25+ Products That Make Life with Chronic Illness Easier

This post contains referral/affiliate links which means that if you purchase from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.  Don't worry, this won't cost you any extra!

Having a chronic illness definitely makes life harder.  I'm assuming that, like me, you don't have the resources to hire a full-time nanny, chef, housekeeper, personal assistant, etc. either.  So, until I win the lottery (which will probably be tricky to do as I don't even play the lottery), I will have to go on finding products that work for me to make my life with a chronic illness easier.  

Here's what I've come up with so far.  Some are things I already use, some are on my wishlist (my birthday's in May if anyone wants to just go ahead and buy me everything on my wishlist! Hey, doesn't hurt to try, right?!?) and some are highly recommended by other spoonies.  Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comment section!

10 Things Guaranteed to Cure Whatever Ails You

This post contains referral links which means that if you purchase from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.  Don't worry, this won't cost you any extra!

As someone with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, asthma, acid reflux disease, eczema, etc, I've heard it all.  On top of that, all four of my kids have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome as well, and three of them also have asthma and eczema.  My youngest son, Davy, had to have a feeding tube until he was 18 months old due to the severity of his issues.

With all that, there's no shortage of unsolicited advice and cures.

"You only have your disease because you've 'claimed' it."

"You'd feel better if you would exercise more and eat better."

"Your *insert condition here* could be cured if you tried this supplement."

"Your EDS was caused by vaccinations."

Thanks to all the helpful advice I've received, I was able to put together a list of things that will cure any problem you have.  You're welcome.

Raising Awareness for Celiac Disease with A Southern Celiac!

This post contains referral links which means that if you purchase from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.  

In addition to being Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Awareness month, May is also Celiac Disease Awareness month! I invited Brittany from A Southern Celiac to tell us all a little more about it and help dispel some of the myths about Celiac's. Brittany also has Ehlers Danlos so we thought the partnership was perfect for us both. Please welcome her to Sunshine and Spoons!

May is Celiac Awareness Month, so Hannah has kindly allowed me to guest post on her blog! I'm Brittany, the Celiac behind A Southern Celiac. I was first diagnosed with celiac disease in 2012 at the age of 19 after having stomach issues since I was 18 months old! Stories like mine aren't uncommon, which is why I'm so passionate about spreading awareness for Celiac Disease.

Don't worry though, I'm not here to bore you with my diagnosis story. I've written that out before, and honestly, it was even tedious for me to re-read! Nope, today I'm here to share some surprising facts about Celiac Disease.  I'm assuming you know the basics. Celiac is an autoimmune disorder affecting the small intestine. When a celiac eats even small amounts of gluten, their body gets confused and attacks the small intestine. The only treatment is a strict gluten free diet. That seems pretty straightforward– but there's more to Celiac than it seems.

Special Needs and Chronic Illness Medical Binder Printable

When Davy was in the thick of his medical complexities, I put together a binder full of information and notes that I took with me to every appointment.  I used the binder to track Davy's symptoms, log his meds and hospitalizations, record questions for upcoming appointments, and more.  It was pretty basic...loose notebook paper shoved in plastic sheet protectors and held together in a 3 ring binder.  Nothing fancy, but it helped me stay organized and on top of Davy's care needs, especially when we switched health care providers.

Then, last year, Davy along with two of his siblings and I, were all diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. 

What is Celiac Disease?

May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month.  In honor of that, I asked my sister-in-law, Sharalyn to write a post about Celiac Disease.  Sharalyn was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2012 and blogs at The Gluten Free Momma.  Her blog is full of useful tips, reviews, and information about living with Celiac Disease.

Sharalyn with her husband and kids

Celiacs is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system builds antibodies that attack the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.