I had a wonderful time away last weekend at a Supernatural convention, but now I need to be careful. I think recovering from a trip with chronic illnesses is so hard and something I would love to chat about this week.
This last weekend I was at a Supernatural convention run by Starfury Conventions, and I have been going to their events for about 20years or more at this point. I love how inclusive they are, no matter what gender, disability or anything else, everyone is welcome.
I have had to cut down to maybe one event a year because of my health and money, but I always struggle to choose just one! The last couple of years it has been their Once Upon a Time conventions, I love that show and there is so much scope to dress up.
However, this year me and my friend who goes as my carer, decided to try their Supernatural convention because I love that show. It is like number two after Buffyverse, and they had some amazing cast there, so I was really excited.
We have found things that help when we are at the events, one is long naps after the talks in the daytime and the parties in the evening. We also basically follow the tips I gave in my last article talking about how to take a trip without a flare.
This event appears to be so popular they just announced the next Supernatural convention, and it is almost sold out already! I was shocked at how many people were there, it reminded me of their Buffy and Angel conventions and how packed they were back in the day!
As someone who is mainly housebound and rarely goes to events, this was so overwhelming to me. I struggled a lot with hearing the talks of the actors because it was so busy and there was a lot of chatting. It was as if my brain couldn’t focus and I was sad about that because I cannot afford to get autographs and pictures anymore so that’s all my time with the actors.
The biggest problem though was the bed and pillow; they were both so hard that I was waking up with completely numb limbs and headaches. It was really painful, and by Sunday I was struggling to walk because of it, unfortunately this meant I had to go home a day early.
I was so sad to call my husband to come get me a day early, but so thankful to rest in my own comfy bed. It was so lovely to get comfortable, and I stayed in bed until early evening on Monday just sleeping and recovering.
Today is Wednesday, and I am up writing this post in my pyjamas, I even managed a quick shower yesterday and to get dressed! All because I am careful to rest before, and while I am away, so let’s talk about the things I do to ensure I keep improving and not flaring.
Recovering From a Trip With Chronic Illnesses
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Tips for Recovering from a Trip
- Rest – As soon as you can, go to bed and relax this is so important and will make such a difference. Don’t try to stay awake or get chatty throw your things on the floor, get into your pjs and get into bed. I slept almost from the moment I got into bed Sunday evening to the evening of Monday, and I needed it. Our bodies need more rest and even if all you do is watch movies and doze, you need to be away from people and just resting. If I had tried to lie on our sofa in the living room, I would have been chatting to my mom, and I wouldn’t have really rested.
- Mindfulness – Yep, it is time to just be in the moment, to have thoughts buzzing around, or worrying about things you need to do or even thinking about what you did takes energy. Now, is really the time to be in the moment and to let thoughts and worries pass you by so you can really rest and ease that brain fog.
- Eat right – This is big, get back to eating your usual diet as soon as you can, because eating ‘holiday’ food will always cause upsets. It’s right to try new foods and to eat out when you are away, but getting your tummy settled is so important. So, put away any unusual food as soon as you can and get back to normal it will make a big difference.
- Do one thing at a time – I am sure most of us do multiple things at once, like colouring while a TV show is on, or listening to a podcast. But while recovering try to concentrate on one thing at a time, this will help your brain to rest and not have too many things to try and concentrate on.
- Be kind – Yes, this is time to rest, and it will take as long as it takes, so give in and lay down. Don’t beat yourself up for not doing something or for things being left as they were when you got home. Now, is the time to be kind to yourself, listen to your body and to rest so you don’t flare up and feel awful.
Overall, recovering from a trip with chronic illnesses, is as much about what you did while you were away as it is when you get home. It is all about slowing down and resting that is our lives and it can be frustrating if you are trying to fight what your body needs. I have found it much easier to listen to what my body needs and to slow down than to fight and have constant flares. Let me know what helps you recover in the comments.
Thank you xx
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