The Single Gal’s Guide to CFIDS
Living with a chronic illness when you live alone, can sometimes be a bit tricky.
So here are a few tips to make life a little bit easier. Hmmm I think 10 might be a good number to try out.
1. Keep a chore schedule. I have no desire to clean everyday. I wash dishes no more than 3 times a week (i don’t use enough dishes to warrant washing dishes everyday), I vacuum once a week, make my bed everyday, and clean the bathroom when necessary.
2. Always have ready to eat foods available. I always keep a full fruit bowl on the table, and a container of greens (no spinach right now!) in the fridge. Keeping a bunch of frozen vegetables on hand, is always a good idea - they are a dream in soups. It makes things MUCH easier, when you dont have to constantly prepare meals.
3. Always keep a book nearby (a non reasearch your illness book). I suggest novels….your choice. It totally helps with those times when you just can’t sleep. I find that if I am up at night and can’t sleep, television makes it much worse. But if I read a chapter or 2 of the book of the week I find that I will fall asleep faster, and I become a bit smarter while doing so. Journaling is also a really great way to use up this time…or dare i say…try blogging!
4. Schedule date night. Whether you are seeing someone or not, its really important to do fun things (especially when feeling less than stellar). You don’t have to go out with your friends for cocktails. It’s fine to just stay in and do something good for yourself….just make sure that you actually do something. My favorite alone thing to do, is to draw colourful pictures with crayon and hang them on my fridge (just like my mum did when i was six).
5. Always have a reminder list going. Put it somewhere you will definitely see before you leave the house. Make sure its on brightly coloured paper. Make sure you read it, and not merely glance over it….mine says to check to see if I have unplugged all appliances.
6. Educate yourself on current events via the internet and not through television. Its much easier to pick and choose what to read when you are surfing the net. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have ended up in a puddle of tears, because of emotional stuff on tv….and have had to call someone to come rescue me from stupid emotional outbursts.
7. Spend gobs of money on yourself. OK not gobs….but definitely buy yourself a little something pretty every month. It makes things better for a little while, anyway.
8. Make sure that the areas of your home that you spend the most time in, are neat and tidy. I talked about scheduling chores, in item number 1….but this is slightly different. As long as I know that my bedroom and living room/practice studio are clean and organized, i can live with having other rooms in my house being less than immaculate. Cleanliness is next to restfulness (clever isnt it).
9. When feeling up to it….host a dance party in your den. 10 minutes once a week….put on the old Banarama record that has gathering dust, and dance like you were back in junior high.
10. This is for you, to recommend a suggestion to me and other readers.
Remember to take care of you.
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POSTED IN: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia, Management of CFS
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