My Comfort Items for Crohn's Flares

Usually, I spend my sick days in the spring and fall wrapped up in a blanket on my front porch, just hoping the sun will hit my face. It's the best feeling, feeling the fresh air, wrapped in warm blanket. I've even got a hammock. Or if I can't physically lay down, and I have a nice cozy lawn chair to sit in.

Staying close to the bathroom

When my Crohn's became serious and I could no longer go from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor where my only bathroom is, life became exhausting. There were a few weeks that I ended up sleeping outside of the bathroom on a pile of blankets, body pillows, and heating pads. I didn't enjoy it.

It wasn't fun or as comfortable as my bed. But I did what I could to avoid going up and down the stairs so much, especially since I had begun to lose so much weight so rapidly.

Things that help me stay comfortable during a Crohn's flare

My special flare chair

There is a chair my aunt passed down to me when I moved away for college that I didn't know I'd develop such a love for at the time. But when I became ill, it was the only thing that kept me comfortable while living in a studio apartment. The chair was always comfy and usually had a cat snuggled up on it.

When my pain is at its worst, this chair becomes my bed because I can comfortably sit up and grasp a pressure pillow to my stomach without having to lay down. I've sometimes lined the inner cover of the loveseat with heating blankets and heating pads so that I feel like I'm wrapped up in a hug.

Lots of pillows and blankets

I have many pillows and blankets in my house. They travel with me from room to room and there are even certain blankets I bring with me to the hospital or infusion clinic that make things feel a little less.. patient-y. (These blankets are immediately washed and put in the back of my car to use the next time they need to be brought out.)

In an article I recently wrote, I wrote about making your bed each and every day for habit. I am a bit particular about what goes on my bed, especially blankets and pillows (and animals!). People love to laugh at the number of pillows and blankets I have on my bed, but the truth is, when I'm sick, each of them serves a purpose! Even when I'm sickest during the day, if I'm home, I avoid getting under the sheets. It helps me mentally with boundaries that getting into bed is only for sleeping at night. And I would rather not confuse my internal alarm clock – not that this always works!

With the joint pain and arthritis that comes along with Crohn's, the pillows provide a different type of support than just a heating pad alone. And let's be honest, when you're snuggled around 10 fluffy and comfortable (and cute) pillows, it helps to put your body at ease a little bit.

Cooling gel pillow

One last thing I use for comfort is a cooling gel pillow. I get nightly fevers that spark during the worst possible time. There are some great ones you can find in stores, but I love the ones I found on Amazon. I've even bought one just for my stomach.

Crohn's comfort items are important during a flare

With the aches and pains we deal with living with IBD, it's important to have comfort items in your home and even when you're traveling. What else do you have in your home for comfort during flares?