Summertime with chronic illness

Hey everybody!

Phew it is getting hot here in Britain, something we are not used to and even though we know it is coming we never seem to be prepared for it. I know many people here complain we do not get much of a summer, but when it comes I must admit many of us Brits end up complaining about how stiflingly hot it is!

Today I am in a sundress, something you rarely see, my legs, are on display and I am doing my best to get my jobs done though my pain is bad today. The heat seems to make my hands and feet swell, and I get worse pain everywhere because of it as well as my fatigue making me just want to curl up and sleep!

The main problem which is fatigue, I deal with by going to bed early, taking naps and staying in my living room. We don’t get a lot of sunlight in there because we have a small window, so it is perfect for us migraine sufferers who can find too much bright sunlight will bring on an attack! I also make sure to have my large, tower fan on the go all day sweeping the room in cool air, it really makes a difference and keeps me from melting in the heat.

I also have two more things in my toolbox to help me cope with the summer, I bought them when I first got sick so over a decade ago, so I am afraid I cannot provide links as I usually do. However, they can be found both on Etsy and Amazon if you have a look, one is a scarf with gel inside, and the other is a pillow with the same gel inside a pretty cover. You submerge them in cold water for a few hours and then they can be used to keep you cool, I think you can get clothing as well to keep you cool. A good look online should bring up some good results.

I do not tend to sit outside, but if I do I make sure I am under an umbrella and in the shade, as well as using sun cream so I do not burn. At night I have a tower fan on all night to keep me cool so I do not have trouble sleeping and do not wake up with exacerbated symptoms thanks to being too hot all night!

I hope you all have a lovely summer, please keep cool, wear sunglasses and cream and have a look online there are lots of ways to help us Spoonies keep cool in the summer months.

Namaste xxx

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