Chronically ill people get nausea. No, they get nausea. They understand it on a fundamental level, have loathed, bargained, and communed with it. Especially hearty people say they just learn to tolerate it, but who among us hasn’t invoked long-dead gods in desperate moments on a bathroom floor?
Here’s the toolkit for avoiding throwing up on your boss’ shoes, near a date, or on that poor nurse who you suspect might be pretty bad at threading an IV. None of these are intended to eradicate the source of your nausea, and you should work closely with your clinicians if you experience persistent nausea or vomiting! This is a list for chronic illness patients who have ambitions of going outside and engaging in the world with a slightly smaller vomit-demon on their back. Get a small coin purse/pack (or stash packs in multiple locations) for when surprise nausea strikes and fill it with these key items:
1. Alcohol swabs
2. Ask your clinicians for nausea-control meds
3. Over-the-counter medications
4. Herbal and holistic options
5. Headphones and meditation or white noise apps
