Tis the season to be Thankful.

This saying is particularly true for me this year as I am battling breast cancer.

Life crises like these can really make you stop and take the time to think:

I never realized how CANCER is everywhere before it hit my home. When I started to tell people about my diagnosis, everyone had stories to share about how it impacted them, their loved ones, their friends, etc.

One thing that truly helped me (in addition to knowing that I certainly wasn’t going through this alone), was the helpful suggestions and advice that cancer survivors shared with me.

Simple things like what lotion to use on the chemo rashes to the perfect Netflix series to lift your spirits really made a difference.

Because I know SO many of us have a loved one who is still battling cancer or some other illness, I wanted to share some of the BEST gifts and products that have helped me through my battle with cancer the last six months.

1) Stay-Cold Pillow Cases

Chemo causes insomnia, and hot flashes at any time of day – especially if you are wearing a wig in the summer. But at night, OMG. My first night with a stay-cold pillow case was my first complete night’s sleep in weeks. Aaaah.

2) Hair Stuff, Hats, and Headpieces

Everyone knows that hair falls out, but so do eyebrows and eyelashes. And then your whole face looks like someone else’s.

The first time I wore a wig in public, I literally felt like this. Awful.

It took me a while to not be completely self-conscious. These wig grip bands and special clips helped them to stay put on my head. (Make sure to buy them yourself, and not from the wig store—they are half the cost on Amazon).

These might not be things you can pick out for someone. But cute, soft, hats or comfy head coverings are really helpful.

3) Fake Lashes and a really good Eye Brow pencil. When you’re going through treatment, most of the things that make you feel pretty are taken away.

I also started going to Ulta once a week to get fake strip lashes put on (only cost $10 bucks), which made me feel SOOO much better. I started to watch some tutorials on how to do them myself, and now I’m a pro.

I really like these Natural Lashes from Ardell, but I think it’s all about the lash grabber. As long as you don’t get them wet, they stay on for almost a week. Make sure you DO wet them in the shower to get them off, or you may pull a real lash out.

I’m really not a fan of the new THICK eyebrow trend, but not having any eyebrows is even worse. I started using this eyebrow pencil from Anastasia and immediately felt so much better.

​4. Go Hydrate Packets:

It’s important to stay hydrated during treatment, but it can be so hard to keep drinking water! These flavored packets really helped me to keep drinking—plus they are sugar-free and filled with electrolytes.

5. Books, books, and Books:

A good book is a great way to keep your mind off things, keep you occupied during chemo treatment, and pass the time when you’re waiting at the doctor’s office. I also have been enjoying the free books that I get monthly with my Amazon Prime membership. Audible came in handy, too.

The Best 6 Books I’ve read in the Last 6 months :

​Local Woman Missing​

​The Home for Unwanted Girls​

​The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo​

​The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek​

​Before We Were Yours ​

​The Girl with the Loudin Voice​

​You can find many more of my book recommendations here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/missjaimeo.t.

6. Massages: I wake up feeling as though I’ve slept in a FedEx Box every morning. (Side effect of Chemo.) Luckily, my health insurance covers weekly massages. A massage gift card is a great idea for a friend who might not be as lucky.

7. Hulu, Netflix, and Disney Plus. Because I’m spending so much time at home, we got a few new streaming services. One of my friends got me a year’s worth of Hulu, which I’ve been loving.

8. Frozen meals: One of the things I did to prepare for the days I wasn’t feeling well, and make things easier on my husband, was to make a bunch of frozen meals in advance. I LOVE these Souper Cubes Food holders. You can freeze your soup, chili, whatever, then take the “block” out and put it in a ziplock. The Souper Cubes go right in the dishwasher! They are a GAME-changer. (We used this a lot before Cancer because life is so darn busy with two working parents—we wanted healthy easy dinners for weeknights.)

9. House cleaning services

I contacted Cleaning for a Reason, which is a non-profit organization that offers FREE house cleaning for people with cancer. They came and cleaned my whole house, TWICE, free of charge. This was an amazing gift and it really lifted my spirits.

​These are just a few of the things that helped me through this tough time. I can only hope that this list can help you or someone you love as well!

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As an OT, I am very picky about the toys I buy for kids. I always get a lot of questions about the toys/games I recommend for kids’ development. This is my Amazon shop, and although I may earn a tiny fee for anything you purchase from the list, it doesn’t cost you one cent extra. It is one way I get paid back for all the freebies I provide for my awesome VIPs! Check it out:

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