Bits, Bobs and Books

3rd Jun 2022 memyselfandchronicillnessLeave a comment

Wow, it has been a hectic illness driven month I have to say. So much so I wasn’t able to blog last week as planned, and to be honest I didn’t think I was going to be able to this week either. But, here I am.

Let me start with a few bits and bobs health wise. The last few weeks really have been a domino effect of one set of symptoms setting off another, and one condition flaring the second another stops. It has prevented me really being able to get online and in all honesty blogging seemed like a far flung dream. Of course this is as always the nature of living with multiple chronic illnesses, and I won’t bore myself or anyone else on the difficulty of living with so many conditions. Not today anyway! 😉 (If you are interested however, here is a previous blog post I wrote on The Difficulty of Living with Multiple Chronic Illnesses – My Top 5 Dilemmas here).

Instead today I want to focus on something outside of feeling so rubbish, and what better way than to talk about some of the books I have read so far in 2022. Reading is a great form of escapism for me, although at times certain symptoms can make the actual act of reading extremely challenging and at times impossible. With that said, I am proud to be a book worm and am always on the look out to add books to my TBR list even if it does take a small age to actually read them.

So let’s take a look at some of the books I have read in 2022 so far…

The Perfect Guests – Emma Rous

I actually read The Perfect Guests quite early on in the year and have to say it was a fantastic book to kick start the year ahead. What first attracted me to this book was the book description about it being set on a murder mystery night – which as an Agatha Christie fan has always been something I would love to do. Whilst part of the book is around this set-up, it also jumps between the past and the present which I personally love. FYI my fellow chronic illness people – you may want to read on more energy filled days so as not to lose your way on the whole host of twists and turns you will encounter. In addition to the rollercoaster of events the setting of the mysterious Raven Hall Manor fits the book perfectly.

Ideal for thriller lovers and fanatics of twists and big reveals. For me this book is a 5 ⭐ read all day long.

The Baby Group – Caroline Corcoran

I have to confess this is another thriller style book – can you guess this may be one of my favourite genres? However, whilst The Perfect Guests was a mix mash of time lines, The Baby Group couldn’t be any more modern day life inspired. Without giving any spoilers, The Baby Group is about a group of friends who you may have guessed already, have met through a new mothers group, whereby one of the women has had a video from her past leaked to everyone she knows – but who is behind it?

What I liked about this book is all the modern day references from the impact of social media to the importance people put on how they appear to others. The book has you guessing throughout with regards to who is behind the scandal and who you can really trust, and the ending is brilliant. I did struggle at times with the style of the writing, but that is personal preference and I would still recommend. I give this book a solid 3.5 ⭐.

Strangers on a Train – Patricia Highsmith

We have moved a bit old school now with this next book read, focusing on a classic. I first became aware of Strangers on a Train via the Alfred Hitchcock film, however the book by Patricia Highsmith (which may I add was written first) is filled with differences. Slight spoiler – The plot is quite a simple one – two strangers meet on a train, each of them have someone in their lives who let’s say they could do without. A suggestion is made that they could help each other out by bumping off each others ‘problem’ person without worrying about alibis or motives. A throw away plan until one of them does just that.

This book is such a mixed bag for me because I actually love the idea behind the plot. The first half of the book is engaging and I was really keen to see where this plan by two strangers was going to lead. Then the second half of the book happened and my desire to keep reading waned. I think a big part of this was I didn’t gel to any of the characters and it seemed to drag on with not a lot actually going on. The style of writing was also quite hard for my fatigue addled brain to comprehend at times, but hey it is a classic.

For me, I would rate this book a 4 ⭐ read for the idea itself, however I wouldn’t be in a rush to read it again.

New Beginnings at Rose Cottage – Erin Green

Ok, ok I am going to move away from thrillers and suspense and move to romance, chick lit. I have actually written about this book before and I am going to write about it again because I LOVE it. This book installs such hope for me in times when I feel I am lacking because there is just an overwhelming sense that things can get better.

Set in Brixham, Devon this book is about three solo holiday makers sharing a holiday cottage who each have their own stories and struggles back home, yet come together and build a beautiful friendship and re-discovery of their own lives. The characters are lovable, the setting is picturesque, and the story is beautifully packed with simplistic moments of pure joy. There are many moments in this book which I can sympathise with in my own life which is maybe what makes it so poignant for me , alongside moments of fun, laughter and lots of ice cream!

No doubt one of my favourite books of all time, so I have no choice but to give it a 5 ⭐ review.

Here we have it a few reviews of some of the books I have read so far in 2022. What books are you currently reading/listening to or have read/listened to this year? Are reading book reviews something you enjoy, if so let me know as I would love to do more in the future.

Sarah xx

Chronic Illness · Gifts · Haul · Hobbies

Chronic Illness Friendly Gifts Haul (Pt 2)

6th Jan 2022 memyselfandchronicillness11 Comments

Happy 2022 Everyone!! I hope you are doing well and have had at the very least a relaxing festive period. Here we are back again for another new year and hopefully with lots of happiness on the horizon.

To kick start Me, Myself and Chronic Illness blog for the year, I thought I would follow what I did for my first post of 2021 and that is a chronic illness gift haul. For anyone who isn’t aware, hauls are something I have seen YouTubers do whereby they share what gifts they had for Christmas – but my version of course is sprinkled with some chronic illness cheer. If you would like to read what I got last year check out my first chronic illness gift haul here.

Before I begin I would like to re-mention what I said last time – gifts are not about expense they are about thought and therefore are personal to the individual. I would also like to say that like with anything you read, you should always check with your doctor first about trying any new product, our bodies are all different and as a result what is helpful to one person may be completely inappropriate for another.

Items to keep me warm

I actually used this header last year and that is because I am often gifted items to keep me warm due to being so cold! This last year I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s which as a result leaves me with incredibly cold hands and feet. With this in mind for Christmas I received multiple items to keep my feet toasty including fluffy socks, slipper boots, slipper boot socks (I guess a mix between a boot and a sock) and probably the best invention ever for a cold cat like me – an electronic foot warmer. Let’s just say when the feet go in they do not want to come out!

Other items to keep me warm included pyjamas and a long hot water bottle – ideal for putting in my bed.

Items to keep me entertained

As we know chronic illness life can be a merry go round at the best of times, so it is really important to find things to distract ourselves. I am an avid book reader when my illnesses allow, so I was thrilled to receive a few books including one detailing the life of my favourite artist.

Last year I also discovered my love for cross stitch (I say it like it was an immediate love, but in all honesty it took me several goes to start enjoying it) and again this is often energy and symptom dependent, but when I can do it, it brings me completely in the zone. For Christmas I received some lovely cross stitch kits and patterns to enjoy at my own pace, as well as a lovely craft box to hold all my bits and bobs in.

A Weighted Blanket

I have been umming and arrghing for a long while about getting a weighted blanket, and read various reviews on whether they are good for chronic illness or not. I know some people find them really relaxing whereas others have found them painful for their bodies, so it has definitely been a mixed bag of opinions. Let’s just say I think this really is probably a product based on individual preferences.

I have yet to use my blanket, but I am really happy with getting the opportunity to use this product. It may not be the best for my Fibromyalgia, but I am really keen to see if it makes a difference with my anxiety and comfort levels – and who knows perhaps my Tourette’s? Either way I am really excited to find out and report back.

Sunglasses

Since my diagnosis of UCTD being in the sun has become a prevalent issue for me as has protecting my eyes from any harmful lights. Being gifted a proper pair of UV protection sunglasses is not only a thoughtful gift, but a necessary one.

Other Items

Diary – Great to keep track of my appointments, blood tests and medication ordering
Money – Always a much needed gift when living a chronic illness life
Make-up/Clothing – To make me feel like a functioning human being even if at times I am far from it

All the gifts I received last Christmas (I almost fell into the trap and put this year) are gifts I am incredibly grateful for because they are gifts which aid in helping me manage my symptoms whilst also factoring in I am more than chronic illnesses.

Gifts aren’t about expense or quantity, nevertheless I wanted to show a realistic haul representing a life like mine and that could give ideas which may be of benefit in the future.

How did your festive season turn out? Are there any chronic illness friendly gifts you received that would benefit others? If you would like to share I would love to hear them in the comments.

Here’s to a fab 2022 for us all 💕

Sarah xx

Activities · Chronic Illness · Hobbies · Mental Health · Online · Tips

Interactive Online Activities – My Top Picks

7th Oct 2021 memyselfandchronicillness4 Comments

Life for a chronically ill/disabled person can be extremely lonely, especially if you are like myself and spend the majority of your life at home, stuck indoors. Of course the last 18 months or so, the world has become more accessible online with many an activity just a few clicks of a button or touch screen away.

The thing is whilst the world may be opening back up to various degrees, for many of of us who are chronically ill/disabled, nothing changes. Outdoor socialising isn’t an easy feat, and a lot of the time isn’t practical due to symptoms and trying to stay safe in current times.

In one of my posts a few weeks ago, I touched upon the use of interactive online activities as a source of meeting new people and staying connected and today I wanted to share my top activities to do online.

Before we continue though I have to say since deciding to write this blog post a few weeks ago, I am rather disappointed to see how many activities which were online through lockdown, have been dramatically dropped and replaced in favour of real-life meets. Yet again that chance to make the world more accessible seems to have missed it’s mark and as a result chronically ill/disabled people are missing out.

Nevertheless, there are online activities out there – they just take some finding and a lot of patience! As well as some basic online searches I would also recommend looking through your local libraries, (I am really happy to see that my local one has kept up it’s online groups to support the most vulnerable in the community), and through resources such as EventBrite. If there are any online things you were part of before, or were something you would of be interested in, that have now disappeared – why not reach out and ask why? Whether they get them up and running again is one thing, but at least you can make them think about accessibility and the importance for everyone to be included.

Online Activity 1 – Support Groups

Depending on your specific condition and the advice you have access to, you may find specific charities or online communities now run online zoom support groups. This can be a great way to connect with people who have the same or similar conditions as you, and provide a network of people experiencing the same struggles (and of course triumphs).

If a group scenario is not your thing, remember there may always be an option of 1:1 sessions, or if you need support with your mental health online professional counselling could be a great alternative.

If you can’t find support groups in your specific condition, you could always reach out to charities directly and ask if they offer such services, or know of anywhere else that does. Still no luck? Why not reach out to others on social media who you may have made connections with and see if it would be something they would be interested in. It doesn’t even need to be in a speaking capacity – it could simply be making a time when you are online at the same time to swap messages and make meaningful connections. Please remember though never give out your personal details to strangers – even ones that appear friendly on the surface!

Online Activity 2 – Hobby Based Groups

We all have a hobby of some sorts no matter how obscure it may seem, and now with the use of online communications you can take part in them from the comfort of your own home, with some much appreciated company and helpful tips. Hobby groups can include:

Book clubs
Photography
Crafting
Gardening
Singing (with the sound off if preferred!) etc…

Online Activity 3 – Presentations, Lectures and Talks

Now I know that sitting and listening to somebody talking is a sure fire way of having some level of fatigue, but if it is something that interests you it may be more tolerable. Watching real-time lectures and talks can actually be a really good way of feeling connected especially if there is a way of asking questions at the end.

If it is too much however, remember that most of these things are recorded for you to view at a later date which would be more convenient in line with your symptoms and energy levels.

Talks could be about a variety of different topics including:

Travel – Discovering new places around the world from your sofa
Art – If you are an art fan like myself there are many online events/lectures provided through art gallery websites around a certain theme or painting
Disability/Chronic Illness
Study/Career Focused

Online Activity 4 – Quizzing

I am not much of a quizzer, but I do think quizzing is a great way of keeping our minds active and can be a great source of interaction. This can take place in the form of online board games playing against others, interactive pub quizzes or holiday themed challenges.

Online Activity 5 – Meditation/Mindfulness

Although meditation and mindfulness are very much solo events, you may find being in an -albeit quiet – group beneficial. This is because it can help to give you focus and motivation which you may lack trying to do it on your own. It can be especially helpful if the sessions are guided as it will help to focus the mind more easily and perhaps encourage discussion afterwards.

Here we have it my top picks for online interactive activities. On a slightly separate note I wanted to point out as an introvert, I really struggle engaging with others because of certain personality traits. This is only made harder by my chronic illnesses and the symptoms they bring. However the beauty of online engagement is I can be as present as I choose to be. Being online you can pick events that match your individual preferences with little interaction, you can turn off the audio or the picture if you don’t want to participate, and to be quite frank you can exit stage left if it gets too much. The point is it is an option if you need one.

What online activities do you like to participate in? Are they certain ones you would like to do, but haven’t found? Are there ones you would like to recommend or maybe you run an online group yourself and would like to share some details? Chronic friendly ideas would be much appreciated.

Sarah xx

Activities · Chronic Illness · Hobbies · Music · Songs

Songs/Song Titles That Reflect Chronic Illness

23rd Sep 202125th Nov 2021 memyselfandchronicillness5 Comments

Hi Everyone – this week I thought we would have a bit of fun, so a few weeks ago I asked people on my social media to name a song or song title which reflected their life with chronic illness.

I had some great answers which I have shared below with some of my own. We have a combination of light-hearted picks alongside ones with more meaning. Some ballads, some upbeat and some a little of something in-between.

Remember some of the picks have been influenced by the title of the song, others the meaning behind the song itself.

Songs/Song Titles

Annie Lennox – A Thousand Beautiful Things
Avril Lavigne – Warrior
Bon Jovi – It’s My Life
Chumbawamba – I get knocked down, but I get up again (Tubthumping)
Daniel Bedingfield – Gotta Get Thru This
D:ream – Things Can Only Get Better
Elton John – I’m Still Standing
Faithless – Insomnia
Foreigner – Cold as Ice
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Goo Goo Dolls – Best of Me
Imagine Dragons – Believer
Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

Katy Perry – Roar
Labi Siffre – Something Inside So Strong
Lady Gaga – Million Reasons
Leslie Moslier – Get Better
Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
Queen – I Want to Break Free
Rachel Platten – Fight Song
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Can’t Stop (dedicated to my Tourette tics)
Rob Thomas – Her Diamonds
Taylor Swift – Out of the Woods
The Beatles – I’m So Tired
The Cranberries – Zombie
Tom Petty – You Don’t Know How It Feels

Did you enjoy the picks? Are there any you would add to the list? If so, leave a comment and I will add them to the list.

Sarah xx

Activities · Art · Chronic Illness · Hobbies · Mental Health · Tattoos

My Favourite Tattoo Ideas to Represent Chronic Illness

25th Jun 2021 memyselfandchronicillness5 Comments

We are in that week of the month where we focus on a chronic illness theme and I have decided that this month I am going to focus on a hobby: Tattoos. Technically tattoos may not be considered a hobby, but designing them and researching them very much can be.

Disclaimer – You should always check with your doctor before getting a tattoo to ensure it is appropriate for you and your conditions – remember everyone is different, so you shouldn’t assume because someone with your condition has had one and was fine, that you will be the same.

It’s important to note at this stage, that not all people are able to get tattoos, or want them even, and in some cases certain conditions may not tolerate tattoos full stop. If you are one of these people don’t be disheartened, tattoos can still give you inspiration in terms of pictures to create, or cute symbols to wear in the form of jewellery and clothing, and even crafting ideas.

If you are someone who can have a tattoo remember to always do your research first, check with your doctor to see if you are able to get one, think about size in order to minimalize pain etc. (tiny tattoos are very in style these days and are great if you want them covered up easily), and always make sure you visit an artist with an excellent reputation and with all the relevant hygiene procedures in place. This is extremely important as tattoos can cause infections if not performed in hygienic environments with professional tattooists.

I personally have two tattoos – the first before I became ill and the second a few years into my illnesses. Both represent things important to me with the second being representative of my chronic illness life. You wouldn’t know it to look at it, but I know it which makes it that much more special. Several years down the line and a few more chronic condition onto the list, I would one day like to get another one to represent where I am with it all now, (although I would need to check first if it is advisable with my newer conditions), and so the list of my favourite chronic illness symbols was formed…

1. The Sun – The sun is something that always puts a smile on people’s faces. It also represents coming out of the dark into the light, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

2. A Wave – This sounded a bit strange to me at first, but a wave is a symbol of the ocean which automatically represents a level of tranquillity for me and happier memories. The ocean also conjures images of movement and therefore life moving on no matter what.

3. An Anchor – Sticking with the water theme, anchor tattoos can be extremely dainty and cute, yet have a powerful message behind them. They can symbolise stability and strength, a great reminder of those things that keep us anchored in our lives.

4. Quotes – As a lover of the written word, I can often find words bring more meaning to me than pictures, and I am a big fan of a cliché positive statement or quote. Quotes can be generic chronic illness phrases that represent hope or strength, or they can be something completely personal to you from within your own family – it doesn’t matter as long as it is relevant to you and your journey.

Photo by Lucas Guimaru00e3es on Pexels.com

5. A Compass – A compass spoke to my mental health struggles as it symbolises going in the right direction and something to aid me in never feeling lost. It also represents travel and journeys which let’s face it with chronic illness and/or mental health is definitely an eventful one.

6. Awareness Related – For those of us who want to wear our conditions with pride specific awareness tattoos are a must. These can be used in a variety of formats from the spelling of your condition, to awareness ribbons in the colour of your specific illness, to condition related symbols e.g. butterflies/zebras

7. Butterflies/Wings – So speaking of butterflies.. I actually think butterflies in general are a lovely idea regardless of whether they represent your specific chronic illness or not. Butterflies can represent freedom and transformation, whereas wings can indicate a need to release yourself from whatever holds you back and be free.

8. An Arrow – For me an arrow represents moving forward, and can be a great tattoo to have independently or as part of another design. Chronic illness may be a regular companion in our lives, but it is so important to look to the future regardless and have hope for what is to come.

9. A Lion – There are so many animal tattoos you can get to acknowledge strength, but for me nothing says it more than a lion. Not only does it indicate strength but courage too. Courage to keep going day after day regardless of what we face.

10. An Ampersand – The ampersand is the ‘and’ symbol on your keyboard. To begin with this may seem strange, but to me the meaning is so fitting. When we use an ampersand in writing we are saying ‘it isn’t the end’ and that ‘there is more’ – chronic illness is not the end and there is a hell of a lot more to me than illnesses and it is about time people realised that!

Here we have it my top tattoo (or creative pictures/symbol for clothing/jewellery/crafting) ideas. Which would you pick to represent your life with chronic illness? What designs do you have?

Sarah xx

Activities · Chronic Illness · Hobbies · Poetry

A Poem To Those Who Knew Me Before

26th Mar 20219th Apr 2021 memyselfandchronicillness5 Comments

I have come slightly late to the party, but the 21st of March was World Poetry Day.

Poetry can be a great tool for many people to express themselves, and as a lover of the written word I can see why. Not only that, poetry can help you release your creativity, send powerful messages that you may otherwise find difficult to say, and allow you to enter a zone of mindfulness where you focus your attention on one thing. All of which are great aids for people with chronic illness.

So, with this in mind I thought I would try my hand at a spot of poetry myself to celebrate (a rather belated) World Poetry Day.

I am going to put it out there straight away – I am no poet and I admire anyone who makes this seem easy because it really wasn’t. Even so I hope you enjoy xx

My poem is: To Those Who Knew Me Before.

You say I am not ill

Although I know I am

You say it’s in my head

Like it’s all one big scam

You are free, You can live

You don’t have to worry

I am forever changed

With this beast inside my body

Things have changed between us

no-one is to blame

We are on different paths

Nothing stays the same

You don’t get to judge me

Because you do not understand

This is chronic illness

This was never in my plan

Life is for me now

At a slower pace

With some days only managing

To just about wash my face

I am me, but I am not

A contradiction it may seem

I wish I could explain it

I wish it was a dream

I hope one day it changes

I hope one day I’m free

But even if it does

The scars of chronic illness will forever impact me

Activities · Art · Hobbies

Hobby Piece – National Gallery of Ireland

19th Mar 2021 memyselfandchronicillness3 Comments

In celebration of St. Patrick’s day this week, I thought I would share with you one of my hobbies and one of my favourite places ever – art galleries or to be more specific the National Gallery of Ireland.

Before I start talking about the gallery itself, I have to tell you about my love for Ireland. Personally for me, Ireland is not only a place of beauty, a treasure chest of discoveries, but it is home to some of the friendliest people I have ever met.

The National Gallery of Ireland has a special place in my heart because it was the first gallery I had ever been to which actually made me fall in love with art. Living with multiple chronic illnesses I find it hard to switch off and truly relax and divulge myself in actual mindfulness, but the National Gallery made me do just that. It was the first place in the outside world to really make me stop and engage with something other than how unwell I felt, because let’s face it when you are out and about it is hard not to let the pain and fatigue consume you.

I have been to the gallery on three occasions – one of which was to see the Vermeer exhibition – and the most recent visit being after the revamp in 2017 which sadly I was unable to finish seeing all the way through due to time constraints. Unfortunately my health has taken a battering in the years since, but my goal is to go back and see EVERYTHING (although maybe over a few days – to make sure it isn’t too much for my body in one go!).

The Gallery Itself

The National Gallery of Ireland is in Dublin, and is home to Irish and European paintings and sculptures as well as paper prints, drawings, photographs and watercolours. It was founded in 1854 and has over 16,300 artworks.

My favourite pieces (the ones I have seen at some point) include:

Caravaggio – The Taking of Christ – This painting purely blew me away, so much so I have my own print copy. This painting is a depiction of when Judas betrays Christ, and the figure at the back is thought to be Caravaggio himself. I love the play of dark and light contrasts in this piece and the hidden meanings throughout.

Johannes Vermeer – Woman Writing a Letter, with her Maid – Vermeer is no doubt, one of my favourite artists and this was only confirmed in my visit to the Vermeer exhibition many moons ago. Again this painting exudes light focusing on the figures of the woman and her maid as well as discarded items on the floor. I love the mystery of this piece as you don’t know who the women is writing too, but can assume it is a love interest.

My Vermeer Exhibition book and My National Gallery of Ireland Companion Guide

George Barret – View of Powerscourt Waterfall – It would be rather rude to talk about an Irish gallery and not mention an Irish artist and scene. This piece focuses on the natural scene of the tallest waterfall in Ireland and is truly beautiful. I love how the power of the waterfall jumps out at you through the trees, yet still makes for a peaceful scene.

Murillo – The Prodigal Son series – There is actually six paintings in this collection by Murillo which tells the story of the prodigal son. I love this idea of having separate paintings to tell one story and first discovered this on the gallery’s online exhibition. I also love the use of colour in Murillo’s work which I also enjoyed in his ‘The Holy Family’ piece.

James Arthur O’Connor – A Thunderstorm: The Frightened Wagoner – My final selection is of a thunderstorm scene which is packed with drama. One of my favourite things to examine in art is that of natural scenes and O’Connor has captured this magically. From the heavens opening to the bolt of lightening, the scared horses to the ferocious water under the bridge and the physical feeling that the trees are moving in front of your eyes – this piece catches nature in it’s rawness.

Accessibility in the Gallery

Although at the time of writing this the gallery is closed due to Covid – I thought it would be a great idea to share with you the levels of accessibility at the gallery in case you ever tempted to take a look yourself at some point.

The gallery has a wide range of resources available and has an excellent tool known as the accessibility map which outlines the provisions it makes for visitors with mobility issues, deaf or hard of hearing, blind or have low vision, and visitors with other disabilities. To view the map check out the gallery website.

For people unable to physically attend because of their chronic illnesses, the gallery has many resources online including podcasts, the online collection, online exhibitions and even pieces to practice mindfulness on.

I hope you enjoyed today’s hobby piece and it has been of interest to somebody somewhere. Either way I really enjoyed writing it because not everything is about illness and sometimes it is nice to remember that.

Chronic Illness · Gifts · Haul · Hobbies · Personal

Chronic Illness Friendly Gifts Haul

8th Jan 20216th Jan 2022 memyselfandchronicillness3 Comments

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to my first blog post of the year. I can’t believe we are in 2021 already, but I am excited to be back blogging and have many ideas for the months ahead.

Over the festive period I watched a lot of YouTube videos and noticed that a lot of YouTubers and influencers do videos about what they got for Christmas, so this has been my inspiration for my first post. I thought I would share with you the chronic illness friendly gifts I received at Christmas and why I feel they are beneficial to my chronic illnesses.

Please note gifts are not about expense, they are about finding thoughtful ideas which mean a lot to another person. Smaller things are often things that mean the most.

Items to keep me warm

As any chronic illness warrior will know keeping warm is a must. My conditions impact my circulation so I am cold the majority of the time. With this in mind I was delighted to receive a brand new fluffy hot water bottle and a mustard yellow bobble hat – both great additions to these cold winter days.

A Massage Gun

Alongside my Fibromyalgia pain, I do get a lot of muscular aches and pains from my body tensing due to my Tourette’s. The massage gun comes with a variety of different heads designed to help with a variety of problem areas on a deep tissue level. Whilst I wouldn’t advise this for Fibro pain because the vibrations can actually hurt your body (and it did mine) I have found it helpful for specific knots.

Skin Products

My skin is so sensitive it is unbelievable, so much so I tend to struggle with even the ‘sensitive friendly’ products you often come across. I am yet to try these, but my mum gifted me the cutest beauty products in the form of Simple facial wash, micellar water and moisturiser. A couple of them are hypoallergenic (REMEMBER to always check when using products yourself) and contain less plastic. So watch this space with how I get on.

A selection of books and films

Being chronically ill you are often struck down with days where you really can’t do a great deal so having items such as books and films are a great resource to pass the time. I received a variety of films including Christmassy ones such as Last Christmas and horror ones such as IT Chapter 2 which I can choose based on my mood and books from my favourite authors Erin Green and C.L. Taylor.

Stretchy Dresses

I know a lot of people with chronic illness like to wear comfy clothes that are easy to wear and don’t require much fuss, I have to confess for me that consists of skirts and dresses more so than trousers. I was lucky enough to receive two dresses for Christmas which are comfortable and stretchy all whilst remaining stylish. These are perfect for someone like me who often has a bloated stomach as I don’t have to worry about anything digging in.

Money

One of the most useful gifts you can receive as a chronic illness person is money. Being chronically ill and working class I struggle for money a lot and having money gifted to me allows me to buy those things I need the most, yet often cannot afford. Not having money also makes you think more about spending it on worthwhile things and not just blow it on any old thing, so I am still planning what I would like to spend it on and what I am of need of the most.

Other Gifts

Art Gallery Gifts – Art Galleries are a huge hobby of mine and the art displayed in them often evokes an air of mindfulness for me not many other activities do. Even without current times I do struggle getting to galleries so gifts which enable me to enjoy the atmosphere in my own home is amazing.

Duvet Cover – Mug – Diary

Here you have it the chronic friendly gifts I received this year – I am so grateful for the gifts I got and thankful the buyer considers my chronic illness needs. I think chronic illness buying can be quite a difficult task for people who don’t have chronic conditions – did your loved ones consider your needs this year?