Category: Personal Care

• Books Featuring Mental Illness

  

  Looking for book recommendations that include mental illness/discussions about mental health? Here are a few historical fiction recommendations from books I’ve enjoyed!

  aprilbarcalow

  April 11, 2025

  Hobbies and Recreation, Livable for Kids, Personal Care

  Anxiety, book recommendation, books, clean reads, closed door, dementia, Depression, historical fiction, mental health, mental health awareness, Mental illness, PTSD, reading, suicide, suicide prevention

• Coping with Winter Blues

  

  Dreading the long months of winter ahead? Here are a few of the ways I cope.

  aprilbarcalow

  January 10, 2025

  Hobbies and Recreation, House and Home, Personal Care, Recipes and Meals

  chronic fatigue, chronic illness, chronic pain, cold intolerance, coping skills, Depression, drink recipe, ideas, instant coffee mix, recipe, seasonal affective disorder, tips, tools, winter

• Chronic Illness Gift Guide

  

  Looking for the perfect gift for someone with chronic illness, mental illness, or disability? Here are just a few ideas to get you started!

  aprilbarcalow

  December 13, 2024

  Hobbies and Recreation, House and Home, Livable Relationships, Medical Equipment, Personal Care

  adhd, birthday, brain fog, christmas, chronic fatigue, chronic illness, disability, fatigue, gift guide, gift ideas, gift list, holiday, ideas, memory loss

• Fun Glasses

  

  I’ve said it many, many times, but if there is an option for fun when I’m choosing things I need, I will always take it! The same holds true when it comes to buying glasses. The author poses with browline red polka dot glasses with silver frames. She has shoulder-length curly hair, and wears a…

  aprilbarcalow

  November 21, 2023

  Fashion and Accessories, Medical Equipment, Personal Care

  affordable, budget, eyeglasses, glasses, ideas, migraine, money, solutions, sunglasses, tips, vision

• Back-to-School Items that Make Spoonie Life Easier

  

  You may think the back to school sales are only for classroom-bound kids, but what if I told you the stores are FULL of really useful items for those of us with chronic illness? Here are some of the things you might want to watch for this time of year!

  aprilbarcalow

  August 15, 2023

  Fashion and Accessories, House and Home, Livable for Kids, Medical Equipment, Personal Care

  bedding, cane, chronic, chronic illness, disability, fatigue, flare day, hacks, ideas, medical, mobility, organization, solutions, spoonie, tips, walker, weakness, wheelchair

• Beauty Tips for Flare Days

  

  Some days you just want to stay in pajamas and crawl under the covers. But what about the days when you want to look nice but lack the energy? Here are a few of my beauty tips for those flare days.

  aprilbarcalow

  June 5, 2023

  Fashion and Accessories, Personal Care

  accessible, beauty, chronic fatigue, chronic illness, disability, flare day, hair, health, ideas, makeup, solutions, tips, weakness

• Tips for Managing Brain Fog

  

  Brain fog, memory loss, and altered mental state plague those of us with chronic illness in many ways. To help you navigate the mists, here are my tips for managing brain fog.

  aprilbarcalow

  April 11, 2023

  Personal Care

  Anxiety, autoimmune, brain fog, chronic, chronic illness, cognition, concentration, dementia, Depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, ideas, lupus, ME/CFS, memory, Mental illness, mental status, MS, myalgic encephalomyelitis, solutions

• Unusual Habits that Now Seem Normal

  

  Living with chronic illness or disability means finding practical work-arounds to meet the challenges. Here are some of the unusual things I do that now feel normal.

  aprilbarcalow

  January 31, 2023

  Hobbies and Recreation, Livable Blog, Livable Relationships, Personal Care

  accessible, budget, chronic illness, disability, fatigue, habits, hacks, ideas, meal, pain, planning, solutions, tips

• Gift Ideas for Men with Chronic Illness/Disability

  

  If you are searching for the perfect gift this season for a guy with chronic illness or disability, here are some of my top picks!

  aprilbarcalow

  November 22, 2022

  Hobbies and Recreation, Personal Care

  celebration, christmas, chronic illness, disability, family, fatigue, friend, gift guide, holiday, ideas, shopping, special occasion

• Flare Day Hacks and Tips

  

  Flare-ups are a frequent occurrence with chronic illness. Here are some of the ways I manage the bad days and conserve energy.

  aprilbarcalow

  June 7, 2022

  Personal Care

  autoimmune, chronic fatigue, chronic illness, crash, disability, fatigue, flare-up, ideas, MS, post exertion, solutions, tips