How do you amuse yourself when you're sick, and stuck at home?

@TheHorse (218930)

Walnut Creek, California

December 22, 2015 1:12pm CST

I take pride in rarely getting sick. But the flu got me, and I'm stuck at home with a big sinus headache, a sore throat, and a temperature that's been varying between normal and 101.8. So how do I amuse myself? You'd think I'd be a MyLot monster, but my muse is sick as well, I think. I've been alternating between reading (still working on Plum Island, by Nelson DeMille), practicing my mandolin, and restoring a pair of vintage loudspeakers that were brought to me on Saturday morning. I visit the doctor this afternoon. How do you amuse yourself when you're sick?

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22 responses

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

22 Dec 15

I was only ever off work once due to illness, which was when I suffered a brain haemorrhage a few years ago. The first week of my absence was spent in hospital, which gave very little scope to amuse myself. This occurred in November and I was told to take life very easy when I was discharged, which would not be easy here because I was unable to watch television for the first two weeks and did not want to stroll outside in the cold. My solution was to fly to Spain for a while, where I could slowly wander along the seafront in the decent weather.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

22 Dec 15

@TheHorse It did seem horrendous at the time and I lost peripheral vision on my right hand side. If I tried to watch television I had to turn my head to the right and try to focus to the left, which proved not to be worth the effort. Obviously a computer was also out of the question. This made it very worthwhile to fly to Spain because otherwise I would be sat at home with nothing to do. To my surprise I soon adjusted and now have no issues with a computer or television. It seems amazing that our brain manages to compensate to such a change after 60 years of behaving differently.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Dec 15

That sounds pretty serious. I'm glad you made a full recovery. At least I assume you did. Walking on the seafront in Spain sounds like a good way to gather things.

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@JudyEv (340223)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Dec 15

I'm surprised they let you fly after such a condition. I'm glad you're now able to use the computer, etc. It would be very life-changing otherwise.

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@JudyEv (340223)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Dec 15

I mostly just go to bed and sleep it off. I might play endless, mindless games of Spider Solitaire on the computer or read a book. That's about it.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

@JudyEv I've played solitaire and even bowling on some computer or another. I don't know that I've ever checked the games that came with this one. Is it called Minesweeper?

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

Hey, maybe there's mine detector, or whatever it's called, somewhere on this computer. Have you ever played that one? I don't have the name right.

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@JudyEv (340223)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Dec 15

@TheHorse I know Tetrics used to be on my computer but I don't seem to have a games button any more, just the solitaire one. I know what you mean about the mine detector but I can't think of its real name either.

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@louievill (28851)

• Philippines

22 Dec 15

I think and figure out a way how to get well the soonest especially it's almost Christmas, think that would amuse me cause i would fancy getting well and up on my feet, I take vitamin C, rest, drink a lot of water, ask someone to buy me a fruit or two and or ask my wife to make me soup. I would not go much to fixing things since it might contain dust.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Dec 15

Good point about the dust. Your comment led me to have a vacuuming frenzy.

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@louievill (28851)

• Philippines

22 Dec 15

get well soon

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

@louievill Thanks. I'm doing my best!

@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)

• United States

23 Dec 15

Working. I try not to take off if I can help it. If I am feverish I just try to sleep as much as I possibly can. There was once earlier this year where I had to take two days off. I was not amused at all, and tried to sleep as much as I can. This was before mylot came back, so I was much the poorer for it.

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@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)

• United States

26 Dec 15

@TheHorse Glad to hear you are fever free now. Sleeping is definitely the best cure.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

I slept a LOT last week. I've been fever-free since Wednesday AM or so.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

@ScribbledAdNauseum Thanks! If I can get rid of this headache, I'll be at 95%.

@else34 (13515)

• New Delhi, India

23 Dec 15

@TheHorse,I rarely get ill,but when I do,I amuse myself either by playing chess with my mom or by reading a book about wildlife.

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@else34 (13515)

• New Delhi, India

25 Dec 15

@TheHorse That's a healthy and productive use of time.I appreciate you.

@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

24 Dec 15

I'm making good progress on the novel I'm reading. And getting some mandolin practice in.

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@poehere (15123)

• French Polynesia

23 Dec 15

When I am really sick I end up sleeping. If I have a major sinus headache I can't handle I will surely go to sleep to make it pass me by. Other than this I have cleaned house, cooked, or even just laid on the couch with a warm blanket and a good film to watch. When I get sick like this the computer screen makes my head hurt worse so I hate to be on there.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

If my head hurt more than it does right now, I might avoid the computer as well.

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@poehere (15123)

• French Polynesia

23 Dec 15

@TheHorse Yes the screen does seem to intensify the pain in your head for some reason on this one. So does the TV and bright light. At least it does for me.

@celticeagle (167070)

• Boise, Idaho

23 Dec 15

Ugh! Haven't had the flu for many years. I am at an age where I take the shot each year. When I am sick I take something to help me sleep, watch old movies when awake and drink plenty of hot tea and Theraflu.

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@celticeagle (167070)

• Boise, Idaho

23 Dec 15

@TheHorse ...Good idea.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

Ah, you reminded me. Fluids. After this cup of coffee, I'm going to grab the Gatorade.

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@vandana7 (100300)

• India

24 Dec 15

I try to sleep a lot. Honestly I have this strange and childish belief which is not going away even as I age. I always believed if you eat well and sleep well, everything becomes alright. So I drink a lot of water and try my level best to sleep. Hope you are feeling better though.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

I think our body knows how to take care of itself (if we don't abuse it too badly). I'm am close to better. The headache remains.

@jstory07 (139702)

• Roseburg, Oregon

23 Dec 15

As long as I can get on my lap top I will do that when I am sick.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

24 Dec 15

I've been able to visit MyLot and respond to emails. doing a bit more reading than usual as well.

Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (37355)

• Toccoa, Georgia

23 Dec 15

When I am sick, I sleep , read books, watch TV and go on the internet and surf the web.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

I got deeper into my book last night and then slept 12 hours!

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@AbbyGreenhill (45494)

• United States

23 Dec 15

I do the same things I do every day, computer and food.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

24 Dec 15

I wish I had my usual appetite.

@JESSY3236 (19941)

• United States

23 Dec 15

Usually when I'm sick I either watch tv, read a book, or sleep.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

I got way deeper into the book I'm reading.

@rajindia53 (142)

• India

24 Dec 15

i usually divert my mind & listen to soft music and plan the things to do after i get well soon.....

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

I did liten to a lot of music!

@Shiva49 (26686)

• Singapore

23 Dec 15

It is tough for those who are healthy and fall sick rarely. For me it depends on how sick I am. I just take a breather from regular work schedules and forget about workplace. Of course, the anxiety to get well will be at the back of my mind - siva

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Dec 15

I'm the same way. I hate missing work.

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@connierebel (1557)

• United States

23 Dec 15

I don't really amuse myself when I'm sick. Mostly I just sleep, or try to.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

I've been sleeping as much as I can, but I'm awake for at least part of the day, so I need to do something. I'm glad I have these speakers to work on!

@allisonwish (464)

• Shenzhen, China

23 Dec 15

When I sick I usually want to sleep

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

I've been doing a lot of that. The doctor said what I had was probably a virus. No antibiotics necessary.

Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61102)

• United States

22 Dec 15

I usually just sleep and watch TV, I hate being online when I have a headache.

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@jaboUK (64354)

• United Kingdom

22 Dec 15

I haven't been sick for so long, so I can't remember. i suppose I'd just read or sleep if I didn't feel like being on the computer.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

I'm not used to being sick either.

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@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

22 Dec 15

Get well soon

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Dec 15

Thanks. I'm working on it. See the doctor at 3:40 today.

• Semarang, Indonesia

22 Dec 15

I just lay on my bed and snacking while watching TV or streaming movie on youtube.

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@TheHorse (218930)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Dec 15

If I hop in bed, I'll probably pick up my mandolin, or maybe my novel.

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