To ask you to give me ideas to pass the time whilst DS has surgery.

[LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood]

DS (12) is having a major operation on Tuesday. I am going into hospital with him for 7am. We don’t know exactly when he will go to theatre. The operation is about 5 hours. I will stay in children’s theatres while he is in surgery. I shall not be able to concentrate to read I don’t think. I do not knit or sew. I have air pods so can listen to podcasts and I have a iphone and iPad. I do not usually play games on my phone but could if one was distracting enough. Any ideas of things I could download, or take with me to occupy my mind? I love classical music but find it quite emotional to listen to at times. I am hoping to be soothed and distracted. Listening to podcasts might be good. Usually I listen to political things or current affairs. But those would not be at all soothing. Many thanks.

Something fairly repetitive would be good - writing christmas cards, organising photos (I sort out the books on my Kindle when stressed), setting up an Amazon wishlist/ Pintrest board with ideas for christmas presents for everyone, despamming your emails even. Maybe take a colouring book for adults, and if you do a free Audible trial you get one book and access to their free content. Choose a book you've loved in the past, even a childrens book so that it washes over you like a hug. I find Georgette Heyer regency romances v good in a crisis as everything turns out perfectly in the end, the heroine gets swept off her feet and it is all lovely and Bridgerton but chaste.
I hope everything goes perfectly for your ds.

Check your energy tariff and see if you can move to a cheaper deal. I keep meaning to do mine but haven't had the time (and keep forgetting) 🤦🏻‍♀️

Talisman app - it’s a board game that you can play via the app

Sending good wishes for Tuesday.

I'm another that would have said go and get some food and fresh air if you hadn't said you needed to stay onsite. Bear in mind that they are unlikely to let you take food into the waiting area before the operation so plan accordingly.

I know you said you won't be able to read, but given you like current affairs, I find the bite size articles in Private Eye very digestible even when concentrating is otherwise hard. Stick it in your bag just in case you go screen-blind.

This might sound awful but when Dd had an operation as a baby, my then H and I went to the cinema. Watched something that didn’t need any brain power but it took our minds off it.

That was her second op. Her first op we were so exhausted we just went to sleep in the family accommodation (she was going to be in ICU after her op so we had somewhere with stay). I’d practically been away for a month so could have fallen asleep on a pin head.

Wishing you and DS all the best. For one child’s surgery I lay down on the provided camp bed and willed early contractions into stopping (emergency situation late at night) which was certainly distracting.
More recently with a planned surgery, I walked round the outside of the hospital building to get the first fresh air in a couple of days, got a coffee and a salad for lunch then went back to her bay to wait. (And read Georgette Heyer @CMOTDibbler Unknown Ajax to be precise) My brother is a doctor and reminded me that when a surgeon tells you it will take 2 hours, they mean their bit will take that long, the whole process could be longer and not to freak out if it does.

I'd be surprised if you are allowed to wait in the theatre area. All of our parents have to be escorted out as soon as the child is asleep. We send them for coffee and then tell them to come n back to the ward. Hope all goes well.

Definitely don’t stay in theatres. Go and get a coffee, and walk about a bit.

podcast-wise, “no such thing as a fish” and “my dad wrote a porno” are brilliant for light hearted distraction.

The French and Saunders podcast is good, I can't remember what it's called but they just chat away and you don't have to concentrate too hard.

When my DS was in surgery a few years ago I used the time to sew badges onto his cubs jumper.

Also make sure you get something to eat and drink during that time because when he comes round after it becomes a lot harder.

Watch married at first sight latest series on your phone. Or love is blind.

Make family photo albums from the pics on your phone

https://mouldinglife.com/67-lists-to-organize-your-life-and-boost-your-mood/

If you like making lists - there are lots more ideas on Pinterest.

The ‘Help I Sexted My Boss!’ Podcast is very funny (and rude!)

I like fantasy holiday planning, property hunting and the OU for designing my ideal degree (whenever I eventually get the time and money for any of the above!) if any of those suggestions appeal.

In a similar situation I made it a mission to try to get my steps for the day even if it's walking up and down corridors or stairs or doing laps that led to nowhere. Weirdly the counting helped.

Also second audiobooks, particularly something familiar. I listened to Enid Blyton and Little House on the Prairie books that I'd loved as a child and found them comforting.

I know you said you don't knit but crocheting granny squares is fairly simple to learn and nicely repetitive. Look up Woolly Hugs on here, they would be grateful for any squares that you made.

Maybe also download something like the Headspace app. And yes to things like online shopping, Christmas shopping, making lists etc.

I'm a fan of a puzzle book in these situations. Kriss kross puzzles are good because you don't actually need to think, you just need to concentrate. I once did crosswords when I was waiting for someone after surgery. I looked at the answers a few days later, I'd been putting random words that just happened to fit. I hadn't even realised I'd done it!

I'd also recommend putting a film or TV show on whilst puzzling. The double whammy helps. I have ADHD though, it's a tried and trusted method for me but may not work for everyone.

This. I play sudoku or solitaire games on my phone to destress. They’re just distracting enough but also pretty mindless iyswim.

I also second going for a walk.

Going through my phone and deleting the 15 photos I took of exactly the same thing would be another mindless task I would add to the list.

Preferably while listening to an audiobook - personally I'd go non fiction as I couldn't cope with the tension of fiction in those circumstances.

Also, if you have an ipad, look at the jigsaw planet site. 1,000’s of free jigsaws. You can change the number of pieces in the puzzle.

Sorry that's happening OP. Here's some stuff that has helped me when DD was quite ill.

Hope all goes well.

Another vote for leaving the hospital. I could not have just sat there while my dc had his surgeries. I went out and walked. Bought dinner I could not eat, so perhaps not that, but out is so much better than sitting.

Start a new game, something like fallout shelter, a bit like sims. You’d a lose hours on it/keep going without thinking. They might not let you stay in the bit of theatre where you drop him, you will more than likely be sent to wait on the ward if you don’t want to go to the coffee shop/walk etc

Wishing you and your DS all the best for Tuesday OP.

Not what you asked but I’ll always be grateful for the advice my friend gave me when my Dd went in for an operation at the hospital: be prepared to freak out a bit when your DS goes under anaesthetic. You’ll have been spending the morning being upbeat and helping you DS cope with waiting for the op. That moment when he goes under can be a bit of a shock if you’re not prepared for it. It’s nothing sinister but it’s just very strange when it happens and I was so grateful my friend prepared me for it.

You sound like you like the practical ideas, so if you have Christmas cards that need posting you could maybe sit and write those - if you can't bring yourself to write a cheery Christmas message inside, maybe you could write the addresses on the envelopes so that's one job done.
Good idea of going through your photos and deleting bad/ duplicates too. Good luck

Get a Rubik's cube?

Meal plan, in detail for 3 weeks including snacks and one meal a week that is something you have never tried, maybe Persian, Islandic or Kenyan - anything you do not normally eat.

Write a letter to yourself and to you son - you don't need to read them or hand one over, just put down how you are feeling.

Do you have to stay in the same area? If you don't then set yourself a treasure hunt of 10 different places to find eg
Chapel / Prayer room
Canteen
STI clinic
Chiropody

Plan your dream hose / home if you win the lottery.