Since Corona virus it seems that most people are experiencing, “Groundhog Day,” where every day runs into the next and it is hard for them to resolve themselves to this “new life.”
I live Grounndhog Day every day and have been for awhile. I am a creature of habit and I like things to be consistent on a daily basis. This is mostly because I have MS and so much of my day has to be scheduled around how I’m feeling.
I am up every day around 3 – 4 am, put on the TV and watch Nick at Nite. At this time they have all old comedies on, nothing to stress about. I need this to stop my brain from worrying and obsessing. Sometimes I’m up for hours and other times I’ll fall back asleep. Regardless, I’m awake at 6:30 and at 7 am I put on the Today show. I get out of bed when the weather comes on and go into kitchen, turn on TV, make coffee and count my pills for the day. I have coffee while reading the paper. I read 3 papers, The Richmond Times Dispatch, The Wall Street Journal, and the NY Times. I only get them when my husband works, which used to be daily, now only 2 – 3 times/week. I don’t read them all at once, I’ll spread them out through the day. I eat breakfast every day at 8:30, have Multi-grain Cheerios with blueberries and almond milk with more blueberries when done with cereal. I eat blueberries like candy. By 9:00 I am back in bedroom, getting dressed, or if showering waiting until 9:30, when I take Ampyra. This is the only drug I take that has to be taken the same time 2x. daily.
Now I will maybe do laundry, dishes, prepare some of dinner so later when I’m tired I won’t have too much to do. Lunch is at 1:30, Dannon 80 calorie yogurt with fresh strawberries, an apple, and a granola type bar. I eat while I watch my shows which I dvr’d. Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful. Now I try to read a book, do crossword puzzles, sew or do something in the craft room. Usually I’m tired by now. I hate to nap on a sunny day, but it is so hot out that I do anyway. I don’t want to sleep all afternoon!
Dinner is at 6:30 along with World News Tonight with either Lester Holt or David Muir. I watch the same shows between 7 – 8 pm with a nightly cappuccino and more paper reading. I play 3 or 4 computer games on my iPad while watching TV. I try to read whatever book I have, but that always makes my eyes shut, so that is frustrating since I am an avid reader and fight off sleep until 11:30 when I go to bed. At that time I put on Friends on Nick, until I fall asleep.
That’s it, every day. When I volunteer of course, my day is different. I have no friends to go shopping with, out to lunch, movie or just to share a cup of coffee with. If there is an offer to do something, I will jump at it. I have no problem changing this schedule if I can go somewhere.
Gardening takes priority here. If the weather is cool enough for me to be outside, I will happily spend as much time in the garden that my body will allow. Talking on the phone takes preparation on my part. I’ve already told you I am a self proclaimed “phonaphobe,”(hate talking on the phone) If I have to make a call I will put it on a to do list. There’s more of a chance happening if its on a list.
My Groundhog Day is solely my doing. As long as I am stuck inside, it is comforting to me to have this structure. If I don’t, I will start to be depressed about everything I am missing. I never had a problem going somewhere by myself, but with MS it is a real challenge. Lifting and setting up wheelchair and taking it apart is tiring. If I go to one store, I’m done. It is very frustrating at every turn. I regress, this post is about my way of coping and repetitive behavior.