I discovered today, while sitting for HOURS waiting for my husband (who was undergoing hospital tests), that I EAT when I am nervous. I never thought about it before. I have never been an emotional eater (like when sad, angry, emotional), but apparently I AM a nervous-eater! I ate almost everything in my lunch bag! However, I have to admit, I was there for 7 hours, so I may just have been hungry, but I didn't DO anything physical to warrant eating so much. I couldn't leave to walk or anything, since hubs' situation is so tenuous. But MAN. I can't do that anymore!

So I need to know, outside of crocheting myself crazy, WHAT TO DO WITH MY TIME? What do YOU do when you nerves are shot? I can't read because I can't concentrate. I am a terrible worrywart. Always have been. So I am asking for folks to give me some ideas as to what to do with myself while I wait for EONS, waiting for the doctor? HELP!!!!

Walk it off if you can. I did crochet myself crazy this winter. My husband said I needed an intervention. Hats, scarves and slippers (not enough concentration for anything bigger) but it kept my hands too busy to put food in my face so all is good. Do you have a tablet? Puzzle games were a good distraction for me too.

I wish you well with your husband.

In "be still and do nothing physical" situations like that, I do puzzle games. If there's wifi, I watch Netflix. I make plans on documents. I work (online). I breathe deeply every once in a while. I nap. I talk to other people who are with me. I read books.

In many ways, waiting in hospitals for loved ones is like being on a long plane trip. You're stuck, trapped. You don't have a lot of control over anything. You just have to distract yourself however you can.

Thanks you guys, I hope I never have to go through this again! I found this solitary chess set at a game store in the mall, where only one player can play, so it is ideal. All the pieces are contained in a drawer below the board, which is quite small, but it has all levels from beginner to advanced. This should keep me going for awhile! I also found a portable Tango's game, where the puzzle pieces are put together to form the image on the cards, of which there are probably 30 or more images. Very compact at about 6"x 3". Very challenging!

They figure the surgery will take 2 hours, and I have a neighbor coming to sit with me. She actually works in the surgeon's office, but has that day off! Her husband also has cancer, of a different type, so we are discovering we have a lot in common. We just moved to this neighborhood a year ago, so we still don't know too many people here. I am just so grateful to have all of you on BP, and my new friend-neighbor, who is taking her day off to sit with me! I am BLESSED, indeed!!!!