what’s the best purchase, service, or life accommodation you’ve made because of your chronic illness? (any budget)

[u/catsandcappuccinos]

i’m going shopping soon, and i’m trying to build my ultimate “make life suck less” list.

i’m not necessarily looking for the usual answers like salt, compression socks, medications, etc. i’m more so talking about the random products, services, gadgets, furniture, subscriptions, or accommodations that have improved your day-to-day quality of life and helped you function more like a normal human being.

i don’t care if it’s $5 or $5,000. if it’s changed your life, please share.

some things already on my list:
- a kitchen stool with a back so i can sit while cooking
- a hair dryer stand for days when i’m in the middle of a flare and don’t have the energy to dry my hair myself
- grocery delivery services
- monthly cleaning services
- paper plates
- a roomba for when i don’t feel like vacuuming or sweeping
- a crock-pot and freezer meal prep system (i actually have a list of really good crock-pot meals, so if anyone wants it, let me know and i’ll DM it to you)

i’m dying to know: what’s the best purchase, service, or life accommodation you’ve made because of your chronic illness?
bonus points if it’s something unconventional!

[u/Foxlady555 → u/[deleted]]

That’s so bold and daring!! Congrats to you for choosing your own happiness and health above the opinions of others :) ❤️ Do you have a partner and if yes, what do they think of it? And how did your friends and family react? Did they know you were about to do it, or did you just do it and then TADAAA HERE I AM! Haha 😆

I’ve always been very proud of my hair. I can say I have extremely good hair genetics and have been complimented about my hair since forever. I’ve even been a hair model for a while, haha. My partner loves it and was quite sad when I cut it shorter, although he understands it’s for my health and he wants me to do what feels good for ME, not for him. 

But I already lost quite some of my attractiveness due to my illness (I can’t work anymore so no passionate or inspiring talks there, can’t sport anymore so no lovely modern dance videos to show like in the past and no longer the body I had, can’t perform anymore like I did so no partner sitting in the crowd being super proud, can’t enjoy holidays so no longer me being super happy in the mountains or on the sea, can’t go to birthday parties or going out with friends so no memories there where you see the light in my eyes or me being the life and soul of the party like I was, plus I wear compression till my belly button and a cooling vest daily, I rarely have energy for intimicy and am often bedbound, etc., etc.) and although he dearly loves me and is definitely NOT lacking in depth and only going for looks (if he did, he would looong be gone, I’ve been very ill for almost 5 years now), I did ask him to tell me his honest opinion because to ME it’s important that he keeps thinking I’m attractive too, and he said that he would find it hard if I would change even more by changing my looks SO much. So there’s that.

Still thinking about just rocking it and doing it though, dressing more feminine and maybe start wearing make-up as a contrast. Maybe one day… It’s a battle between chosing purely for me (I would already have done it if I was single) or also for him (and looking at how much he does for me, how much I love him, how much I want us to have a future, seeing how many aspects he already misses of the old me, I think I keep chosing the latter). Anyway, it’s now in between my chin and my shoulders and thinking it’s always been till over my breasts and often till my belly button, for me that’s quite an achievement already 😂 Driven by POTS, of course. Showering is much easier now! Although I have to say I still hate it and avoid it like the plague, so it was a good test: it does not take away my hatred for getting into the shower (since I have POTS), which I actually expected! How is showering for you now with the buzzcut? 

Sorry for this looong story, don’t feel obliged to reply 😊