Tips To Get Through The Holidays With Chronic Illness

Do you have a chronic illness? Are you almost dreading the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas season?

When holiday time approaches, those of us with chronic illnesses often find a spike in anxiety. We wonder how we’re going to get through the hustle and bustle, cooking and get-togethers.

We wonder and worry about what our pain, fatigue, and cognition will be like. Not to mention sensitivity to colors, sounds, light, brain fog, and anxiety.

Everyone’s different depending upon their illness; there’s an enormous list of symptoms and effects that depend on the individual.

Tips for getting through

1. 1. Pray first. Ask Jesus to give you strength, perseverance, peace, and comfort for your day.

2. 2. Delegate. Ask others to help. Ask the children to help too. Most children like to be helpful, give them something small to do. They can be the runners, bringing you and other adults items you need.

3. 3. Take a break. Don’t be afraid to tell others that you just need an hour to lay down or sit on the couch.

4. 4. Get off your feet. Do as much as you can seated. Chopping, mixing, rolling, and peeling can be done seated.

5. 5. If you can, get a stool. This will help if you get fatigued and you need to be at the stovetop.

6. 6. Prep the night before. If there’s anything that can be prepared beforehand, do so. For instance, chopping onions, preparing your pies in advance and cutting your bread up if you make homemade stuffing or dressing.

7. 7. If you take medications, make sure to do so. You don’t want to forget those before the hustle and bustle starts. If you do, you may be down for the count.

While this is just a shortlist, it’s food for thought. Tailor your own list to suit yourself. Who better knows you than God and you?

Photo by Jimmy Conover on Unsplash