Managing the home with chronic fatigue

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amother

Wheat

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 9:57 pm

I’m in the same boat. Can’t work because of fatigue and other health issues so don’t have the means to pay for as much cleaning help as I’m used to.
Honestly, I have no answers. I wish I did. I can just sympathize. It’s so hard! Even with using disposables and simple meals. Huge hugs Hug

amother

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:10 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

I have CFS so I can commiserate. Here are some things that work best:

1) Have less stuff. If you can't pare down kids toys, get rid of as much of everything else as possible. It's less you need to deal with.
2) Don't sort laundry. Give each member of your household a laundry basket and all their laundry goes in each one. Then you don't need to sort or even really put away if you aren't up for it.
3) Try to capitalize on the few minutes you do feel well. Make a list of chores that really make things feel cleaner. I try to take a few minutes a day right after brushing my teeth to wipe down the bathroom counter. It makes me feel like my whole house is cleaner.
4) We have a robot vacuum. I'm obsessed.
5) Train your kids. Min are 7,9,11,12 and they all have been doing real chores for years. They don't necessarily do it well, but they do it.
6) Get your husband to figure out what he can do. My husband does a ton because I need him to.
7) Lower your standards and then lower the bar even more. It's ok.

You have my sympathies. CFS is such an invisible illness and it really sucks the life out of you.

Thank you for your post! Can you explain your non sorting system? You wash each person's laundry separately and give it to them to fold and put away or did you mean that you sort the clean laundry into each person's individual basket to fold and put away?

amother

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:16 pm

Thank you all for your help. Going to try some of these ideas and come back maybe in a few weeks to update and get more ideas. This is a real chessed for me and my family. Thank you!

saw50st8

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:41 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I'm not an expert because I just started this with one of my kids as a trial (though I've seen it touted all over youtube). Each kid has their own laundry basket. You wash each kids clothes separately so each load is one persons clothes. Then it doesn't need to be sorted because it is all one person's clothes. Each kid can put away their own clothes. If they don't, at least it is a basket that's all their own.

saw50st8

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:43 pm

For food:

I don't bread or fry anything because it's too time consuming. I only make very easy foods that take very quick to prepare.

I use my food processor all the time. Also the dishwasher.

Food choices are either eat or don't eat.

Miri1

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:56 pm

This line of vacuum cleaners is quite lightweight, and very good in my experience:

https://www.target.com/p/shark.....metab

miami85

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 10:59 pm

I was certainly feeling very down and "what's the point" a few months ago, I once bought a bottle of B-12 instead of Melatonin (for my kids) and I heard that it's good for energy and mood, so I started taking it and I started feeling more energetic. Perhaps try that before trying prescription medication.

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 11:05 pm

miami85 wrote:

b vitamin deficiency can be a cause of chronic fatigue so makes sense it would help. Other causes are thyroid, anemia, chronic infections like mono, cmv, Lyme. Among others.

elisheva25

Thu, Oct 29 2020, 11:08 pm

Anyone suffering from fatigue, try b12... but not just supplements, for a lot of people it doesn’t absorb.
Instead buy the B12 patches, they make a huge difference for fatigue

areal

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 12:58 am

elisheva25 wrote:

Instead buy the B12 patches, they make a huge difference for fatigue

Wow never knew this existed! What brand do you find is effective?

Bruria

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 1:02 am

Cook 1 pot meals. Use a plastic liner for the crockpot and disposable plates and cutlery. Or make an oven meal on a disposable tray, like chicken and potatoes. Keep it simple, don't stress over the small stuff

amother

Turquoise

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 1:47 am

I don't know if I have chronic fatigue but am in tears due to the stress of keeping up and not being able to. I emphathize with op and also appreciate the tips. I can't seem to nearly keep up . I find cleaning, cooking , having any time to take care of self hugely challenging. I find shopping for my teenage children impossible for me to keep up with (orders and returns and alterations, etc.)

amother

Lemon

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 3:44 am

I don't have chronic fatigue, but I do suffer from insomnia and have no energy during the day.
1) One or two loads of laundry a day and fold and put away right away. If I don't have energy to fold, it stays in the dryer until the next day. No more piles of laundry.
2) Spot clean the floor with a rag and spray bottle. I only mop twice a month.
3) Set a timer, and clean each room for 10 minutes at a time when I have more energy.
4) Crock pot dinners. Use crock pot lines.
5) I've never done this, but my friend bought a high stool and washes her dishes sitting down.
6) Let dishes air dry and put them away in the morning.
7) My husb does the errands, shopping, linen, and irons his own shirts.
8) I think a good lightweight cordless vacuum cleaner is a better buy than a robot vacuum. You don't have to worry about leaving Lego out, it gets the corners, and won't get stuck under beds.

For energy these are the things that actually help me.
1) Intermittent fasting. The days I eat only one meal a day (OMAD) are the days I'll have the most energy.
2) Lots of water. I can't stress this enough. Drink drink drink.
3) A focus on positive thinking, positive self talk, mindfulness, meditation, having fun with the kids.

amother

White

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 2:26 pm

I highly recommend that you see your primary care physician. The root of the problem is fatigue and there are things they can do for chronic fatigue syndrome. Hatzlocha

TravelHearter

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 2:38 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

1. Cleaning the house (dishes, floors, tidying up, bathroom)
2. Laundry cleaning and folding
3. Putting away groceries
4. Cleaning up toys, kids clothing
5. Variety of dinners with minimal energy

Keep in mind that in part bec I don't work money is tight (can't work due to fatigue)

Here are some dinners that are easy to make:
Chicken with rice- two cups water to one cup rice and put chicken on top
Meatballs and spaghetti
Buy pita and frozen falafel balls, make salad and you have falafel
Brown some meat and put it over fries
You can put any veg or chicken on a sheet pan on 400 with some spices to roast

amother

White

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 3:45 pm

I like to do dinners that I can just put a sauce over e.g. chicken with duck sauce, fish with teriyaki sauce, did you see the post for no cook baked ziti?

happyone

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 3:59 pm

grocery orders.
Amazon prime.
chesed girls if you live in an area that provides.
lowering expectations .
freezing dinners.
asking husb to take on chores.
learning to ask neighbors and friends for help when needed .
not beating yourself up when having a down day.

amother

Apricot

Fri, Oct 30 2020, 5:34 pm

As far as meals
I find it helpful to have a menu plan with super easy suppers. It makes shopping easy as well.

For example
Sunday- Shabbat Leftovers or take out
Monday- meatloaf, rice, stringbeans (frozen)
Tuesday- chicken (shake n bake) mash
potatoes, corn (canned)
Wednesday- Tuna sandwiches and soup
Thursday- breakfast for dinner - scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, toast, pizza bread, cereal and milk, and some cut up cucumbers and tomatoes.

Meatloaf you can mix up 4 for the month and freeze

Mash potatoes - instant if you have to, just add hot water, salt, oil, and mix
Or make your own and freeze.

Soups you can make in big batches and freeze
Some supermarkets have specials on frozen soups 5x $20

You can also make a few lasagnas and freeze- it’s easy with no boil lasagna noodles
Just layer ingredients
Also eggplant parm if you buy the pre- breaded eggplant. Again, just layer ingredients

Hot dog with the bun and French Fries (frozen), baked beans (canned) is another easy dinner you put together quickly.
This with a pickle or 2 for the veg.

mom of three bh

Sun, Nov 01 2020, 9:13 pm

hi! for all those with chronic fatigue there is help!! call mrs basul 18455371705 from monroe. she helps over the phone, is soo accurate and total miracle doctor! she prescribes set of vitamins and it actually works bh

amother

Pink

Sun, Nov 01 2020, 10:25 pm

coffee twice a day might just give you a boost. Most important veggies

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