Who wanna be on the bed rest?

Or the better question, how long can I stay on one without going nuts?

3 weeks ago, I ended up on bed rest.

How?

Going down the stairs, arrived at the final landing. The next thing I knew, I was on my knees, stars were flying out of my eyes, and I could barely walk.

Result a badly twisted ankle, torn ligaments on both sides, minimal movements, and bed rest as much as humanly possible.

What I’ve learned so far?

• I don’t know when the crap hit you. It is always unexpected, and you are knocked down off your feet in a matter of seconds. Literally!
• Asking for help is brutal. Especially when I was doing it just yesterday. The belief I can do it myself is strong.
• People are willing to help when they “clearly” see the signs of your “struggle” (e.g., crunches). But when you stroll or limp - it annoys them, and they rush past you.
• I’m stubborn and want fast solutions, quick recovery, and jump back to things as fast as possible. I should have bounced back days ago, right?!
• Going fast is no longer an option. I have to be on the “lookout” for what I’m doing and how I’m doing it.

Why am I telling you all of that?

• You can’t plan for the crap, but you can be prepared in advance. So, when sh## hits the fan, you are not smashing your head against the wall, feeling helpless, desperate, and overwhelmed. You will rely on your prep work, behaviour, and habits you have already developed.
• Asking for help is frustrating. It makes you feel incompetent, incapable, a loser, and not good enough. Which makes it even harder to do. One tip - start small. Admit to yourself that you can’t do everything and may need help.
• People around you might be in trouble. Look around, and talk to them if you see any tiny little sign of it. Don’t be annoyed by “limp or stroll.” Remember, they might be putting on the mask “I’m okay”; others have it worse. Hence, I should not complain or ask for help.
• Bouncing back takes time. Stop forcing yourself to feel “normal” and expect to be ready to rock-n-roll in a day or two. Expectations that irrespective of what’s going on, you’ll be okay in a day/two is a myth and denial that you are telling yourself.
• Slow down a bit; yes, another person is telling you things. You’ve heard it so many times, right?! But unless it is literally a life-or-death situation, you don’t need to rush.

In summary, you can prep for the dark time beforehand to avoid losing your head when it strikes. Start small, and tell yourself you don't have to do everything alone. Reach out and start small conversations. Reprogram your behaviour already now and rewrite your next story.

With which learning do you think you’d struggle the most? I’ll do my best to help you in the comments.

P.S. I’m almost out of bed rest, looking like a speedy snail. However, getting back to bed once overdoing my walking. Which happens every two or three days. I did mention that I’m stubborn and want it to go fast, didn’t I?!