What He Can Do: bake, garden, play with sand, fly a kite, wash the car, watch fish in an aquarium, take a bubble bath, listen to an audiobook, paint, draw, color, make friendship bracelets, bead, mold clay, make paper flowers, make candles, trace, make latch hook rugs, get a manicure, cook, build original Lego creations, collect rocks or leaves
What He Can’t Do: everything he normally does. Shoot hoops, watch TV, play video games, go to school, run track, use headphones.
Concussion recovery looks like craft kits and Crayolas, colored pencils and coloring books, Dominos and chess–which probably requires too much focus but keeps him quieter than any other activity. It’s reading aloud (we’re on our fifth book in two weeks) and long car rides as long as he promises to wear sunglasses. The highlight of each day is driving to the diner to get a strawberry milkshake.
He doesn’t complain much about being bored–maybe because we talk nonstop and shift activities every hour or so. Maybe because I keep quoting the Internet: “If you’re super bored, you’re doing it right.” Maybe because he’s complaining so much about everything else.
For the first five days, he sleeps about eighteen hours a day. Things are so much easier then. Three meals, a little coloring, a lot of reading aloud, and the remaining six hours are spent.
Then he starts to feel better, and it becomes difficult to keep him quiet, still, calm. This is an injury he can’t see, and once he feels better, he doesn’t believe it’s really there anymore. And he seems to be doing so well, it’s easy to say yes to school, yes to shooting hoops, yes to TV before he’s ready. He suffers a setback, and we’re back to square one. No school, no shooting hoops, less TV. More drawing and Dominos and drives.
And if he gets bored, I can offer him a sandbox or a stroll to collect leaves.
You are doing th right thing. Concussions are serious business. Your photograph captures harnessing creativity.
They really are! Hoping to have another day of just such “creativity”!
I had no idea about concussion recovery. At least when it’s a broken bone, the pain keeps you from overdoing it. Your patience is showing as well as your creativity. Keep calm and continue.
Yes, protocols for recovery have really changed in the last few years, though doctors aren’t keeping up. Our ER doctor told us it was fine for him to go home and watch tv and play video games. Luckily, there’s the Internet and I was able to find out what the CDC and organization of pediatricians actually recommend–something quite different!
Concussions are so challenging but it is so essential to be careful
What a supportive Mom who has given him so many amazing things to do.
I keep waiting for him to take me up on some of those ideas! He made one origami bird (it looked great too!), then stopped origami. He painted 1/3 of a ceramic horse, then abandoned. He IS willing to design athletic shoes apparently indefinitely, so my husband keeps printing drawings of Air Jordans from the Internet!
Sending you wishes of luck and quick recovery.
Thank you, Tara. Scary stuff!
Great job keeping him bored! Concussions are nothing to mess around with. Hoping the rest of his recovery is speedy and full of boredom. 🙂
I’d like him to be even more bored than he is, LOL. So hard with an injury he can’t see and feel exactly.
Elisabeth, I’m just catching up on your slices and your son’s concussion. Wishing both of you patience and healing. Beautiful post.
Thank you, Katherine. It’s a challenge, but it’s giving me topics for slices this month, LOL.
This is so hard! I hope he continues to improve and have patience!
Thank you! Patience is much needed–for him and for me!
Concussions are crazy. But you are right to be careful, even if it is difficult. I’m sure he’s bored. Who wouldn’t be! Keep carrying on!
It’s rather odd what happens, though, when you fully give yourself over to the concussion recovery activities. It’s really kind of rejuvenating to spend the afternoon coloring!
I didn’t know there were such restrictions, sorry for you both, Elisabeth. I think you’ve found some great activities.
Yes, the thinking has changed over the last few years, Linda, and now there are much more serious restrictions in place. I am surprised by just how little is actually known about concussions. Of course the Internet is full of interesting information! And I think I’ve read all of it!
Yikes! I can’t even imagine this. Did you happen to see the movie Concussion? Scary stuff!
I haven’t seen that movie yet, but we’re planning to. Concussion plus the different trauma stuff is really, really hard.
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