Go, Go Gadgets!

Issue #18 of "What's Her Problem?": Chronic illness and disability require a lot of gadgets!

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It’s Black Friday weekend, which culminates in Cyber Monday. With the holiday season upon us, there is no better time of year to get the best deals on health gadgets for yourself or your loved ones.

Today, I am sharing a list of my favorite gadgets; the ones that have been most helpful to me in navigating chronic illness and disability. I have divided them into 8 categories:

* Medication Organization

* Shower and Bathroom Safety

* Mobility Assistance

* At-Home Exercise Equipment

* Footwear

* Air Filtration

* General Comfort and Safety

* Cardiac Monitoring Tools

Everything on the list is something that I own, use, and can vouch for.

I have included a short blurb with each item or category of items, but if there is anything you want more information about, feel free to ask!

If you are not currently in the market for anything, bookmark this post, and come back to it when you are.

1. Medication Organization:

So many meds, so many supplements, so little time. I organize my pills on a bi-weekly basis, setting up two of these organizers at a time:

* Daily Pill Organizer

I have tried a lot of different pill cutters, and this one is, by far, the best:

* Pill Cutter

2. Shower and Bathroom Safety:

One of the easiest places to get injured if you are unsteady on your feet is the bathroom, so I take bathroom safety very seriously.

It doesn’t matter if you think you are too young for toilet safety or if you think this looks goofy. Better safe than sorry:

* Commode

Inside the shower, if you can’t safely stand, there is no shame in sitting down. If you have a tub, I recommend this:

* Tub/Shower Transfer Bench

If you have a shower, I recommend this:

* Shower Chair

For either a tub or a shower, I recommend the following:

* Handheld Shower Head Set

* Suction Shower Head Holder

* Set of 2 Suction Grab Bars

3. Mobility Assistance:

If you just need a little bit of a balance check, a cane can be wonderful. I prefer the kind with a foam grip and offset handle.

* Black Cane with Offset Handle and Foam Grip

* Silver Cane with Offset Handle and Foam Grip

However, the cane tip that these come with is too narrow for me, so I swap them out for this guy:

* Cane Tip/Cane Stand (Heavy Duty)

Also made for a little bit of extra stability, grab a gait belt! Somone else can hold onto it gently as you walk to ensure you don’t fall. And if you do fall, it will help them lift you back up again safely.

* Gait Belt

For even more stability as you walk, there are many different options for walkers (just don’t let an airline lose yours). Note: always check with your doctor or physical therapist about what the proper device is for your safety.

This is the closest I could find to my walker:

* Walker

I wear down the caps on the feet of my walker pretty frequently, so this is one of my most-often purchased items (yes, you can get the kind that look like tennis balls, but I think these are sleeker):

* Walker Glide Caps

The rollator style of walker is very popular but also requires more stability than the classic two-wheeled walker. I have one of these because I like that it has a built-in seat, but I don’t use it very often because it is hard to lift into and out of a vehicle, and it has a tendency to start rolling faster than I want it to.

* Drive Medical Rollator Walker

This wheelchair is pretty close to the one I was confined to for the first couple of years of my autoimmune sensory neuropathy. In choosing a wheelchair, be sure to find one with seat width and depth measurements that are a match for the size of your body.

* Wheelchair

For extra mobility freedom, try a mobility scooter! I’ve had mine for nearly 6 years, and it was worth every penny. I have this one because I wanted a comfortable seat and arm rests. The turning radius on this scooter is impressive. It also comes apart into 6 pieces for easy transportation, but I have a lift in the back of my vehicle so I don’t have to ask anyone to take it apart and put it back together for me anymore.

* Mobility Scooter

Here are two of my most-used accessories for the mobility scooter:

* Mobility Scooter Storage Cover

* Walker Holder

4. At-Home Exercise Equipment:

With consultation from my physical therapy team, I have invested in a handful of reasonably-priced at-home exercise items that enable me to stick to my exercise routine outside of appointment times:

* Exercise Resistance Bands

* Hand Weights

* Airex Foam Balance Pad

* Weighted Slam Ball

* Exercise Step

* The Cuff Ankle and Wrist Weight

5. Footwear:

My neuropathy has had the greatest impact on my feet, so I have had to become very picky about my footwear.

These slippers are the perfect combination of soft on the inside but sturdy in the sole.

* Slippers

The nerves in my feet will no longer tolerate a shoe toe box that isn’t soft, so these sneakers all fit the bill for that. The Brooks make my balance feel very stable. The Kiziks are the perfect hands-free slip-in shoes, and the Limas are my favorite style of Kiziks:

* Brooks Ghost Sneakers

* Kizik Lima

* Kizik Store

As a person with the genetic heart condition Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), I occasionally get swelling in my feet and ankles, which is a sign of heart failure. I help stave that off by wearing compression stockings or socks on most days. I prefer the toeless compression stockings from Therafirm in warm weather and the cheap-but-effective Dr. Motion compression socks when it’s cold. There are lots of other good brands, but be sure to get properly fitted for the right size sock or stocking, and start with a light weight of compression before moving up, with guidance from your doctor.

* Therafirm Open-Toe, Knee-High Compression Stockings, 15-20lbs

* Dr. Motion Compression Socks

6. Air Filtration:

I feel very strongly about indoor air quality, and these are my go-to filter brands. Be sure to select one that matches the size of the room in which you are using it:

* Molekule Air Purifier

* AirDoctor

7. General Comfort and Safety:

I use a bed rail, not only to prevent myself from falling out of bed, but also for assisting myself in sitting up, which can be a struggle on some days. This one is very similar to what I have:

* Bed Rail

If you are a person that gets up to pee in the middle of the night, these are a must:

* Night Lights

This set of pillows has been a lifesaver when I couldn’t find a comfortable position to sleep in:

* Orthopedic Bed Wedge Pillow Set

One of the few items that helps improve the nerve pain in my feet when it gets intense:

* Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set

With my hands and arms occupied by my walker, this little backpack has been the perfect purse for me, and it has some useful safety features too:

* Purse Backpack

If you have a case of the dropsies, like me, these grabbing tools are the best. I keep one in every room, and I end up using them almost daily:

* Reacher

* Reacher 2-pack

If you have sensitive skin, like me, this medical tape is better than all the other adhesives out there:

* Medipore Tape

I use this heating pad every single day for my various aches and pains:

* Thermalon Microwave Heating Pad

I take my temperature every morning using a thermometer very similar to this one:

* Digital Forehead Thermometer

8. Cardiac Monitoring Tools:

I take my blood pressure every morning, tracking it to see if there are any changes or trends to report to my cardiologist. I use the wrist blood pressure cuff because it is small and easily transportable, but I recommend the arm cuff if you don’t need to travel with it.

* Arm Blood Pressure Cuff

* Wrist Blood Pressure Cuff

I carry around a pulse oximeter with me everywhere I go. Is that overkill? Not to me. If I have a moment where I am concerned about my heart rate and oxygen levels, I just bust it out and have instant peace of mind. This one is close to what I have, and it is rechargeable:

* Pulse Oximeter

And here’s an option for another style of pulse oximeter:

* Pulse Ox 2

Finally, have you ever wanted to be able to do your own EKG (electrocardiogram) at home to see if you’re having any arrhythmias? Look no further than AlivCor’s line of products. I carry the wallet card option, but all of the versions work well, and you can use the KardiaMobile app to send any concerning reports to your doctor’s office:

* AlivCor Wallet-Sized Personal EKG Device

* KardiaMobile 1-Lead Personal EKG Monitor

* AliveCor KardiaMobile 6-Lead Personal EKG Monitor

Phew! Chronic illness and disability really do require a lot of gadgets, but there are so many helpful tools available to make our lives easier and safer.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This week’s question:

What are your favorite health-related gadgets?

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