Stress management

**Jennie** · 09-19-2012, 03:55 AM

Hi Everyone

I think I'm stressed out thinking of ways to cope with stress

. Love all the ideas so far, I'd like to add crafting to the list...I knit in my spare time (mostly in my vehicle waiting to pick up one of my sons at school or their activities). My husband and I try to spend as much time with our boys as possible doing family activities.....camping, travelling, skiing etc. We learned the hard way that we need to slow down and de-stress. My husband was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer last year. He was 42 at the time and it came as a complete shock to all of us. He has since had surgery and will have radiation at some point. Between his check ups and mine, we can get quite stressed and discouraged, but our wonderful boys keep us going, they are 16, 13 and 10. We have also started walking on the evenings that our boys are busy with activities, its a great way to catch up.

Jennie

**drz** · 09-19-2012, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by mishb

Nothing that exciting for me. I can't stand having earplugs in, so only listen to the music on the radio.

I can't use ear plugs because of my hearing aids and have to have pretty good speakers and loud volume to actually enjoy any music. Today driving for an hour to medical appointments I cranked up the volume in the car stereo and enjoyed the XM sirius radio stations for music from the 50's and the King's station from Graceland. I haven't tried plugging in the Ipod to the car stereo but might try that next. The music really helped me relax and enjoy the trip.

**drz** · 09-19-2012, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dirty Don

MUSIC! Always music for me...first thing I consciously asked for in ICU, after I said all my 'helloes'...had no idea where I was...but I digress, was my Ipod...needed my music! I record all kinds of 'themes' on Itunes, download it, and away I go...practice golf with headset on, walk listening to my own concert, Ipod instead of car radio...it has been a major relaxor and a buoyant wave for me in all this WG stuff. Smiles............

Do you use the Ipod on the golf course? If so, does it help your score?

**freakyschizogirl** · 09-20-2012, 07:55 AM

I find listening to music with a good beat helps me win at Pool - Phil, have you experienced this?

**Terri** · 09-20-2012, 11:58 AM

The local animal shelter is a wonderful way to vent but by far the best way I have found is to spend some time in a personal or nursing care home.
My Mom passed away July 1st of this year and had spent her last 9 months in a personal care home. The day she died, the patients there were so upset, not of her passing but the fact that I might not come back to visit. Some of them are there and don't have anyone to visit for months at a time. They are so grateful to get attention and for just a hug or someone to hold their hand. I've only been back twice since July but I promised I would stop at least once a month and that I will do. They are so precious.

**drz** · 09-20-2012, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Terri

The local animal shelter is a wonderful way to vent but by far the best way I have found is to spend some time in a personal or nursing care home.
My Mom passed away July 1st of this year and had spent her last 9 months in a personal care home. The day she died, the patients there were so upset, not of her passing but the fact that I might not come back to visit. Some of them are there and don't have anyone to visit for months at a time. They are so grateful to get attention and for just a hug or someone to hold their hand. I've only been back twice since July but I promised I would stop at least once a month and that I will do. They are so precious.

I went back several times to visit the nursing home where I spent three months in 2010 after I was diagnosed. At first the residents were very happy to see me but on the last visit almost two years after my discharge only the staff recognized me except for one resident still left on my old unit. The rest had died.

Yesterday two of our residents in my assisted living house ended up in the local hospital. We usually have an ambulance run weekly from our Assisted living complex which has two parts, regular and low assistance, which is my living part. I went to visit them today. They often end up back on the medical unit of the nursing home for a short stay and rehab work. We often visit residents there. The nursing home is attached and all three units share the auditorium and are connected so we can easily visit other sections. The two assisted units share many recreational activities, staff, and the residents often visit each other. Most residents here also have a lot of family visitors. Almost everyone in our complex seems to enjoy company.

I plan to go to the Salvation Army to visit with some of the regulars who come for daily meals as a friend suggested this as a volunteer activity. There is also a drop in center for people with chronic mental illness I plan to check out to learn more about their needs and possible volunteer activities. Volunteer work to help others seems one of the best ways to help oneself over come depression and anxiety.

**KathyB** · 09-21-2012, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by drz

I went back several times to visit the nursing home where I spent three months in 2010 after I was diagnosed. At first the residents were very happy to see me but on the last visit almost two years after my discharge only the staff recognized me except for one resident still left on my old unit. The rest had died.

Yesterday two of our residents in my assisted living house ended up in the local hospital. We usually have an ambulance run weekly from our Assisted living complex which has two parts, regular and low assistance, which is my living part. I went to visit them today. They often end up back on the medical unit of the nursing home for a short stay and rehab work. We often visit residents there. The nursing home is attached and all three units share the auditorium and are connected so we can easily visit other sections. The two assisted units share many recreational activities, staff, and the residents often visit each other. Most residents here also have a lot of family visitors. Almost everyone in our complex seems to enjoy company.

I plan to go to the Salvation Army to visit with some of the regulars who come for daily meals as a friend suggested this as a volunteer activity. There is also a drop in center for people with chronic mental illness I plan to check out to learn more about their needs and possible volunteer activities. Volunteer work to help others seems one of the best ways to help oneself over come depression and anxiety.

My parents live in an Assisted Living facility in Florida. They have an apartment, but now my dad is full-time in the Alzheimer's (memory) unit. Mom spends about half of each day with dad and the 13 other folks in that part of the facility. In between, she visits with other residents and/or family who come to visit her. She is a friend to all and beloved resident. I've seen first-hand how important "visits" are for the residents. Some have family many hours away or no family visitors at all. So a smiling face and someone to listen to them is often the bright spot in the residents' day! Kudos to you, drz!!

KB

**drz** · 09-21-2012, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by KathyB

My parents live in an Assisted Living facility in Florida. They have an apartment, but now my dad is full-time in the Alzheimer's (memory) unit. Mom spends about half of each day with dad and the 13 other folks in that part of the facility. In between, she visits with other residents and/or family who come to visit her. She is a friend to all and beloved resident. I've seen first-hand how important "visits" are for the residents. Some have family many hours away or no family visitors at all. So a smiling face and someone to listen to them is often the bright spot in the residents' day! Kudos to you, drz!!

KB

The lady at the other end of my hall is 91 or so and fell a couple days ago and broke her hip and is in the hospital. They replaced part of her hip She is a happy lady who seems amazingly light on her feet and often is skipping down the halls. One of her daughters is very dedicated and moved back to this area to take care of her parents. I have stopped in to see her twice in past couple days since I am often at he hospital or clinic many days for my own medical stuff. This lady seems the type who will get many visitors but still seems very happy to see me and hear the well wishes I bring from other residents.

Some times I have had residents in the nursing home portion grab on to my hand and not want to let go. They just seem desperate to talk to some one. When I was in the nursing home two years ago I made a friend with mother of a casual acquaintance and this elderly lady had serious dementia. I was mostly deaf then so her repetitive statements didn't bother me and we had good parallel discussions every breakfast. She couldn't remember anything that was said to her an hour before but six months later she still remembered me it seemed since she got excited to see me and yelled for the staff to keep me there and and not let me leave. Her children couldn't believe it since she barely recognized them at the time. Two years later she didn't remember me and often didn't recognize her children. Dementia is a strange disorder and hard to figure, just like Wegs.