I once characterised boredom as a state of mind resulting
from wanting to do something but having nothing you want to do. For the time being, I have to rework that
second part slightly: ‘having nothing you’re allowed to do’ is nearer the mark.
For a start, I’m grounded.
I mean that in the old-fashioned sense of ‘confined to barracks’, rather
than the modern one of ‘focussed and filled with mindfulness’. The physical activities I can undertake are
pretty constrained. Heavy lifting or
strenuous behaviour of any sort is a no-no.
I don’t know where exactly the boundaries lie – someone on the NHS
website claimed that he wasn’t allowed to empty the dishwasher; I’m not going
that far – but it’s best to be careful. So
cutting the grass, clearing the attic, reinstalling the curtain rail in the
spare room that got knocked down by the decorator three years ago – all these kinds
of pleasures are off limits. Imagine my
frustration.
Some ‘gentle walking’ is permissible, so I’ve wandered down
to Lidl’s to buy some peanuts (is that ‘heavy lifting’?). But I’m not supposed to drive for at least
another week or so; Lord knows why, it’s much less strenuous than walking. Something to with emergency stops and
insurance validity, apparently.
Ironing. I s’pose I could
do some ironing.
The dishwasher needs emptying. O frabjous joy!
Done that.
I’ve done yesterday’s crosswords.
No, it’s all down to the life of the mind. Except that it’s an effort to force my mind
beyond matters medical at the moment. There
are some let’s call them ‘events’ which need to occur thrice daily, and tend to
disrupt the flow of thought. I can’t
concentrate on anything more demanding than the newspaper, and the less
demanding bits at that. The referendum
has passed me by, and my mental
feebleness is such that twenty four hours on I still don’t understand how
Scottish independence has suddenly turned into English independence … But that’s just me, I’m sure.
Oh well. At least I now
have the internet; my landline broadband was down when I got back from the
hospital, which was strangely disorientating.
Good job I bought that iPhone!
Oh well. Time for a
cup of tea soon. And another
crossword. Things can only get better.
That's what D'Ream said.
ReplyDeleteOnward and upward dear boy.
Normal service will resume shortly, Tim. In the meantime, listen to the advice, and take care.
ReplyDeleteBeen there. Done that. Heart attack eighteen months ago. Ironing means lifting a heavy iron. Dishwasher emptying means lifting heavy plates and saucepans. I found sitting down in the workshop, and getting on with something useful the best therapy, although I'm not sure that my wife of fifty years or so (and a State Registered Nurse) would entirely agree with me.
ReplyDeleteAnd at one point I made a pact with meself that the next bloke who said 'you must learn to take it easy, Mike' was going to get panned one. Oh well, I'm still here, and back to whatever passes for normal. I do hope things will soon be better for you.