Beyonce Sent Lady Gaga a Care Package — Here's What You Can Send a Chronically Ill Friend
Beyonce has Lady Gaga’s back during her health struggles.
On Tuesday, Lady Gaga shared a photo on Instagram of herself wearing an Ivy Park sweatshirt with the caption, “Not having a good pain day. Thank you honey B for sending me this comfy sweatshirt. Keeps me warm outside in a hammock so I can be w the trees, and the sky, and the sun and take deep breaths.” Ivy Park is an activewear brand co-founded by Beyonce.
The next day, Gaga shared another photo, of a bouquet of roses and card from Beyonce. The card reads, “Thinking about you and sending you so much love. Praying for a quick recovery.”
Beyonce’s gesture comes after Gaga’s announcement that she would be canceling a performance at Rock in Rio and postponing the European leg of her Joanne World Tour due to pain from fibromyalgia. Gaga’s chronic pain was also documented in her Netflix documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” which was released on Friday. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that has no known cure, but patients may find strategies that help them manage flares.
Living with chronic illness can be lonely and isolating, so it’s important for friends to reach out and share their support. We asked our Mighty community with chronic illness what’s the best gift a friend has ever given them. Here’s what they told us. If you have a friend dealing with health challenges, maybe their responses will spark an idea.
1. “I was in the hospital for three months when my children were young. Nobody thought I was going to live. I felt very forgotten, lonely and depressed. A neighbor wrote me a letter and sent it to the hospital. It told me all of the neighborhood news and a very heartfelt note. I will always be grateful to Laura F. for sending me that letter. I still have it.” — Judy S.
2. “My best friend sent me a care package when I had to have surgery. It included a coloring book, colored pencils, knitting supplies and a handful of notes. Each note had a different instruction of when to open. Ex: Open when you feel like giving up. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts ever and it helped me get through surgery, the hospital stay and the recovery time after.” — Nikki W.
3. “I just appreciate it when anyone is willing to genuinely listen or show empathy or compassion for what I’m going through. That means more to me than any material item.” — Jessica W.
4. “Understanding, the safe place to fall apart. The best gift ever was my a person I see as my sister, holding my hand while I cried. She let me be human and feel the pain of what the doctor had told me.” — Susan D.
5. “Food. My first surgery a coworker brought me a week’s worth of food.
Help disappeared and it was few but thankful for those few.” — Marissa N.
6. “Being there for me or actually checking in on me while I was in the hospital. Whether it be a message on Facebook or coming to visit. I needed people and she knew I did.” — Keirsten W.
7. “My friend who also suffers from chronic pain gave me a little stuffed turtle that I could keep in my purse for whenever I am in pain and not at home.” — Ashley H.
8. “A hospital visit from my BFF. She had just got off from shift work. She laid down beside me and fell asleep. I thought it was the most selfless moment of our friendship. Love her.” — Candice R.
9. “My dad brought me easy to make foods and Gatorade and snacks that wouldn’t upset my stomach after my gallbladder removal. And my friends have sent coloring books and I hate to be crass but some friends helped with money which was very thoughtful.” — Jennifer R.
10. “Just time. My best friend sat with me and talked to me when I was too sick to walk around a gigantic festival with her. To this day that is the best gift anyone has given me when I’m sick with a gastroparesis flare up.” — Kayla E.
11. “A text. Being chronically ill can feel very isolating. It’s nice to know that the outside world didn’t forget about you and still cares.” — Ariel Y.
12. “When I was in the hospital recently my husband came in with a Hogwarts tote bag full of new pajamas, really nice toiletries and a Pop Vinyl I’d been after for ages. He’s a good one.” — Evelyn S.
13. “A cuddle and their company. Just the feeling of not being forgotten and them not caring if you’re in pajamas/bed… the feeling of safety and the knowledge they don’t mind if their shoulder gets wet all in that one cost less yet priceless hug.” — Lucy L.
Erin is the former senior editor and chronic illness editor of The Mighty. She joined The Mighty in 2015 and previously worked at Inside Weddings magazine, Mic, and The Huffington Post. She was also the features editor at The California Aggie, UC Davis' student newspaper. She is honored to be a part of the Mighty community!
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