Staying In

I was once in a support group meeting for ITP in which we told a newly diagnosed guy how, once you become ill, you kinda spend alot of time at home or by yourself. This can be frustrating at first, but several months on I've gotten used to it. I told the guy that I developed new hobbies, and new interests I otherwise would not have, due to my disease. My mother gave me the best advice during these solo evenings, especially when the medication was either about to give me panic attack or make me really depressed- "don't be alone, or keep busy." Many times when I'm about to have a mini-break down or lose it..I remember this, and even something as simple as turning on the tv distracts me from what I was about to freak out about. Anyway, the point is that through this reminder of keeping busy, I'd usually do one of the following:

- paint or draw
- write in a journal
- put in a movie I'd never seen
- look through cookbooks at something I could try out
- grab a book or magazine
- play some records I havent heard in a while
- try learning the keyboard I've had for ages

It's a Friday night and my boyfriend is out with his friends, and I (as usual) back out at the last moment. I rarely go out, and I have to try really hard to make the most of my time indoors, otherwise I feel like it was time wasted, and when you're ill...you want to make the most of your time in whatever way makes you content. SO...I could have been out at a bar, sipping on water wondering when we get to go home, annoyed at everyone trying to yell over each other-but instead I learned how to play 2 new songs on the bass guitar (an instrument I never picked up before I got sick).

I'm no Kim Deal...but I am closer to it because of my disease.