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in Health, Lifestyle &middot November 30, 2018

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

With Hanukkah starting early next week and Christmas only a few weeks away, we’re officially in the thick of the holiday season. If you’re shopping for someone who has a chronic illness or condition, they might have some special gifts on their list that you wouldn’t think about. Never fear, the resident chronic illness patient is here! These gifts include those that can help patients, entertain/distract them, and more.

Before we get into it, I want to speak about Ebates for a second, per usual. Ebates is a way for you to earn cash back every time you shop online. It’s a browser extension, and once it’s installed, when you go to a retailer’s website, you’ll get a pop-up if there’s cash back. 4 times a year, they’ll send you your money! Sign up here.

All Gift Guides

With how many chronically ill people there are in the world, chances are you're shopping for one. This chronic illness patient shares what she suggests you buy the chronic illness or chronic pain patient on your list.

Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients: Tools

These are gifts that are helpful and can/will improve the patient’s life. They might not have these things or they might want better quality ones. Either way, these are things that people will use.

chronic illness, chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, RA, rheum, arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibro, fibromyalgia, endo, endometriosis, POTS, postular orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, dysautonomia, chronic anemia, anemia

CMFRT Weighted Blanket ($75-125 depending how much weight) | Not pictured: Sharper Image® Calming Comfort 10 lb. Weighted Blanket ($100) | AUVON iMedassist Portable Daily Pill Organizer ($10) | Conair Moist Heating Pad ($25) | CryoMax Reusable 8 Hour Medium Cold Pack ($15)
| INVODA Pill Box ($9) | Sunbeam Electric Heating Pad ($20) | TheraPearl Hot or Cold Sports Pack ($9) | XINHOME Pill Organizer Box Weekly Case ($15)

Not pictured: 35° Below® Large Warming Socks in Black ($15), Heated Electric Warm Thermal Socks,Winter Rechargeable Electric Warm Heated Socks ($23), and Electric Gloves with 3.7V Rechargeable Battery Thermal Heated Gloves ($50).

Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients: Fun/Distraction

These are things that can occupy them when they’re not doing well, waiting for a medical appointment, etc.

coloring, coloring for calmness, gift for chronic illness patients, gifts for chronic pain patients

The Calm Coloring Book ($8) | Crayola Brush Markers, Dual-Tip with Ultra Fine Marker ($10) | Prismacolor® Premier® Colored Pencils ($18) | Vogue Colors A to Z: A Fashion Coloring Book ($12)

Not pictured: regular books (check out my tag of book posts) and tablets. Some tablet options are Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa Hands-Free ($150), Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite 7″ 8GB Tablet ($70), and Apple iPad mini 4 ($378-400).

Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients: Gift Cards

Everyone loves gift cards! Some ideas are subscriptions (Hulu, Netflix, or Audible, for example), as well as things a bit more specific to chronic illness like massage or acupuncture.

If you have a chronic illness, what gifts do you want that I haven’t put on this list?

Like this post? Check out:

All gift guides, Caring for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Chronic Illness and Mental Health, Is Chronic Illness a Disability?, Chronically Ill Tips: Preparing for Medical Appointments + Freebies To Help

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

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  1. Holiday Gift Ideas: Best Gifts for Someone with Chronic Pain & Illness says:
    November 6, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    […] boy! I have made a bunch of gift guides for chronic illness patients over the years (2019, 2018, 2017, and in 2014), but I think this is the best one I’ve made yet. It definitely has the most […]

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  2. Gift Guide: Gifts for Chronically Ill People | Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    November 6, 2022 at 1:02 pm

    […] 2018 gift guide for chronic illness patients […]

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  3. Gift Ideas: Chronic Illness Must-Haves says:
    August 16, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    […] for Someone with Chronic Pain & Illness (2021), Gift Ideas for Chronically Ill People (2019), Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients (2018), Chronic Illness Gifts […]

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  4. Gifts Supporting Good Causes | Health Lifestyle Blog says:
    January 14, 2024 at 8:00 am

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  5. Gift Ideas: Gifts That Give Back - Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    September 2, 2024 at 3:03 pm

    […] Ideas for Chronically Ill People, Great Gifts for Mom, Gifts for Chronic Illness Patients, Most Useful […]

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There's beauty everywhere, not just in the Maine w There's beauty everywhere, not just in the Maine woods. (Shocking to me, I know.) ⁣⁣⁣
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There's beauty in little things, medium things. There's beauty in ordinary things. ⁣⁣⁣
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In the first cup of coffee of the day with the sun shining into the kitchen. ⁣⁣⁣
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In a completed checklist.⁣
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In a freshly cleaned house. ⁣⁣⁣
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In discovering a new-to-you genre of television that you LOVE. ⁣⁣
In quiet moments with people you care about. ⁣⁣⁣
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There's beauty everywhere. ⁣⁣⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣
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ID: A beautiful lake and a mossy bank. ⁣
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#MaineLife #207 #MaineLiving #IGNewEngland #Vacationland
Weeks 15 of 2026 Weekly Just trying to get throug Weeks 15 of 2026 Weekly

Just trying to get through!

1️⃣ IVIG time
2️⃣ I got a hair cut last week and then I looked nice at one point!

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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. There’s a pump with tubes attached that go under Kate’s shirt.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She’s a white woman with auburn hair wearing a navy dress with flowers, a silver Celtic knot necklace, and green glasses. 

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FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery? Background FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery? 

Background: I have tarsal coalition and rheumatoid arthritis and had subtalar fusion in my left foot in 2009 and in my right in 2018. While this was started because of the tarsal coalitions, it is a surgery that can help rheumatoid arthritis, too. 

Video: Kate talks to the camera. There are captions. A black text box at the binning reads “FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery?”. 

#TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidArthritis #SubtalarFusion #AutoimmuneDisease
There will be times when you do everything you can There will be times when you do everything you can to feel better and it won't work. That's not a failing on your part.⁣⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣
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ID: Screenshot of a Bluesky post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat.bsky.social. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Weeks 13 and 14 of 2026 Weekly Had some rough pai Weeks 13 and 14 of 2026 Weekly

Had some rough pain days in here so I didn’t do a lot and I combined the weeks in 1 post!

1️⃣ Hematology appointment 
2️⃣ PCP, after which an x-ray showed stress fractures in 3 bones 
3️⃣ Tea and cross-stitching

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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

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1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. There’s a medical bracelet on her wrist and a Kindle on her lap.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office. She’s a white woman with auburn hair wearing a black t-shirt, silver Celtic knot necklace, apricot mask, and green glasses.
3️⃣ Looking at a table on which is an orchid, an in-progress cross-stitch project, and a mug of tea.

#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #CrossStitcher #DisabledAndCute
Background: I have tarsal coalitions and rheumatoi Background: I have tarsal coalitions and rheumatoid arthritis in both of my feet, and I’ve had resection surgery and subtalar fusion surgeries. I am not a medical professional and am sharing my experience! 

Video: Kate talks to the camera. There are captions. Text reads at the beginning “FAQ: What Was the Recovery from Tarsal Coalition Surgeries Like?”. 

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We've all made this mistake once (or twice or a hu We've all made this mistake once (or twice or a hundred times ...) ⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣
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It can be really easy to feel like chronic illness has taken over everything about you and that all you are is a patient. ⁣⁣⁣
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You might be different than you were before you developed symptoms, but that doesn't mean that everything about you is different, even if everything about your life is different. ⁣⁣⁣
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There is no one aspect of our lives that defines all that we are. That's true for LITERALLY EVERYONE! No one is just one thing. We're all many, many things. ⁣⁣⁣
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For example: yes, I'm a chronic illness patient, and yes, I talk about it a lot online. But I'm also someone who is passionate about education, who played 1-3 instruments for 12 years, who is obsessed with her home state, who reads a ridiculous amount of historical fiction, and who has been writing in some capacity for decades. ⁣⁣⁣
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Even if all you know about me is that I'm a chronic illness patient, that doesn't mean that all I am is a chronic illness patient. ⁣⁣⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: Kate takes a selfie. She's a white woman with auburn hear with a blue sweater, green scarf, and pink glasses.⁣
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PREPARING FOR SUMMER WITH POTS⁣ ⁣ Summer is right PREPARING FOR SUMMER WITH POTS⁣
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Summer is right around the corner. Here are somethings I'm doing now to make it easier. ⁣
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1️⃣ Finding my many fans and making sure they're charged⁣
2️⃣ Increasing my sodium intake ⁣
3️⃣ Making sure I have plenty of @cure, my preferred electrolyte supplement⁣
4️⃣ Getting back into the habit of using Tachymon, the app I use on my watch as pictured here. I have it set to notify me not only when my heart rate gets high, but also when it has changed by a fair amount. Here, it shows my heart rate is 150 and the change from my recent average (104) is 45.6. With POTS, the problem isn't only an increase, but a quick increase. ⁣
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What are you doing to prepare for summer with POTS? ⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: An Apple watch showing a heart rate of 150, recent average of 104, and change from that average of 45.6. A white text box reads "Preparing for Summer with POTS". ⁣
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