Hellobee

I have been sick for most of my life with multiple chronic illnesses. I have received many thoughtful gifts that are mindful of my illnesses, and gifts that are given with my health and its limitations in mind are many of my favorites.

Everyone with chronic illness is different, so obviously these gifts won’t work with everyone’s illnesses, but these are gifts that have been some of my favorites or some I would love to receive. This post was written with helpful ideas from several other chronically ill Bees: thank you so much for the suggestions! Most of these gifts would also work great as part of a care package for a friend/loved one that has come down with a temporary illness or injury as well.

1. Grocery delivery or meal kit subscription.

When my symptoms are flaring up, grocery shopping can be extremely difficult. If your friend is in an Instacart or Shipt delivery area, a membership or gift card for grocery delivery would make a great gift. You could also get them a gift card to a local grocery store that has grocery pickup.

Another great option would be a meal subscription service like Freshly. Freshly stands out from the other meal subscription services (Hello Fresh, Home Chef, etc.) because, while the meals are chef-made, nutritious and, from all the reviews I’ve read, delicious, Freshly requires absolutely no cooking. I got a few Hello Fresh deliveries and really enjoyed the meals, but the prep was incredibly demanding, even when I wasn’t in bad flares. I have never tried Freshly due to the price, but it would be on the top of my list to receive as a gift!

2. Heated pillow.

I have a brain stem malformation (Chiari Malformation) and have persistent migraines and constant back of the neck pain and head pressure. A heated pillow is so helpful for that. I can also put a heated pillow on my back or stomach: whatever is bothering me most at the time!

3. Bath bombs or other bath products.

I take a lot of baths to soothe my sore muscles, help my headaches and sinuses, and just in general as a wellness tool. I love bath bombs to make my baths extra special. As a Star Wars fan, I love these detailed ones on Etsy!

4. Tea and infuser cup.

I love drinking tea. It’s not a cure, but a warm cup of tea always helps me feel just a little bit better. And as a huge nerd and lover of all things Star Wars, I love Adagio Tea’s Fandom Blends. I’m really eyeing this Hoth blend right now, which is peppermint, vanilla, and rooibos. Peppermint is also super soothing for my sensitive stomach. I also love getting new mugs and infusers, and as a crazy cat lady, I would absolutely adore this particular 2 in 1 cup and infuser!

5. Pajamas.

When I’m not at work or out of the house, I live in pajamas, and have basically an entire pajama wardrobe…one I am always happy to add to. Pajamas are so comfortable and not bothersome or painful like a lot of other clothes can be when one has painful chronic illnesses.

I would love these PajamaGram boyfriend style pajamas as a gift: they are nicer and more of a splurge than I would ever buy myself, but nice pajamas always make me feel better (even if just a little).

6. Down comforter or weighted blanket.

I am always cold, plus the weight from a heavy blanket helps my joints.

7. Soup or broth delivery.

I have a lot of digestive issues, to the point where I was recently hospitalized for them. I sometimes have to rely totally on liquid nutrition because solids are too difficult to digest. A high protein, high quality soup delivery like this one would be a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

8. Essential oils and a diffuser/humidifier.

Some people with chronic illness or sensitive to certain scents, especially those with migraines, so make sure your recipient isn’t before you gift them. Others get a sense of calming or even some relief from some symptoms from essential oils. I know cedarwood really helps me, and peppermint helps another blogger with stomach related chronic illness. I also get very dried out in the wintertime, and have been known to get horrible nosebleeds. A humidifier or combo humidifier/infuser like this would be a practical and thoughtful gift.

9. Ginger mints or chews.

I discovered these ginger chews when pregnant, and they were so helpful on a very nauseous stomach, vomiting several times a day. My gastrointestinal issues have continued, and I have continued to rely on ginger (in addition to other treatments including medication).

10. Comfy socks or slippers.

My love for comfort and warmth extends down to my feet. I love wearing comfy socks or slippers all the time. These ballet style slippers not only look incredibly comfortable, but cute too, and sometimes, when one is perpetually sick, a little bit of feeling cute is a huge mood booster.

11. Biofreeze.

This topical roll on is helpful for flare ups of my joint and muscle pain and would be great in a gift basket.

12. Lumbar and tailbone support cushions.

I get bad tailbone pain when I am in my wheelchair, and need to get a cushion for it. This one also comes with a back support cushion, and both would be very helpful for a wheelchair user or someone who often sits in an office chair and suffers with chronic back or tailbone pain (or both, like me!).

Are you or a friend chronically ill, and if so, what is your top gift suggestion for you or them?