u/artsykmac

In response to another post, I got thinking about how important it is for us all to not just focus on the things we can't do, but to share with each other how we've figured out how to still do things.

Ultimately, we all want to DO things in our lives and part of that with POTS (and any chronic condition) is figuring out the management strategies we need. AND coming up with those things is not always easy so let's get ideas from each other.

So what have you figured out?
- What specific modifications do you make for a specific activity?
- what tools have you gotten / made to help you do a thing?
- what things do you outsource so they don't take as much from you?

Here's a couple examples -- I'll post more later.

Camping at the Renfaire in the summer.

I still wanna go camping at the Renfaire with friends but it's in the blazing heat and there's zero shade. So we now rent a van life van that has AC and I escape to it for the afternoon of Saturday. I don't drink Friday night. I take a cold shower in / outside the van. We have a portable toilet in the van so I can limit walking & climbing in and out of it in the middle of the night. I carry an umbrella, I have a fan to wear around my neck, evaporative cooling scarves, camelback with ice in it. This year I'm gonna try these "freeze at not freezing temps" ice packs that can just be dunked in cool water to freeze back up. I'll stick them in my shirt / wherever haha.

Gardening

I can't always water the garden in the summer mornings cuz our eastern sun is stupidly hot. Finally setting up a soaker hose irrigation system this year so I don't blow my energy load just so I can have flowers. I got a weed puller this year where I can pull weeds while standing. I'm hoping to also get something to help me pickup all those weeds, too.

Generally getting stuff off the floor
I can't really bend straight over to get stuff without consequences after like 2 times (duh) but I can't always ask for help. So now I almost do a squat - like how you'd "lift with your knees" for picking up something heavy. Hey well that fork I dropped is "heavy". I don't get lightheaded when I do the squat / plie thing. Or I frequently drop to one knee and then get up. I also don't always look at the thing as I'm picking it up. I try to keep my neck straight / neutral where I can. It seems to help! (I've yet to get a grabber - cuz it would likely never be where I need / want it.)

What are yours??