Post your favorite accessibility hack/life simplifying item/day brightening piece of media.
Home Assistant,
It might sound lame, but having a lot of things automated makes things much more easier for me, for example; just an “turn on VR” and the PC+TV boots, the TV switches to the PC input, the basestations turn on, the mood light changes, and the blinds close. So nice imo
Good water bottles help me stay hydrated.
I have two glass bottles, which are much more durable than plastic. I suppose it’s the tempered glass. I invested in ones with nice lids. They don’t spill, but they’re easy to open.
If I fill both, then I have water without convincing myself that I can get up.
I’ve been doing savory oatmeal for breakfast! It’s salty for an early boost for POTS, and with quick oats I can just dump things in a bowl and microwave for a couple minutes (low spoons for CFS). Still working on collecting things I can add, like jarred sliced mushrooms and asking my partner to boil lots of eggs to keep on hand in the fridge.
I don’t have the energy to cook or make most meals, so I’m usually just helping my partner with ideas. It’s exciting to be able to come up with ideas and actually get to execute them.
Now I have depression so it’s slightly different than a physical disability, but I have been on disability for 2 years and some days am completely debilitated.
The biggest thing that helps me is just meeting myself where I am, and accepting and working with my restrictions rather than fighting them. One example is I try to make meals for my boyfriend and I since I’m not working right now. But for the last couple of months I’ve been extra sick and so groceries go bad in the fridge, I eat nothing or trash or order in which is super expensive.
And finally I decided to stop forcing myself to cook only to fail, and now I buy tons of preprepared foods and meal replacement powders. It’s not as healthy as home cooked, but it’s better than McDonald’s or chips, and I don’t spend as much money ordering delivery.
When I moved in with my partner, I had to let go of a lot food-related shame or sense of obligation. My partner has executive dysfunction stuff, I don’t have the energy for cooking - but my parents scoffed at frozen meals and takeout when I was a kid, and my dad got annoyed when something in the fridge went bad
My life got so much easier when I stopped feeling bad about finding easier ways to eat. I’m glad you’ve found options that work well for you!