Hi all,

I'm new on the forum. I was in an accident just over three months ago and have been struggling with PCS ever since. I've had to drop out of university until September (provisionally) and am now back at home with my family. Life has been difficult since, coping with the daily headaches, severe headpains, dizziness, nausea and the increasingly visible cognitive problems; memory, any form of maths or dealing with numbers, confusion, attention/concentration, word order, slow processing, word finding and real trouble reading. I also have a small leak of spinal fluid into my ears which isn't much fun either.

Anyway, now I'm away from university life and my friends I'm having trouble finding anything to do with my long and boring days spent at home. I really need to find some focus or something to do.

Reading this forum has helped me see that there are so many other people in similar positions who'll understand (I find one of the huge problems with PCS is that everyone assumes you're fine and it's difficult to explain to them how you're not). I was wondering what any of you in a house-bound position did to amuse yourselves and distract you from feeling so ill.

Thank you.

Hattie xxx

This is a real problem. When people get bored they tend to start hyper-focusing on symptoms and end up feeling worse. A few things my daughter tried (totally lame I realize but when you're bored you're desperate for entertainment):

books on tape (you can download straight to I-Pod from many libraries)

Yoga (under careful, guided instruction - beginning class)

teaching the dog new tricks

some crafy stuff (candle making under supervision of course in case you forget what you're doing, jewelry making, weaving)

helping in the garden

bubbles (I know this one sounds really stupid, but she loved bubbles as a little girl and she found all kinds of interesting ways to make new, big bubbles)

She did a very slow return to exercise that took up some time every day. This one needs to be done under your doctor's supervision of course

journaling

If TV doesn't bother you stick with calm, real-people shows (i.e. no Spongebob). And don't watch commercials. Commercials are crazy full of flashing lights and too quickly moving images. You might check out the library for a DVD set of a TV series you enjoy (like Lost or House).

Best of luck to you-

I am in a similar situation. I do not drive so I am very house bound. I spend some time here on the internet and the rest is watching TV. I like the informative programs like Discovery, Research Channel, etc where I have new information to try to process.

I have an old Dell PDA that I use to play Solitaire and FreeCell. It helps me exercise my brain without overloading it. If I try to play computer games on my large flat panel display, I get very tired quickly from the visual scanning. The PDA is small and I do not need to look back and forth.

Going to the mailbox is a big event here. The boredom can be a struggle. I read as much as I can but am limited in the style of reading. I cannot read fiction because I lose track of who the characters are.

It can be quite a challenge to not get into "stinkin' thinkin' " that is or leads to depression.

I doubt I am much help but I do understand you situation. I think there are many on NT who understand.

My best to you.

It sure is a stinky deal! Sorry you're dealing with this, it is not fun. :-(

I've maintained sanity through this by reading a lot, but not the same type of reading I did before the injury. In the beginning I couldn't handle anything with small print, complex language or plot and I had to read quite slowly to get my eyes to cooperate. I read lots of children's and YA lit. Books on tape are great too, they have lots at libraries.

Sometimes I watched movies on very low volume but had to be careful because the ones with funky camera angles, quick changes, unsteady or spinning shots bothered me and made me nauseous and dizzy. In thinking about it, I pretty much found things to distract me mentally, I read lots of fiction in the way I could tolerate, it helped me cope to figuratively "go somewhere else" for a while.

It was insanely annoying to have to spend so much time down and out but it was necessary, I am doing a lot better and can read grown-up stuff again. You will get better in time. People here do understand. Take care.

If the weather is appropriate, you could also just hang outside in the sun. The sun would increase your vitamin D levels - which could help with energy. Morning sunlight could also help reset your body circadian clock if it is off. Off course all of this assumes that you aren't light sensitive.

A hammock, Jack Johnson on your I-Pod, and a nutrient-packed smoothie...all set!

Love it! Can the the care givers also have this prescription?