By Vaishnavi Shukla

When you come back home from the hospital, you’d expect everything to be cheerful and clean. That is what will make your recovery better and would put you in a good mood. After the whole lot of medicines and injections, and more to come, apparently; the environment where you live makes a lot of difference. It is not just about the hygiene, but it is also about going back to leading the life that got suddenly disrupted. There are many things that can be done to bring life to the place and the mood. I know that the list can be very limited and you won’t be allowed to probably go out and spend time in outdoor activities, but there are things that can be done at home. 

• Open the windows and let fresh air in
• Have a few houseplants to brighten up the place, but clean them every 3 days
• Bring in a set of books to read
• Keep some colouring material in the house 
• Play the radio in the background in the morning
• Stock up your laptop with good movies
• Use online streaming for watching movies and sitcoms
• Play cards with other family members
• Keep some board games handy, to pass the time
• Engage in some household task, like doing laundry
• Keep a diary to write in everyday

It does not sound easy, to go back to normal. It takes time. But start slowly so that the process is enjoyable and not stressful. The ‘normal’ will change, obviously. But just make sure you keep yourself busy so that you can get out of it. And your home is what will help you. Think of other things that may not be in this list, but can be done to improve the recovery process. And do it.