I always say the only thing worse than working out is not being able to, and that’s why I go to the gym. Even when we’re doing our best, though, those inevitable injuries come along that keep us semi-bedridden for a while. I’m currently going through one of those times myself due to a small tear in a knee ligament.
I find the challenge is to keep my spirits up and not give in to thoughts about how long it will take to recuperate, but rather focus on what I can do today. The most important way to accomplish this is to keep up a variety of character building, brain stimulating activities. These are some of the things I’ve found to pass the time during my breaks from reading and writing.
image by Poptart at wikimedia commons
10 Ways to Keep Occupied In Bed
- See how close I can roll to the edge of the bed without falling off.
- Practice burning the edges of satin ribbons with a lighter without turning them black. (It’s an oddly addictive activity. Don’t judge.)
- Make a genuine effort at levitating the dust off of the ceiling fan and into the trash.
- Howl back at the neighbor’s dog.
- Make prank phone calls from my cell phone to the house phone downstairs.
- Watch the two seasons of Rome on DVD.
- Mourn the fact that there is no third season.
- Repeat 6 and 7 with Game of Thrones.
- Pause to wonder if J. “R.R.” Tolkien and George “R.R.” Martin are related.
- Contemplate changing my name to Piper “R.R.” Bayard and writing high fantasy. Suppose Ian Sommerhalder would star in the movie?
What do you do to keep your mind active when you’re stuck on bedrest?
Besides the obvious, that is. We do keep a PG-13 blog here. 
All the best to all of you for staying gainfully occupied.
Piper Bayard
Like you, my favorite thing to do is to watch DVDs of whole seasons of a series. It is a lot of fun to go from one episode to another until the whole season is done. But it does cause more of a sense of loss when it is finished. MORE! MORE! Why didn’t they make MORE??
Exactly! And “Rome” was such a great show. I can’t imagine why it was cancelled.
Reading Tolkien from end to start provides a new perspective. I have found reading in reverse works quite well for the books we truly enjoy. On bed-bound days, I reverse most things I am doing. Keeps the “little grey cells” in flux.
Karen
That certainly would provide a new perspective. I’d like to think I won’t be here that long. Perhaps I’ll just watch the movies back to front instead.
Never tried it, but how about asking everyone who walks in they’re the Keymaster?
LOL. I’ll try it and let you know what happens.
If I were on bedrest, the only thing I’d be doing is petting my cat. She’s quite demanding that way, and there would be no writing or reading or any other activity that would take away from the petting of the cat.
On the off-chance she decided to leave me alone for three seconds, I’d probably try to make a break for it.
LOL. Sounds like the cat has you well trained.
Lotsa good “heal up quickly” vibes to you, my dear! Bedridden, I would read read read (what else?) No TV in the bedroom, but I suppose were I to haul myself out onto the sofa, there would be some serious Netflix’ing, Hulu’ing and constant loop of Firefly!
I probably would also have a furry lap-warmer purring away, too…
Firefly is definitely something I can love to do. I’m sure there will be much renewed mourning when I get to the end and realize Nathan Fillian does not yet have the rights to it and there are still no new episodes or movies.
I’m so sorry to hear you are laid up. I play Words With Friends. I suck, but I play.
Hint hint.
LOL. I’ve never played that. Perhaps I should try.
Whaaat? You will be addicted! Maybe. Leanne Shirtliffe and Michael Monaghan are killers.
I hope your knee gets better soon!
We loved Rome, too. I heard that the set was one of the most expensive ever built anywhere. A fire destroyed a lot of it after the second season. I’m not certain, but I suspect, that it was too expensive to rebuild for a third season. A fire seems like a lame excuse though, doesn’t it?
Hmm. Sounds like a terribly convenient fire when one considers the insurance payoff. I hadn’t heard that about Rome.
Rumor has it that folks heard some strange violin music while the set burned.
LOL. Good one.
For me bed rest turns into couch rest because HBO is only on the TV in the living room and there’s better access to the facilities and the kitchen. I’ve tried levitating dust off the ceiling fan with mixed results. The dust didn’t move but I got a headache. If I’m confined to the bedroom my favorite game is Toss The Cat. I’ve got a waterbed. The trick is to get the cat to fall asleep near the far end of the bed. You scrunch yourself as far opposite as possible. Then using butt cheek power you raise up and come down hard on the mattress. The kitty launches up and hopefully lands safely on the mattress. One caution, make sure you have a sturdy barrier between kitty and the mattress because the landing is accompanied by claws out. Keep a patch kit nearby.
LMAO! It’s been a while since I’ve had cats, but I do recall a bit of surprise blanket toss gaming that went on. How does your cat take revenge?
Little tiny holes along the side of the mattress or, clawing me.
Oh yeah, hope your knee heals up quick. As for initials how about Piper Catherine Ursala Beatrix Bayard.
I like that. Perhaps with a “J.K.” and an “R.R.” thrown in for good measure.
Usually when I’m confined to bed I find lots of relaxing activities like fixing the leak that’s suddenly sprung from the washing machine, extracting geckos from light fittings, or taking someone to the ER. Certainly helps prevent boredom in our house
Get better soon!
Cheers
No rest for the parents.
“He was a consul of Rome!” Then, softly, “He was a consul of Rome.” Ciaran Hinds as Julius Caesar made that show. After Caesar was assassinated I could watch no further episodes. Perhaps some day I will.
Ah, ha! So you’re the reason there was no third season!
Having spent four weeks on hospital bed rest with one of my pregnancies, I know exactly what I did to while away the hours in bed: watching TV and movies, reading, listening to music, eating, estimating how many steps it is to the toilet and then checking to see if I’m right when I hobble over there and back, picking out which vein I want used next when my IV gets replaced, calculating calories eaten and burned for the day (how many calories does rolling over burn?), practicing make-up application with a cosmetic mirror on a bed table, redesigning hospital gowns in my head (my fashion line was going to be bigger than Vera Wang), watching my son’s heartbeat on the monitor, rubbing lotion on all the places I could reach, and wondering why my nurse never looked like Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes.
Hang in there, Piper!
Okay, Julie. I know you’re an awesome blogger and author and all, but the world really needs you to get right on those designer hospital gowns. I have no doubt there would be a market, and I’m betting you could even get Milo to be your spokesperson.
Ice. Heat. Ice. Facebook
Put on some great music, perhaps made better with painkillers? and dance. In bed. With your upper body and good leg. Some of my first experiences with yoga were when I was young and had a huge cast on my leg. Lie down flat and shimmy, good for your abs! Indulge yourself. Have hubster and/or kids bring you goodies. Train dog to chase ball and bring it back when you throw it from the bed 
Take care and I hope you heal fast!!
Thanks, Kathleen! Those are some good ideas.
Sorry about the knee, Piper. But having just finished a book, I have to admit bed rest sounds devine! Hope you’re up and around soon.
Glad to hear your muse has been generous with you. Thanks for the good wishes.
Hope your leg gets better soon, Piper. No. 1 sounds lots of fun!
Thanks, Catherine. And No. 1 was only fun because I didn’t fall off.
Owie! I hope you feel better soon.
Thanks, MaLinda.
Sorry to hear you’re laid up. Get well soon. When I first saw the title of this blog, I thought maybe Jenny or Natalie was doing a guest post.
Only time I’ve been laid up in bed was when I ruptured my kidney playing football in high school. Too long ago to remember what I did except for the first few days, when they kept me on Demerol for the pain. I remember that very well – I spent my time floating around the ceiling.
Oh, owww! And it does sound like something Jenny or Natalie would come up with, only theirs would involve underwear in some form or fashion.
Thank God Piper, I thought you had turned your blog intp Cosmo magazine.
Anyway, hope you get better soon….
LOL. Thanks, Shantnu.
Hope you feel better soon! Injuries and rehabbing suck! When I’m laid up the internet is a never-ending source of edu-tainment. Although I tend to overindulge in my love of the conspiracy theory.
Thank you, Serena. When you think you’re overindulging in conspiracy theories, remember that it’s almost impossible to get a dozen people to agree it’s daytime if the sun is shining in a cloudless sky at high noon. Then think about how many have to agree to constitute a grand conspiracy.
Just gotta say – love your title.