied? Ive been dealing with some stress and depression because of this as I havent been able to even do a lot of basic tasks to the point I've needed someone to help me eat and drink and drive me around, but Im trying to keep my mind off it and just relax until I'm better.

[Recherché]

My sympathies :smalleek: I had something similar with my lower back a few years ago and I was in physical therapy for months. I got through it with lots of reading while laying down and getting really into podcasts (again doable while lying in bed.)

One other thing that helped me a fair was swimming. My physical therapist had me start it as a way to keep my muscles in shape without putting any weight on my back, instead letting the water support me. Don't know if it would help you stay active as well if the issue is higher up though. Or even if its feasible for you to get to water.

Hope you do okay and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[thorgrim29]

Have you seen a doctor? Anyway I would suggest audiobooks or podcasts. If you want to feel like you're doing something productive you could get a free trial for one of those online university course things and take a class or two.

[Shamash]

This is what I do:
-Tv tropes(Huge time sink).
-Youtube(Games, philosophy and animations).
-Wikis.
-Reading other PbP games in this very forum.
-Writing stories or stuff about my own settings.
-Netflix, in special weird movies.
-Really weird and surreal videos on the internet.
-Webcomics.
-Porn.

[bankata]

why don't you just watch some relaxing movie

[Corlindale]

Podcasts! They're the best form of entertainment when you can't really do anything. You don't even need to look at anything. I'll post some recommendations later.

[Sajiri]

For the record what I have going on isnt anything majorly serious, it just hurts a whole lot. The day it happened I was unable to even lift my head without someone putting their hand beneath it to help and I was at one point stuck for 45 minutes after I attempted to get up and got myself into a difficult position while everyone else in the house was asleep, but I can walk around and such now at least (it just hurts, a lot)

I'll be fine but I just need to take things really easy for a few more days and not put stress on my body...like I did when I attempted to go to work today and immediately got sent home (and as a result, I've also learned its terrifying to try to drive when you can't turn your head. Probably should have thought of that before I got in the car).

Thanks for the ideas so far folks, some of them aren't really able to work so well for me right now like writing or anything that involves sitting up for a long period. I've never really listened to podcasts before, but maybe this is a good chance to look into them.

[BWR]

In the vein of podcasts, audiobooks.

[Corlindale]

I've never really listened to podcasts before, but maybe this is a good chance to look into them.

You're in for a treat, then!

The first thing I'd recommend is to get a podcast app of some kind. It's not super important which one, just pick whatever has good reviews on your device. It makes listening much easier, because a lot of actual podcast websites are quite poorly organized, especially if you are trying to find the 1st episode of something.

For the actual podcasts, there are a ton of different genres, so I'm almost willing to bet you can find something you'll enjoy. Here are some of my favourites:

The Glass Cannon Podcast - An Actual Play podcast with a Pathfinder group. I've been trying to get into Actual Play podcasts for a while, but this is the first one that has truly grabbed me. The GM and players are fun to listen to and they strike a great balance between silly and serious, whereas many other podcasts I've listened to in this genre veer too far into either direction. It's also very reliable, having had weekly releases for the past 100+ episodes.

Hello Internet - A podcasts featuring two YouTubers talking about all kinds of things. It sounds a bit lame, but because the people are so interesting and funny, even their everyday conversations are worth a listen. Also, I haven't actually watched any of either person's videos, so that's certainly not a prerequisite for enjoying the show.

Wormwood - Really more of an audio drama than a podcast, this is a supernatural horror story about an expert in the occult who travels to a small town to investigate mysterious events. It's got a very Twin Peaks-vibe to it, featuring a small community full of quirky characters and a lot of strangeness - although generally the supernatural stuff swiftly starts to be very much on the surface, so it's not as subtle in that area as Twin Peaks.

99% Invisible - If you'd told me two months ago that I might become a fan of a podcasts about architecture and design I would have called you crazy, because I could have sworn those were some of the least interesting topics in the world. But somehow this podcast makes it truly interesting and shows off a lot of strange phenomena in the world of design. It's design in a broad sense, so it's not just about buildings and art, but also about things in the digital world, for example.
It also has some very bite-sized episodes (many running <10 min), so it might be a good way to ease into the podcast genre.

While not actually podcasts, I've discovered that some videos also work decently well even if you just listen to them. The last time I was very ill (as in too ill to even watch TV), I spent basically all my time just listening to old Nostalgia Critic reviews on YouTube, for example.

[Recherché]

Couple of podcast suggestions as well.

Welcome to Night Vale: An episodic story about a small town on the desert, that's cosmic horror played for comedy. Dark, creepy, beautiful and occasionally side splitting. They release a new episode every two weeks but at over 100 episodes you aren't going to run out soon. I recommend not binging it so you come to each hand new episode of freaky, fresh.

The Arkham Sessions: Follow along as a real life psychiatrist anylyzes the characters of Batman as viewed mostly through the 90's animated series. It takes the podcast a little while to find its footing, the first few episodes are rough around the edges, but once it gets its groove you learn about psychology in one of the nerdiest ways possible.

The Thrilling Adventure Hour: A modern podcast in the style of 1930's radio dramas. Lovingly making fun of things like the Lone ranger and the superman radio show. It's almost pure slapstick comedy.

[2D8HP]

Sorry to learn of your pain Sajiri.

My experience was similar to Recherché and she (and everybody) has given great advice.

I echo:


...Hope you do okay and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

And repeat that it will get better.

I'm nearly 49, and I'm in a lot less pain than when I was 33.

You will outlive it.

[Sajiri]

The first thing I'd recommend is to get a podcast app of some kind.

I'll admit I don't actually know much about, well, any kind of apps. I have a computer and that's it, no tablet or anything, and my phone is a really old one that doesnt have any kind of online functions or anything, so I'm not really sure how it works.


Sorry to learn of your pain Sajiri.

My experience was similar to Recherché and she (and everybody) has given great advice.

I echo:



And repeat that it will get better.

I'm nearly 49, and I'm in a lot less pain than when I was 33.

You will outlive it.

Thanks. I'm used to some physical pain, it's more the not being able to do anything for myself thing over the last few days that's been getting me down. I'm managing much better today, but that first day was very upsetting when I had to rely on other people to help me eat and drink.

[Recherché]

Hmmm I was assuming you would have a phone/other portable device that could play MP3s ...

[Sajiri]

Well I have an mp3 player...somewhere...that I can download and put files on I suppose

[Recherché]

And there you have the old (but still reliable) way to get your podcasts onto something portable

[Corlindale]

Yeah, you don't need an app, it's just a tad more convenient. All of the ones I mentioned can be accessed through your browser - and downloaded as good old-fashioned MP3-files.

[Sajiri]

Well I'm not sure where my mp3 player is at the moment, but since I've got a spare bed here in the room with my computer I'm setting up some playlists on here to listen to these. Starting with the Glass Cannon podcast, so far it's pretty entertaining. Thanks for all the recommendations :) I think these should hopefully last me through the next few days

[Grinner]

I do hope you've seen a doctor. Do you have any nausea? The last time I had the symptoms you're describing, it was an infection which, had it been left to linger, would have left me permanently disabled.

[Sajiri]

I have seen one and it's not an infection. It's something to do with the nerves in my neck, I just have to rest it. I was taking some medication for it but I've switched to normal painkillers now that it's not as severe as it was. Otherwise I just have to rest, while trying to keep a heat pack on it and carefully move and excerise my shoulder so that it doesnt get too stiff while also trying not to hurt it worse. It was scary when I woke up and had no idea why I felt like that, and panicking of course made me tense up and make it feel 10x worse, but it's improving.

My eagerness to have got out of bed and do stuff/go back to work before I really should have may have delayed it a bit though :smallannoyed:

[Honest Tiefling]

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or laptop or one you can borrow, I sometimes make setting/campaign notes via google docs when sick. I just do it in the bed, without being at the computer. If you like setting building but can't use those devices, maybe listening to podcasts or documentaries on history will help out.

[veti]

About ten years ago, I injured my lower back and spent about three weeks basically lying flat on the floor. Sitting, standing, moving around - these things were possible but caused considerable pain. Watching TV or any other kind of screen was out, as it would mean raising my head. Lying in a bed, even with a hard mattress, was horribly uncomfortable.

I used a combination of podcasts and books. If you're running out of books, now's the perfect time to get some more, or get your husband to get some more if you can't order them yourself. And I'm pretty sure the BBC will give you more podcasts than you can listen to in a month. I recommend 'In Our Time', that should keep you busy for a few days.

[The Eye]

Well I have a laundry list of movies that i want to watch and I would love to have more free time to do it.

Why don't you get those movies that you want to see but never actually got to do it and just watch them?

[Scarlet Knight]

TED talks may help.



... and I feel bad if I keep calling the husband in to talk and entertain me when he has stuff to do.

I suspect if you ask him to...um, "entertain" you, he'll put everything else aside....:smallredface:

[Sajiri]

TED talks may help.




I suspect if you ask him to...um, "entertain" you, he'll put everything else aside....:smallredface:

Lol at the moment entertainment is strictly "Talk to me about random or interesting facts while I just lay here and stare at the ceiling."

[JNAProductions]

Lol at the moment entertainment is strictly "Talk to me about random or interesting facts while I just lay here and stare at the ceiling."

*Offers potatoes*

Wait...

*Offers hugs*

Better!

I'm afraid I have little advice to offer, but do know that I wish you a swift and painless recovery!

[BWR]

I recommend 'In Our Time', that should keep you busy for a few days.

Seconding this series.

[thamolas]

So here I am, missed my last three days of work, and I have the rest of the week and weekend with nothing to do either.

Anyone else been in a situation like this? How did you keep yourself occupied? Ive been dealing with some stress and depression...

Sounds like you need some LSD, some mangoes, and a long, hot bath.

[Mikemical]

Do this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2UVsyVLLcE

[Sajiri]

Welp, went back to work this week, tried to drive myself this morning since I've been feeling a lot better. Unfortunately that was a terrible idea, since while I was looking to the side to merge lanes and cringing because it hurt, I had my first accident ever and hit the back of another car.

Thankfully it only left a little scratch on the other car, and the driver was so nice about it and told me not to worry about it all, which somehow made me feel even worse. Lesson learned: let someone else drive me around still :/

[BWR]

That's just the perfect way to start the week.

My sympathies.