When I was discharged from the hospital last week, I went into a huge fibro flare. It wasn’t the typical joint pain flare but the hypersensitivity to touch and sound, the feeling of “restless body syndrome,” the muscle aches, the whole shebang. My mom actually laughed as I started pulling out my flare survival kit as here it was the end of July and I was pulling out a hoodie, my heated snuggie, and an ice pack. Its crazy the things that can provide relief in the midst of a flare. Also included in my survival kit are my Acer tablet, Netflix, yoga pants, a word find book, pain meds, and Coke!
So I got to thinking, I wonder what my other spoonie friends have in their survival kits? I asked on Facebook and here are some of the responses I got:
Cheryl said:
my teddy bear…it may sound silly, but sometimes you just need something to squeeze!
CC said:
chocolate, heating pad or heated blanket, Netflix, & a knitting project!
Heather said:
Heating pad, anti-diarrhea pills, a few good books, crackers, & pain pills
Mamie said:
iPad, soft blanket, oversized pants, & pain meds
Life Happens said:
phone, comfy loose-fitting tshirt-style gown (no waistbands or elastics of any kind), pillow (for inbetween my legs), pain pills, dulcolax, bubba keg of ice-water, heating pad, HuluPlus, and comfort-food.
Rebecca said: Fibro flare survival kit for me includes pain pills, a heating pad, some kind of comfort food, a book or two, my bed and my cat.
What is in your Flare Survival Kit?
P.S. Be a spoonie girl scout & check out the Hospital Survival Kit & Bowel Prep Survival Kit to be prepared for what else life with chronic illness may have in store!
That picture I exactly my to do list this weekend. Hoping Monday comes quickly.
Before my hyst I had a cyst that big so I am familiar how painful it can be! You know where to find me!
Funny, I never thought of it as a flare survival kit, but here are the things I always seek in a flare:
–Alka-Seltzer for the inevitable combination of migraine + FMS body pain
–Seltzer water (to further calm my tummy)
–My iPod (I listen to Christian or classical music when in flare mode)
–Earplugs + eye mask to sleep better or just block out noise and light as I listen to my iPod
–Comfy knit capris or pants (depending on the season) and a big t-shirt
I have never tried Alka-Seltzer for migraine/FMS pain! I will need to remember that!
I am definatly familiar with that kind of pain as well.
Some of the things that are in my flare kit would be:
a teddy bear
music (I actually made a special playlist for flare days)
loose P.J pants and an oversized shirt
water
an eye mask and ear plugs
a good book
my scentsy (Kinda like a candle)
a heating pad
Great list! I have seen ear plugs & eye mask mentioned multiple times in response to this question so I may need to consider adding them to my arsenal for flares!
I think my kid consists of my library and my takeout menus! When I’m feeling really crappy I order food, crawl into bed, and read until the flare passes.