Nesting... no not birds, but ME! I found that since walking takes SO much effort, its much easier to do nothing (all day sometimes!). However, you can't actually do nothing... I mean apart from when the medication induced coma hits, we all spend our time doing something, for me it is either watching television or reading, sometimes watching the birds, eating/drinking (if my son's around to cater to my gastronomic needs) or internet surfing. But my lack of mobility has had an unexpected side effect. I now build a nest!
There are no twigs or sticks, no feathers or straw, but I find that during the morning I surround myself with ALL the things I may need for the day. So, my comfy chair is now surrounded by several tables, one holds all my laptop paraphernalia (laptop, mouse, mouse pad, thumb drives, passwords etc.,); one table houses my bullet journals and colouring supplies (pens, coloured pencils, sharpener, eraser, colouring books and journals) and another table is on stand by for tea/coffee/food. By the side of my chair I have an extension lead available with various chargers at the ready (laptop charger, kindle charger, mobile phone charger), on the other side of the chair is a smaller table holding my binoculars and a couple of bird books for identification purposes. On the arm of the chair next to my 'nest' is a pillow for when I get sleepy, a blankets for when I get cold and my trusty bed socks for when the sensory disturbances tell me my feet have turned into blocks of ice. Like I said I have learnt to 'nest', and whilst healthy people think nothing of just getting up and doing whatever they need to do, I find ensuring my daily needs are all together within arms reach is the best way for me to go.
RESULT
- One area of my lounge looks VERY messy
- Sometimes I don't need to go to bed at all, everything I need is right here
CONCLUSION
The advantages of 'nesting' are very obvious to the 'nester' (nestee?), with lack of mobility comes an almost inevitable lack of independence. However if you are able to build an extensive nest you are almost guaranteed not to need anyone for an extended length of time. The obvious time when nesting cannot help with a totally independent lifestyle would be mealtimes, if you need your food delivered, then you will have to allow someone else to enter your nesting site. Other times when it may be necessary to exit your nest site would be during toilet breaks (a funnel and piping system is not recommended!), also it IS necessary to bath and sleep in an appropriate area OTHER THEN your nest!
There are also some things to take into consideration. 1. you should be aware of the number of chargers you have plugged in at any given time and arrange the leads in such a way as to avoid tripping over them when exiting your nest. 2. food, empty drinks containers, cups, mugs, crockery and cutlery should be removed from your nest site on a regular basis. Untidiness (and possible disease) can cause unpleasant smells and further tripping hazards. 3. not everyone appreciates your desire for a nest. 4. Over-extended time spend in your nest can result in anti-social behaviour with a desire to never leave your safe haven. 5. limits need to be set on the size of your nest, without careful supervision a nest can quickly develop into monstrous proportions.
In conclusion, I believe 'nests' are an inevitable progression for anyone who lacks mobility and as long as the situation is carefully monitored and not allowed to get out of hand... then nests are GREAT!
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!
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