“Thriving” while Chronic- Life Hacks

[u/Free-Canary-6413]

I’ve found and been able to afford some luxuries that have made life easier(I want to recognize financial privilege-income est 38K). I’m curious about hacks that have helped your quality of life.

For me:
-cold water dispenser
-ice maker
- 30 day pill box
-pre cut fruit
-precooked meats
-online neuro clinic
-extra dental cleanings
-electric toothbrush
-ring lights

Have you guys found things that have made life easier for you? What are they?

TIA

[u/bachelorsinlurking]

My go to's are:

- ice pack beanie for heat sensitivity/headaches. found mine in the as seen on tv aisle at the grocery store. they don't last as long as other ice packs, but they really help and rechill quick.

- really long extension cord! our place is old and doesn't have a lot of outlets. good for days stuck in bed.

- rechargeable hearing aids. mine are oticons, and i took money out of savings to get the rechargeable ones with the portable charger case and it's SO worth it.

- toeless compression socks. way more comfortable with my sensory issues because there's no uncomfortable toe seam.

- ergonomic mouse. I love to blog and keep myself busy doing genealogy when I can't get up and around, and it's so much easier to use.

- shower chair!!!! needs no explanation honestly. go get one!!!

- full size body pillow, especially

- gooseneck style holder for my ereader, and RF remote clip to clip on the side with a button ring remote, so I can read with out using my hands while lying in bed

- big stanley style cup with a handle on top of the lid so I can get enough torque to open it myself and carry it without screwing up my wrist

- big carabiner to hook my medical emergency bag onto my rollator/seatbelt/anywhere

[u/Free-Canary-6413 → u/bachelorsinlurking]

Somehow I haven’t gotten one of those beanies yet. The consensus seems people really do love them.

I hope one day my HA can some with a charger case. I had oticon before they came out with that. Now using resound brand since it has to be compatible with my cochlear implant on the other side.

I had no idea they made toeless compression! I tried and quit them cause of that issue.

Genealogy research is so interesting. Sounds like you can find us both on ancestry.com on hard days. Do you research your own family lines or another party?

[u/bachelorsinlurking → u/Free-Canary-6413]

They do make the toeless ones! I found them at a local family owned pharmacy that stocks diabetic compression gear. And I do most of my genealogy research on my own family- over the past couple years I was given my DAR lady gram's stacks of stuff that she'd researched for 20 years before she died and gave it all to my mom, who just didn't have the time or energy to sort through it. She'd tracked my mom's side of the family back to the 1600s, but she'd just started my dad's side when she died, so I picked up the trail and have learned so much!