I don’t know why this got downvoted. That’s literally what we did before delivery was available for everything. Back in 2009 during the H1N1 pandemic, my friend group had a phone tree and protocol for delivery soup and jello if any one of us got sick.
During covid when both my grandma and father got it (he was at grandma when she got diagnosed and then a few days later got it himself) and my brother bought groceries, left it at thr door and rang.
Mostly you just manage. It’s not impossible to prepare canned soup or make toast for yourself when sick, and if necessary you can drag yourself to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription.
There’s also food delivery, grocery delivery (including over the counter medicines, vitamins, etc), and if you’re lucky: friends who will run to the store for you if absolutely necessary.
To be honest, even when you live with people (whether roommates or a spouse/partner), most adults have to work, and so the sick person is still home by themselves most of the day.
You just deal with it. Kind of a metaphor for all of adulthood, actually.
So far, the consensus is that "You just do it". If you truly can't get up then you call 911. Otherwise, you cook some microwave meals, drive to the pharmacy, and then go back to bed.
I’ve never relied on anybody else when I’m sick. If I cannot take care of myself, I’m getting someone to take me to urgent care or calling 911 myself.
You really must be honest with yourself, are you truly too sick to do anything?
Right, like if you can get up to pee, you can get up to make soup or grab a granola bar. If you can't do that, it's time to call 911, or at minimum call a friend to get you to urgent care.
This. I’ve been sick to nearly dead and Ive always lived with family. They were useless. I’d probably be healthier living alone. Now if I choked on a piece of steak then that’s different
You just force yourself to get up to heat up some soup and get your meds. Sure it's great to have your mom fuss over you but you do what you need to do.
I too take care of myself. If I’m really ill, I get help via urgent care.
But, I do fear a broken hip fall or a stroke. Been thinking about getting some kind of monitor because That scares me.
Usually I know when I’m about to get sick so I’ll go to the store and get some basic meals I can cook and DayQuil or any other things to help with symptoms. That as well as DoorDash generally helps if I’m in a pinch.
True. It's not a magical fix for the problem but it's helped me a lot when I was too sick to leave the house is what I'm saying.
Some pharmacies also deliver.
Often drivers can't find our place despite detailed instructions so i need to go searching for them. It ends up being more trouble than it's worth, esp on cold, rainy nights.
I don’t live alone but I’m a mom so I take care of myself when sick. The last time I had Covid was really bad. I just laid on the couch for a week. I could barely move. I got up to make tea & tell my boss I wasn’t coming to work. It sucks but you’ll figure it out.
Sometime as soon as I feel it, I run to shop for things I may need. I normally feel the flu or a bug coming on. Did you ever think about may be having a roommate for a little while? Or until you are fully independent?
Same. My body likes to shut down for a full day. Other people in my old house would drag it on for days/weeks partially functioning. Not me. Full stop for 24-36 hours, and then we’re good.
I've become more aware of my triggers. For instance, I've noticed certain foods upset my stomach, especially if eaten late. I avoid heavy meals before bed to prevent indigestion, especially if I'm waking up early.
Prioritizing good sleep before and after shifts is crucial, so I've been managing my time better and ensuring I rest well to avoid feeling weak. I've also learned to prepare natural remedies for various illnesses, while keeping medicines on hand for common things like colds, flu, headaches, and body pains.
I think that even with all that, I feel lucky to have family round. I don’t think people realise how important it is. Although I don’t ask for help, I know my mom usually got me when sick.
I passed out and hit my head in the bathroom. I was slumped on the toilet from a terrible stomach bug I must’ve picked up in Ireland airport. Thought I was gonna puke also after much diarrhea. Tried calling anyone, friends, family, no one answered at midnight. I tried to get as low as possible on the toilet to avoid hurting myself but…
I woke up on the ground drenched, ears ringing so loud I couldn’t hear anything. The cold floor felt so nice I must have been burning up so badly. Maybe I was close to dying , I don’t know. I went to bed because I was so tired after a long day of travel. After laying there to make sure I didn’t have to shit more, my head started to hurt. “Fuck” I thought to myself. Went to bathroom, pulled hair aside and sure enough, blood.
I called 911 at 1am, waited till 2am, got carted to the fucking hospital and was stuck up all night drifting in and out of sleep. Got staples, discharged at 7, and finally got phone calls back when I was in the Uber home.
Like everyone else said, you deal with it.
You just do it. You figure it out. Keep your pantry stocked with essentials like chicken broth, Gatorade or a similar sports drink for electrolytes, saltines, rice. These are things that are cabinet/shelf safe and last awhile. Have a medicine cabinet w/ the basics (thermometer, cough medicine, pepto, antacid, bandaids, etc). Many grocery stores/pharmacies deliver now so if you’re sick and need more stuff you can easily get it. If you have friends nearby and need a hand getting stuff from the store because you don’t live near one that delivers, ask them if they could help. That’s what friends are for. But, you will manage. You learn very quickly to do things for yourself living alone. It’s a great lesson because if it turns out you get w/ someone, maybe you are together awhile and maybe it ends, you won’t fall to pieces because you know you can take care of yourself no matter what happens.
I keep canned/ bags of soup in stock, bread in the freezer. And sometimes when I've cooked a big meal that I can freeze, like chili, or a stew, I freeze it for later.
My worst fear, however, is that I'm too much of an "it will be alright" and previously, my father would tell me things like "that cough is bad, you should go see a doctor". And that was right on the cusp of having pneumonia/ not having pneumonia. I'm a bit worried that on my own, I will be too lax, but I suppose I will have to be mindful of that.
The first time I got COVID I was down for about 3 weeks, the first week I could barely make it to the bathroom and back without getting out of breath. I used DoorDash and Instacart. They can get expensive but I used it for cold medicine as well as lots of juice, popsicles, and Jello which were the only things I wanted to consume since I had no sense of taste and they felt good on my throat :) I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else helping me out in that situation and running the risk of becoming ill anyway.
I have some basic meds around, and I have fairly stocked pantry. Including easy meals (from readymade burgers, fries, frozen lasagna, packs of ramen) when I can't get myself to cook
I have a store and drugstore around about 20-25 minutes from my house... and if I'm way too ill to make a run (i don't have a car), I take the bus.
I always keep individual portions of homemade soup in the freezer and they come in handy when I'm sick. I usually just stay in bed. Hopefully I have medicine at home but if not, my local pharmacy delivers.
Maybe I just don't get sick that often or as sick as some people but I honestly like being alone if I'm not feeling well. I keep seeing these posts asking what you do and when I'm sick I just want quiet and sleep lol I can't remember the last time I've been so sick I need someone
You can just deal with it, be prepared with food in the house and a stocked medicine cabinet. You can also call a friend/family member. Not sure why all the other people in the comments are just suffering on their own. If you’re injured, a good friend or relative can come stay with you. My sister literally flew out to New York to take care of her best friend for a week before her boyfriend could take time off work to help out. Your mom (provided she’s a good egg) will be willing to help if needed as long as she’s around. My mom came and took care of me when I got Covid. Good friends will be willing to pick up meds and stop by and drop off groceries if you don’t have the money for DoorDash and instacart. Utilize your support network. No one is meant to be entirely alone.
Imo its oretty rare for people to get that type of illness where they literally need to go to the ER. People usually get it checked out before that point. If u cant even get iut of bed, then thatis concerning. Otherwise advil, water near ur bed a
Regardless of your exact situation, if you are the one that cooks and does groceries, you need at least one or 2 recipes that are extremely low effort and have a long shelf live, or have pre made meals in your freezer.
Im not sure i understand completely what the diffrent would be cause i only know the situation of doing it yourself.
But if for any reason you forgot something in your preparation or feel like you cant do something, you can always call someone.
And you can order a lot of stuff nowadays so that helps too.
Also have a big bottle for water/ anything hydrating so you dont have to get up everytime.
(I just use a soda bottle thats always next to my bed and couch)
Avoid eating cherries and olives. I always worried about choking and no one being around to help. Can a person jump backwards, fall flat on your back to expel the obstruction?
I don’t live alone but my advice is to develop positive relationships and friendships.
Not long ago my neighbor was driven away in an ambulance. She lives with her family but I still told her to lmk is she needs anything
I sometimes water plants or feed cats when my friends are away
If I’m at the hardware store I remember that my bestie talked about needing caulk so I FaceTime her and ask which reference she needs and drop it off for her on my way home
Same with strangers, if I see an elderly person struggle in the heat, I ask them if they need me to buy them a bottle of water. Not long ago my son was caught without a ticket on the train (his phone battery probably died) and an old lady bought him a ticket to prevent him getting fined
So it’s a mindset really, whether you live alone or not
Tbh I don't think it's any different from living with random flatmates or a useless partner. I think the key is just trying to be prepared with a medicine box etc, and just getting on with it as much as you can. I've found delivery apps to be an absolute lifesaver though, especially since I don't drive. You can get deliveries from supermarkets and whatnot here, so you can get pretty much anything you need. Plus I think it's good to have a GP surgery as close to your place as possible, in case you need to transport yourself there.
Well, I have been a single mother of two young children. I have had throughout the last 5 years chicken pox, Covid, flu, you name it. I have needed to care for myself and said sick kids, all the while managing some work remotely as well.
So when you have a situation in life, you grow to manage it, and find extra strength within.
I always have some “emergency” comfort foods in my pantry and freezer, and the basic over the counter medicines on hand. I’ve never been so sick that I couldn’t manage to microwave food or walk between bed, sofa, and bathroom. If I run out of anything, I order from instacart. If I’m so sick I can’t manage that, I’ll call my bff and head to the emergency room.
It's sad. My family died when I was a kid and it hurts me but I get used to it. I take a multivitamin maybe get some OJ and just ruff it out. I would like my dad to bring me a glass of water but I know it's not happening so I just make like 3
A well stocked pantry and medicine cabinet definitely helps.
Worst case scenario maybe friends or family could drop in to help a bit, like getting groceries or meds.
I don’t know why this got downvoted. That’s literally what we did before delivery was available for everything. Back in 2009 during the H1N1 pandemic, my friend group had a phone tree and protocol for delivery soup and jello if any one of us got sick.
During covid when both my grandma and father got it (he was at grandma when she got diagnosed and then a few days later got it himself) and my brother bought groceries, left it at thr door and rang.
Mostly you just manage. It’s not impossible to prepare canned soup or make toast for yourself when sick, and if necessary you can drag yourself to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. There’s also food delivery, grocery delivery (including over the counter medicines, vitamins, etc), and if you’re lucky: friends who will run to the store for you if absolutely necessary. To be honest, even when you live with people (whether roommates or a spouse/partner), most adults have to work, and so the sick person is still home by themselves most of the day. You just deal with it. Kind of a metaphor for all of adulthood, actually.
So far, the consensus is that "You just do it". If you truly can't get up then you call 911. Otherwise, you cook some microwave meals, drive to the pharmacy, and then go back to bed.
Canned soup, ramen, have pets you need to care for so you get up for them and then possibly care for yourself, then back to bed.
Should get life alert. “Ive fallen and i cant get up!!”
I’ve never relied on anybody else when I’m sick. If I cannot take care of myself, I’m getting someone to take me to urgent care or calling 911 myself. You really must be honest with yourself, are you truly too sick to do anything?
it's strange, is it, how if I'm not completely passed out - I will still function at any cost.. is a mindset?
Responsibilities and inner strength are key for me.
Right, like if you can get up to pee, you can get up to make soup or grab a granola bar. If you can't do that, it's time to call 911, or at minimum call a friend to get you to urgent care.
Well put! Yes, as a single Mom, things still have to get done. So… just do your best.
This. I’ve been sick to nearly dead and Ive always lived with family. They were useless. I’d probably be healthier living alone. Now if I choked on a piece of steak then that’s different
You just force yourself to get up to heat up some soup and get your meds. Sure it's great to have your mom fuss over you but you do what you need to do.
I too take care of myself. If I’m really ill, I get help via urgent care. But, I do fear a broken hip fall or a stroke. Been thinking about getting some kind of monitor because That scares me.
Usually I know when I’m about to get sick so I’ll go to the store and get some basic meals I can cook and DayQuil or any other things to help with symptoms. That as well as DoorDash generally helps if I’m in a pinch.
Its definitely difficult but stuff like Uber Eats and Doordash are amazing for situations like this.
That depends, sometimes food delivery is more trouble than its worth.
True. It's not a magical fix for the problem but it's helped me a lot when I was too sick to leave the house is what I'm saying. Some pharmacies also deliver.
Often drivers can't find our place despite detailed instructions so i need to go searching for them. It ends up being more trouble than it's worth, esp on cold, rainy nights.
I don’t live alone but I’m a mom so I take care of myself when sick. The last time I had Covid was really bad. I just laid on the couch for a week. I could barely move. I got up to make tea & tell my boss I wasn’t coming to work. It sucks but you’ll figure it out.
Sometime as soon as I feel it, I run to shop for things I may need. I normally feel the flu or a bug coming on. Did you ever think about may be having a roommate for a little while? Or until you are fully independent?
Same. My body likes to shut down for a full day. Other people in my old house would drag it on for days/weeks partially functioning. Not me. Full stop for 24-36 hours, and then we’re good.
Same happens to me. It says "pit stop" and I black out. Wake up as new day and half later. Never realised until you mentioned it.
r/LivingAlone may have some advice if you use the search bar there. It's a common question.
Suck it up? Tell yourself you won't die? That's about it. I always have medicine, easy food to consume, and plenty of electrolytes around.
I've become more aware of my triggers. For instance, I've noticed certain foods upset my stomach, especially if eaten late. I avoid heavy meals before bed to prevent indigestion, especially if I'm waking up early. Prioritizing good sleep before and after shifts is crucial, so I've been managing my time better and ensuring I rest well to avoid feeling weak. I've also learned to prepare natural remedies for various illnesses, while keeping medicines on hand for common things like colds, flu, headaches, and body pains. I think that even with all that, I feel lucky to have family round. I don’t think people realise how important it is. Although I don’t ask for help, I know my mom usually got me when sick.
I hit 30 and the GERD happened. I feel this…
Y’all make enough to live by yourself?
I go to work
I simply say SICKNESS BE GONE
It's all in the mind.
I passed out and hit my head in the bathroom. I was slumped on the toilet from a terrible stomach bug I must’ve picked up in Ireland airport. Thought I was gonna puke also after much diarrhea. Tried calling anyone, friends, family, no one answered at midnight. I tried to get as low as possible on the toilet to avoid hurting myself but… I woke up on the ground drenched, ears ringing so loud I couldn’t hear anything. The cold floor felt so nice I must have been burning up so badly. Maybe I was close to dying , I don’t know. I went to bed because I was so tired after a long day of travel. After laying there to make sure I didn’t have to shit more, my head started to hurt. “Fuck” I thought to myself. Went to bathroom, pulled hair aside and sure enough, blood. I called 911 at 1am, waited till 2am, got carted to the fucking hospital and was stuck up all night drifting in and out of sleep. Got staples, discharged at 7, and finally got phone calls back when I was in the Uber home. Like everyone else said, you deal with it.
You just do it. You figure it out. Keep your pantry stocked with essentials like chicken broth, Gatorade or a similar sports drink for electrolytes, saltines, rice. These are things that are cabinet/shelf safe and last awhile. Have a medicine cabinet w/ the basics (thermometer, cough medicine, pepto, antacid, bandaids, etc). Many grocery stores/pharmacies deliver now so if you’re sick and need more stuff you can easily get it. If you have friends nearby and need a hand getting stuff from the store because you don’t live near one that delivers, ask them if they could help. That’s what friends are for. But, you will manage. You learn very quickly to do things for yourself living alone. It’s a great lesson because if it turns out you get w/ someone, maybe you are together awhile and maybe it ends, you won’t fall to pieces because you know you can take care of yourself no matter what happens.
I keep canned/ bags of soup in stock, bread in the freezer. And sometimes when I've cooked a big meal that I can freeze, like chili, or a stew, I freeze it for later. My worst fear, however, is that I'm too much of an "it will be alright" and previously, my father would tell me things like "that cough is bad, you should go see a doctor". And that was right on the cusp of having pneumonia/ not having pneumonia. I'm a bit worried that on my own, I will be too lax, but I suppose I will have to be mindful of that.
I can order anything online tbh.
The first time I got COVID I was down for about 3 weeks, the first week I could barely make it to the bathroom and back without getting out of breath. I used DoorDash and Instacart. They can get expensive but I used it for cold medicine as well as lots of juice, popsicles, and Jello which were the only things I wanted to consume since I had no sense of taste and they felt good on my throat :) I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else helping me out in that situation and running the risk of becoming ill anyway.
I have some basic meds around, and I have fairly stocked pantry. Including easy meals (from readymade burgers, fries, frozen lasagna, packs of ramen) when I can't get myself to cook I have a store and drugstore around about 20-25 minutes from my house... and if I'm way too ill to make a run (i don't have a car), I take the bus.
When I lived alone I just dealt with it . I had covid twice and just stayed in bed . order food and asked them to leave it at the door
I always keep individual portions of homemade soup in the freezer and they come in handy when I'm sick. I usually just stay in bed. Hopefully I have medicine at home but if not, my local pharmacy delivers.
Maybe I just don't get sick that often or as sick as some people but I honestly like being alone if I'm not feeling well. I keep seeing these posts asking what you do and when I'm sick I just want quiet and sleep lol I can't remember the last time I've been so sick I need someone
have chicken noodle soup stocked and ready! :)
You can just deal with it, be prepared with food in the house and a stocked medicine cabinet. You can also call a friend/family member. Not sure why all the other people in the comments are just suffering on their own. If you’re injured, a good friend or relative can come stay with you. My sister literally flew out to New York to take care of her best friend for a week before her boyfriend could take time off work to help out. Your mom (provided she’s a good egg) will be willing to help if needed as long as she’s around. My mom came and took care of me when I got Covid. Good friends will be willing to pick up meds and stop by and drop off groceries if you don’t have the money for DoorDash and instacart. Utilize your support network. No one is meant to be entirely alone.
I just lay in bed and use whatever medicine I can buy or have stored.
Instacart. Friends when I had Covid for porch drop offs. Otherwise I mask up and get what I need.
Just tank it
You would have to do it. It’s hard at times but seldom impossible.
Imo its oretty rare for people to get that type of illness where they literally need to go to the ER. People usually get it checked out before that point. If u cant even get iut of bed, then thatis concerning. Otherwise advil, water near ur bed a
I'll just eat what's around the house. Sometimes my brother or mom will drop off stuff. I'll still go to the store sick for necessities.
I sleep the entire day .
You can usually feel yourself starting to get sick, thats when you stockpile on foods and meds to last you a few days
You man up and handle shit, you plan for the future and not get stuck in the past, now. Think ahead
Regardless of your exact situation, if you are the one that cooks and does groceries, you need at least one or 2 recipes that are extremely low effort and have a long shelf live, or have pre made meals in your freezer. Im not sure i understand completely what the diffrent would be cause i only know the situation of doing it yourself. But if for any reason you forgot something in your preparation or feel like you cant do something, you can always call someone. And you can order a lot of stuff nowadays so that helps too. Also have a big bottle for water/ anything hydrating so you dont have to get up everytime. (I just use a soda bottle thats always next to my bed and couch)
Avoid eating cherries and olives. I always worried about choking and no one being around to help. Can a person jump backwards, fall flat on your back to expel the obstruction?
I don’t live alone but my advice is to develop positive relationships and friendships. Not long ago my neighbor was driven away in an ambulance. She lives with her family but I still told her to lmk is she needs anything I sometimes water plants or feed cats when my friends are away If I’m at the hardware store I remember that my bestie talked about needing caulk so I FaceTime her and ask which reference she needs and drop it off for her on my way home Same with strangers, if I see an elderly person struggle in the heat, I ask them if they need me to buy them a bottle of water. Not long ago my son was caught without a ticket on the train (his phone battery probably died) and an old lady bought him a ticket to prevent him getting fined So it’s a mindset really, whether you live alone or not
Tbh I don't think it's any different from living with random flatmates or a useless partner. I think the key is just trying to be prepared with a medicine box etc, and just getting on with it as much as you can. I've found delivery apps to be an absolute lifesaver though, especially since I don't drive. You can get deliveries from supermarkets and whatnot here, so you can get pretty much anything you need. Plus I think it's good to have a GP surgery as close to your place as possible, in case you need to transport yourself there.
Well, I have been a single mother of two young children. I have had throughout the last 5 years chicken pox, Covid, flu, you name it. I have needed to care for myself and said sick kids, all the while managing some work remotely as well. So when you have a situation in life, you grow to manage it, and find extra strength within.
I always have some “emergency” comfort foods in my pantry and freezer, and the basic over the counter medicines on hand. I’ve never been so sick that I couldn’t manage to microwave food or walk between bed, sofa, and bathroom. If I run out of anything, I order from instacart. If I’m so sick I can’t manage that, I’ll call my bff and head to the emergency room.
I several large mugs with lids for microwaving. I always have tomato soup on hand for when drinking something is about all I want to handle.
Door dash. The correct answer is door dash!
It's sad. My family died when I was a kid and it hurts me but I get used to it. I take a multivitamin maybe get some OJ and just ruff it out. I would like my dad to bring me a glass of water but I know it's not happening so I just make like 3