When I get ill, like I was for the last bit, I tend to take refuge in books.
I’ve gone through a lot of shit in my life. Yes, I know there are others that have had it worse, and that doesn’t invalidate either my struggle or theirs.
For me, reading has always been an escape. I can barely remember a time where I wasn’t reading.
With ear infections, I can’t really move too much, so I was able to retreat into books. They didn’t get rid of my pain, but they helped me to distract myself from it.
This also helps me write. That there are other word-wizards out there who do amazing things, that keeps me going when I just want to quit and give the hell up. Which, when you have to balance as many plates spinning as I do, can be something that pops into your mind regularly. Because there are just not enough hours in a day to get everything that needs to be done done.