10 Things To Do On Bed Rest

Being on bed rest is never fun. It can be long, dreary, and time-consuming. With ulcerative colitis, we can find ourselves on bed rest for various reasons. Whether it's a bad flare that just won't allow us to be physically active, or a procedure or surgery that has us out of whack.

Making bed rest more tolerable

These are a few things I thought of to make bed rest a little more tolerable:

1. Start A blog – I started my very first blog after getting my colon removed back in 2014. Blogging has opened so many doors and brought so many amazing opportunities and people into my life. Whether you choose to blog about your condition or just life in general, blogging can be a great way to release your innermost thoughts and frustrations in a
   productive and positive way.
2. Read a blog – What else would come next? If you find yourself bored at home with nothing to do, find a new blog to dive into! After getting my colon removed, Amber of Colitis Ninja reached out to me (after running across my blog and my story). I found her website so informative and empowering. Whether it's from another IBD patient or focused on something entirely different, reading blogs can help to normalize your experiences and help you feel more connected to the world.

3. Journaling – If you prefer to keep your life a little more private, journaling may be for you! Writing down your feelings and emotions is a great way to release negative energy and also serves as a great memoir to look back on in the future.
4. Do research – This is something I regret not doing more often in the past. You're on bed rest for a reason, find out what it is! Do research on your condition, surgery, medications, etc. You'd be surprised by what you find and how much you didn't know.
5. Pinterest – I personally don't find Pinterest to be that entertaining – I know, I'm probably one of the few women who will say that. But I know a lot of people find Pinterest fun. It is nice to be able to find such diverse articles, pictures and tips on one platform.
6. YouTube - At times when I'm bored I will search YouTube videos for the top iPhone apps. Just getting an idea of what others are interested in is always fun. This can also help you feel more connected to the world.
7. Shop and sell online – I've been so addicted to these free apps like Mercari and OfferUp. They allow you to sell your new or gently used items and buy the same. You'd be surprised what treasures are posted!
8. Get a pen pal - I can't speak from personal experience but I see a lot of people in the chronic community on Instagram have been going back to this method of contact. It's pretty old school but very cute. I remember after a few of my surgeries Amber would send me little things in the mail to boost my spirits. It definitely helped.
9. Submit an article online – Websites like InflammatoryBowelDisease.net or the Mighty are always
   looking for story submissions. If you're looking to get some things off of your chest, or just connect with people who understand, writing for larger sites is certainly a way to connect and get involved.
10. Fundraise – Yup. You can fundraise from your couch. Choose a charity or organization (there are plenty in the IBD community like the CCF or Girls With Guts), start a page and encourage your friends and family to donate by promoting it with social media. This allows you to make a difference from your own home and possibly bring us one step closer to a cure.