Not being able to get out of bed sucks. You miss out on so many cool, interesting or even mundane things, you need to rely on other people, and there’s so much you can’t do. Very occasionally, however, there’s an upside. Some of these are pretty universal, others might be more specific to me.
- Surviving Whamageddon. The one that gave me the idea for this list. It’s easy to not accidentally hear the song Last Christmas by Wham if you control any music you listen to. Even easier if you’re too ill to listen to any music at all.
- Not falling. Before I got so ill I could no longer get out of bed, falling was a frequent event. Even when I used my wheelchair, I’d sometimes fall during the transfer. Not being able to get out of bed and having bed rails means it’s been years since I actually fell.
- Avoiding traffic jams. If you don’t go out, you can’t get stuck in traffic.
- No commute.
- Not being rained on. If you have a roof or ceiling above your bed, you’ll not get soaked from rain unless something has really gone wrong.
- Staying out of the wind.
- Not getting sunburnt. My skin burns super quick, so I really appreciate not having to worry about it, or deal with the sensory nightmare that is sunblock.
- Getting out of many tedious chores. You can’t wash the dishes, clean the toilet or mow the lawn if you can’t get to them.
- Breakfast in bed. Every day.
- Only wearing uncomfortable clothes/shoes if you want to.
- Having the perfect excuse to get out of unwanted travel. If someone wants to see you, they can come to you. Can also sometimes work for those who live with you.
- Always having something soft and cosy nearby. My fuzzy electric blanket and cuddly penguins help a lot when I’m struggling.
- Not having to get up when it’s cold to go to the toilet. And as I’m incontinent, if I’m well enough to watch stuff or play games, I don’t need to (can’t) stop in the middle to empty my bladder.
I’d much rather be well enough to get up and do things, even the boring things like cleaning or commuting, but looking for the positives helps make things easier.