I volunteerd at first. Tried to improve my typing speed.by testing it dailey and practicing every day for a set amount of time. I set goals as if I was working. Worked at teaching myself chess and playinhg on of those on line site. That was interesting. I did a learn spanish online, again setting a goal with I time I would work at that stuff and for how long as if it were a job. I even made a time sheet in excel. After a while it didn't matter so much. Now I watch the view, listen to progresive radio in the afternoon and then watch evening TV. And type a lot of replies on message MS message board.

I really had fun learning chess it has always been something I wanted to understand. I won't ever be a chessmaster though :(

http://www.chesskids.com/lessons04.shtml

I know what you mean about volunteering during a time of high unemployment. There are a lot of able body people lookiong for something to deo and see volunteering as a chance to make contacts. Plus when I say I have MS and I'm looking for something to do--its like I would be a target to volunteer activities not a volunteer of..

There are always voluntineer oportunities to help collect-generate donations & I believe there is quite a bit in politics too. I havn't run into a politics one yet, just request for donations from me and college kids making the request and doing the rest.

Its the same situation you had as a kid.

when you have the time you don't have the $
and when you have the $ you don't have the time :-(

Having a big yard, I am able to do a little each day.
I know your feeling of despair, I was like you and hated being out of work after a while. I felt usless because I was not able to do what I use to beable to accomplish.
So I do yard work, gardening, raking, taking apart a beaver damn every few days with my friends.
I feel if I am in pain at the end of the day then I have done something.

I relate completely! I haven't been able to work since 2008, and being so young I feel like my prime was stolen from me! But to feel accomplishment and like I have earning power, I paint, draw, and write novels and poetry. I create. I just make things and at the end of the day I honestly feel like I've done something. This might be an illusion, but hey, we have to take the small victories right? HUGS

i feel the same way as many of you. for me, before ms i loved to write...but unfortunately MS took that, too. I'm still looking for something. For right now I lose myself in different video games but it isn't very useful or fulfilling.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do just yet.

I feel you on this, Carolina. I think that right now is a bad time for so much, and not having a job and looking for something to do is not reserved for the disabled, there are so many out there looking to get back into the workplace through other avenues, that we are not at the too of the heap, there are some really dynamic and full-of-energy people out there who are volunterring, as Lynn mentioned, to make connections and use it as a spring board for other things.

I have had to start to adjust the way I see "productive." I am cleaning out my apartment and my life, at the same time. So I am seeing that as productive. I live by myself now,k so it is just me and the cats who will enjoy a great new decorating scheme, but that's okay. I will feel more comfortable, and that is productive in my new world.

I have tried to start to do some of the things I "never had time" for. I looked up all the free days for every museum and have started going. Kind of tiring, but great air conditioning, and I can go for as long as I like, sit and rest, come back the next week, The thing is that I have decided that there is no reason not to keep gaining knowledge and improving myself. I still may have alot ahead of me that I don't know about yet.

I am just trying to keep going, keep busy, and also to learn to give myself permission to not do anything on days when i really can't. It is a big adjusment, I was always working, or on the phone about work, many of my friends and much of my social life revolved around my work. It is just starting to sink in, it's been a little over a year for me.

I kind of feel like because I am on disability, I should be disabled, if that makes sense. There are so many things that together make me not able to do my job, but there are also things which individually, make me still able to do alot. So I am focusing on the things i can do, and starting to realize that I do not have to quit. I am trying to start looking at it like I did work for so long, I just got up and had to go, I somehow dragged myself in and got it done. So now i am trying to make myself do things every day, have a goal, even if it is just small, but I write it down and get it done. The great thing is that I will be able to sleep in the next day if I get too worn out., I think about how many times I went ot work and felt like I would never make it thtrought the day, fell asleep on my desk for an hour at closing time before I di any cash stuff, and I fee like, okay, can just push myself half as muc hand be okay. And not fee llike I am just sitting around and doing nothing.

Thank you all for your replies. Even though Ive been crying all morning, Im beginning to feel a little bit of hope that i can get though this. Such a hard road, thank goodness for people who understand like this board :)

good luck caroline...I hope something comes along that catches your interest and will occupy some of your time...

I was a telephone repairman when I got dx'd. I never complain about my life cuz I know there are millions who are worse off than me. It's just that MS has taken away everything! I've never cried actual tears due to my MS but my soul has been crying nonstop since 2005 :-( They say MS isn't a terminal disease and it isn't but it's like it killed the former me. My new life sux! The only hope I have is to die in my sleep somenight soon. I may still last a few more decade though. lol Until that night I will just try to hang in there and have some fun.
Don't hate me for being such a downer, I just wanna show Carolina how good she has got it. Hope is a beautiful thing.

Like all of us on this thread, I go through this too. It really hit me hard at first and still deal with some depression. I am at home all day by myself and started drinking alot, so looking for something different to do I came across some ideas. I can take a walk in an area of town or neighborhood I have wanted to see ( early or late when its not so hot out). I can go to a movie once a week. Ride a bike if I am up to it. I have started doing etched glass too, its cheap and easy and the supplies are at your craft store. I have been fixing lawn mowers and things for friends for free, just for something to do. My next thing is going to be stained glass.
Local craft stores ussually have small classes for free, and so do hardware stores like home depot. You may not want to change your light fixture or faucet but its free and something to do that day at their air conditioned store.
Good luck.......Feel better......

Hey Carolina girl! Your close neighbor here.....have you tried crossword puzzles...that's my escape for alot b/c I get so wrapped up in them. Any gardening would be wonderful and another thing that I love is to weed my flower beds, I know it sounds crazy but it calms me down and lets my mind relax and not think about how bad things really could be. You know I'm pretty close to ya, so when you need a friend for dinner or anything, just let me know. I sure hope you feel better.

Setting goals really helps me, and the ever-present "to do" list is critical. If your vision is good, reading is a wonderful past-time. Get your library card out & visit the library. While there, see if they need any volunteers to put books away or read to kids during story time.

I like to scrapbook too. Nothing fancy; I don't have the $ to buy all the scrapbook goodies, so I improvise. So fun to go through old pics and put them on pages and write down memories of things we did.

If you like animals, the local animal shelter LOVES to have volunteers come and clean and feed the animals, walk the dogs, etc, Feels so good to comfort a little pup or kitten trying to adjust to their new strange surroundings.

If you are anywhere near a community college, they offer lots of classes, either credit courses or fun classes. Often, the fun classes are very low cost or even free.

Even if you are not religious, you can visit a church and get to know a few ladies. Most every church has a ladies group that meets regularly and they usually do crafts or make things for kids or nursing home residents. I used to belong to the altar guild and would help set up communion trays and arrange flowers.

Get out of the house every day if you can and explore, meet your neighbors, walk somewhere new, etc. This life is an adjustment for you, but I know you will find something you like and soon you will be busy as can be.

Good luck hon, will be thinking of you.