My Tablet Is My New Favorite Tool To Mitigate The Challenges Of My Disability

When my dad texted me and asked if I wanted an iPad for a birthday gift I thought, "Sure! Why not?" I had never had a tablet before, but I thought it could use it for my "bed days." We don't have a TV in the bedroom because I suffer from alternating insomnia & hypersomnia. But, if I had a tablet I would be able to watch tv in bed when I'm feeling bad.

A couple of weeks went by and I received my iPad in the mail. I was super excited! I opened it up and my dad had even had, "Hope your tummy feels better," inscribed on the back.  It was an old joke from my high school days when I had intractable nausea and abominable pain. Every morning he would drop me off at school, lean out the window and shout, "Hope your tummy feels better!" He did this because he knew I thought it was funny.

I decided to get one of those hard cases with a kickstand and a strap for your hand in the back. That way I wouldn't have to stretch my fingers too far to hold it and I could move it around because I'm a fidgety person.  I also downloaded the Hulu & Netflix app. And, since I've finished college, I really wanted to get back into reading regularly. But, I've regularly encountered issues with this.

1. Books are expensive and I hate spending $15 on something I'll finish in a few days. 
2. That's a lot of wasted paper and storage space
3.  I'm unable to drive back and forth regularly from either a bookstore or a library. 

So, I went to our local library, got a membership and they helped me get set up with the Overdrive app. With the Overdrive app, you can check out both e-books and audiobooks electronically through your local branch. It's free and you just return them when you're done. Success! No wasted money, paper, space, or driving time!

Now, it was time for the real challenge. I was scheduled for knee surgery and I'd have to spend some days in bed recovering. 

The knee surgery went well. And, I couldn't be more pleased with the iPad. I was able to watch TV and browse my social media on it. I finished two books in a week using the Overdrive app.  I was able to video chat my wife. And, I was able to get work done too! Usually I would have had to bring my laptop into bed with me, but I just kept my iPad mini on my side table. 

I was able to keep boredom at bay so I could heal and I was still able to be productive while doing so. I've got another knee surgery coming up, so I'm glad I received such a thoughtful & practical gift for my birthday!