10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Those With Chronic Illness
With the Christmas season coming up, I thought I’d write some gift giving ideas that may benefit those in your life who have chronic illness/chronic pain issues.
These are simply a collection of gift suggestions that I would personally appreciate, or have been given in the past that really helped me, as well as ideas given by others who also deal with chronic illness and pain.
1. An electric heating pad, heating throw or heating blanket. I love the heating pad and heating throw I received as gifts. I use my heating pad all the time. My heating throw/blanket was used for so many years that it is broken now.
2. Loose, fuzzy socks. I live in my warm, fuzzy socks and I request more every year. My ankles swell a lot but fuzzy socks are always comfortable and never hurt.
3. Soft, loose, comfortable pajamas. I wear PJs all the time. I love ones that are soft and not constricting. Tight elastic bands or painful, scratchy materials make them really uncomfortable to wear.
4. A towel material, hooded robe. Many of my chronic illness friends have a difficult time showering. Sometimes we are so exhausted after showering that it can be heaven to wrap up in an absorbent robe, lay on the bed and dry as we lay there.
5. Comfortable pillows. We often need to spend a lot of time in bed or on the couch, and extra pillows that are soft and comfy are always handy!
6. Coloring books and items to color with. I personally highly recommend water color pen brushes. They look like markers, but have a brush on the end. Going out of the lines if you have tremors still looks pretty, because it’s water colors, and you don’t have to press down and hurt your hand, if you have arthritis or any painful muscle or joint conditions.
7. Nice pill boxes, small pill containers, Med organizers are all things that can really come in handy and some of the nicer ones are a bit expensive, so we often buy the cheap plastic ones, but there are some beautiful products out there!
8. A slow cooker or pressure cooker. Cooking can be difficult when you are chronically ill. Crock pots and instant pots can really help with cooking healthy meals that aren’t exhausting.
9. A gift card to buy music or games online. Music can really soothe the soul and being able to have that music or those games on your phone while in the hospital or waiting in the doctor’s office can make the time pass easier.
10. Instead of a spa day, something I would really love would be an hour of cleaning services to help me clean. Or a week or month from a meal service. Or a friend offering to come clean or run errands for me or give me a coupon that they will make me one free casserole or something. Even an offer to drive me to an appointment. Gifts don’t need to cost money. An offer of help, in any little way, means a whole lot!!
These are all my own personal wants, things I would love, that would truly help me or make my life easier. I know from being a part of some chronic illness forums that a lot of others would also like to receive these as gifts. Of course, not everyone has the same wants and needs, but I hope this can give others some ideas on what to give, if they are stuck.
The most important gift of all is friendship and love. I’m most happy to receive those and am grateful to have amazing people in my life.
Happy Holidays!
We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.
Thinkstock photo via GYRO PHOTOGRAPHY/amanaimagesRF.
Lisa Prins is a binge hobbiest who is constantly throwing herself into many different projects. When she is not well enough to do one, she will find another. Music is her main love. She is a classically trained pianist, vocalist, songwriter, composer and ukulele player. She also enjoys writing, drawing, painting, crocheting, pixel bead art, photography, jewelry making, sewing, playing video games, robot building, and a number of other hobbies. Love, compassion, friendship and understanding are most important to her. They are what gives meaning to her life. Lisa was born with a congenital kidney disease called renal tubular acidosis. This combined with asthma, chronic infections, idiopathic angioedema and anaphylaxis have shaped her into a person who is thrilled to experience every bit of life and love, every sunset and every little joy that life has to offer. She lives with her incredible partner, who is, and has been, her love, her best friend, and, at times, her caregiver. She decided to start contributing her writing in the hopes she can help others know they aren’t alone, and help those who aren’t chronically ill better understand the people around them who are.
lisa-prins