Where Bloggers Live: 11 Things I Rely on When I'm Sick

Welcome back to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live! I am lucky to have joined a terrific group of bloggers who give a peek into the places and spaces where they spend their time.

Today's topic is...How I Take of Myself When I'm Sick. I am sharing 10 - no, make that 11 - specific things that I rely on when I'm sick. This is not an exhaustive list, but it's the first things that came to mind as my essentials.

(Products links are provided for convenience, but these are not affiliate links.)

#1: Acetaminophen

Due to my history with bleeding ulcers, I can't use the typical over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and the like. I am stuck with acetaminophen, which works well for me for some things (e.g., muscle pain, fever), OK for others (e.g., mild headache), and negligibly for many (e.g., real pain). But it's safe and it's better than nothing.

source: Amazon.com

#2: Sugar-free Cold-Eeze Cough Drops

I kind of wish I weren't recommending these cough drops because the taste is medicinal and not great, but they do work as advertised! So worth it.

source: Amazon.com

#3: Ice Roller

So this is a weird product, but hear me out. I keep this in the freezer to be ready for situations in which some targeted cooling is beneficial; for me, this includes headaches, hot flashes, sinus infections (swelling and/or pain in the sinuses), and over-heating for any reason. I can't speak to its effectiveness for "facial massage" but it works well at cooling down the face, pulse points, etc.

source: Amazon.com

#4: Heating Pad

I love a heating pad for relaxing sore/cramping muscles. It's kind of hard these days to find one without an auto-off feature, but this one fits the bill. (I sometimes need it overnight while I sleep, and with the auto-off kind, I start hurting again and wake up...which sucks.) If I am in an alternating cold and heat cycle, I set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes, no auto-off needed.

source: Amazon.com

#5: Essential Oil Migraine Stick

I don't reserve this essential oil blend for migraines; I find it helps with any kind of headache. Be careful applying to the temples because the oil can then drip down onto your face if you use very much; you can apply more liberally to the back of the neck.

#6: Canada Dry Ginger Ale

When I was in high school, I would drink a small glass of Dr Pepper in the mornings because the acid content would help clear my throat, but my mom never believed me that this served a medicinal purpose. I was quite gratified when she had to admit that her boss said that this practice was recommended to him by his doctor! I am over drinking Dr Pepper and similar beverages for any purpose, but I do rely on my morning can of sugar-free ginger ale to clear my throat. And when I'm sick, I drink more of it...switching to the sugary kind if I'm not able to eat much. (More about how I deal with my 365 day a year allergies in this post.)

#7: Sleep Sense Pajamas/Lounge Wear

Over the summer, I did a Google shopping search for just-below-the-knee "skimmer" length shorts, and it turned up all kinds of cropped options. One of the options was a "not what I'm searching for but what I desperately need in my life" pair of sleepwear/lounger capri pants in this absolutely perfect light navy-based jungle print featuring cheetahs. Since both zoological prints and navy-based prints are part of my "More Me Dozen" (12 things that make me feel "more me" when I wear them), I was immediately obsessed with the capris and matching t-shirt. I didn't buy them right away but I did keep the link, so when I decided that they would fit perfectly into my less work/more lounge lifestyle I was able to find them again. And at that moment, they were on sale for 40% off! ($24.60 per piece, down from $44.) Not only are they so cute, they are insanely comfortable. This knit fabric is the softest knit fabric I've ever felt. And there is no reason I couldn't wear the top as just a normal t-shirt for every day wear. As I need to replace PJs over time, I will be coming back to this brand. I have worn this set for the day quite a few times when I've been under the weather, and it doesn't give me that "depressing" feeling that I sometimes get wearing pajamas during the day. At night, they're PJs; during the day, they're loungewear; 24/7 they are very, very me.

source: carrier.com

#8: Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

There is truly no substitute for getting extra sleep when you're sick. And if you want to prevent getting sick to begin with, adequate sleep is very much your friend!

#9: Streaming Services

I have this strange memory from my childhood of being sick in bed, lying on my side, watching an old John Wayne movie on a tiny black-and-white TV that we used primarily as a monitor for our TI-99/4A computer. To say that John Wayne movies were not my jam is an understatement, but back in the day, you watched what you could. And when you're sick (and all slept out), having something to distract you from how bad you feel is really great. So while I use our Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ subscriptions on the regular, they are clutch when I'm sick.

Honorable Mention: it would be remiss for me not to give a shout-out to jewelry-making videos on YouTube, which I relied on heavily when I was extremely sick a couple years ago and could not handle the stress of watching a TV show or movie due to high anxiety. I found several content creators who I continue to watch to this day.

#10: My Mortal Support & My Emotional Support Animal, aka My Husband

I am grateful that I can outsource so much of the "taking care of myself when I'm sick" to my husband!

And last but not least...#11: Dr. Mom

Why yes, I am a 51-year-old adult, but do we ever outgrow our need for Dr. Mom??

Thanks for joining me today for a discussion of the things I rely on when I'm sick.

Next month's topic is Favorite Thanksgiving Food...and oh yum, that's a delicious subject! There are so many contenders but I know what truly is my #1 absolute favorite.

In the meantime, visit these lovely bloggers as they share about how they take care of themselves when they're sick:

Bettye at Fashion Schlub

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks

Em at Dust and Doghair

Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style

Leslie, blogger emeritus at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After.

Iris, blogger emeritus at Iris' Original Ramblings

What or who do you rely on most when you're sick? Do any of your top picks match mine? What is the thing you'd most highly recommend to other people to help them take care of themselves when sick?

Blogs I link up with are listed here.