Monday, April 16, 2007

strangely enough

Ever since I came home from the hospital, I’ve found that I’ve been completely unable to watch television. Turning it on makes me panic. Hearing it from across the hall hurts my ears. I’m sure it’s because when I was pregnant, I spent so many hours stretched out on the couch, flipping through channels, eating saltines, drinking ginger ale, and hoping I wouldn’t throw up.

It’s certainly not the worst aversion to have developed. And it’s not as though there’s anything that I particularly want to watch. But it’s strange and a little frightening to realize that something so ordinary has become the focus of my fears.

9 comments:

S said...

Classical conditioning, wouldn't you say?

Julia said...

My husband would probably not mind if that was the reaction I developed. I still sit on the very same couch with my laptop a lot of the time. I do watch a lot less TV, but I am not averse. I think I sometimes use it as an escape device-- somewhere to park my brain for a bit. But that only means I am using it for its intended purpose, no?

Sara said...

The television reminds me of being in the hospital, but since that was over New Years there was lots to watch. Now there's nothing.

It's funny - I used to play Tetris alot when I was depressed as a teenager, and now, if I play Tetris, I begin to feel depressed.

I say there's no harm in avoiding the TV.

Suz said...

Don't have a problem with TV...kinda wish I did as we watch a little too much of it.

Since I came home, it's been sheets. I literally had these weird friction-burns from the overly starched hospital sheets and now I can't stand anything that's not super, super soft and comfortable. It's an expensive aversion to have...

Anonymous said...

I've put this on my blog, but we played Yo-Yo Ma's Bach cello sonatas over and over again during my labor. Can't stand them now.

Lori said...

Yeah, unfortunately TV was definitely my escape for a long time. I was so tired all the time that it was the one thing that required minimal energy, and didn't ask anything of me.

A really odd aversion I have had since losing my twins is any interest in reading fiction. I read all the time but only non-fiction stuff. I have finally broken through that barrier in the last 6 months or so, but for the longest time I couldn't bring myself to pick up and read any sort of fiction. Weird huh?

niobe said...

lori That's funny. I've developed an aversion to reading fiction too, though I can't blame it on the loss of the twins, since I had it during my pregnancy as well.

Ruby said...

I rarely watch it either.

While my entire last pregnancy was on complete bed rest, I didn't watch it for about a year after.

Now I do, but not much. Once a week for a few months of '24' When the season ends so does my interest in the tube.

Unfortunately, thats not true for the rest of my household who loves the thing.

Katie said...

For me, the aversion is specialty coffee (Mocha Frappuccinos, mostly). I know it's because I used to get one quite regularly on my way home from sitting with Piglet in the NICU. Now, even the smell of it can make me nauseous.

Unfortunately, television became a major escapism tactic for me.