Product Review: Spoonie Essentials Box

** I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network.  Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. **

Seems like whenever I go AWOL from my blog lately, I come back to do a product review.  I promise to have several posts soon that aren’t product reviews.  But for now, this is a review for the Spoonie Essentials Box.

Watch the unboxing below and then read the rest of the review about the individual products and overall impressions of the box.  I wanted to put a lot of time and effort into this review as clearly a lot of time and effort went into creating this box. 

I was super excited about this since I’m really into various subscription boxes lately. 

Items are listed in the order I took them out of the box.

1.       Stickers – These are super cute.  I already have a project planned using a couple of them.

2.      Bark Thins – These look awesome!  I have wanted to try these, but haven’t had the chance to.

 

3.      Veggie Chips – I always love these.  A great (somewhat) healthy snack.

4.      Candy – As a general rule, if you’re doing edibles, I would do pre-packaged only.  This bag of candy tore open in transit.  It went straight in the garbage. 

5.      Bath Bomb – Smells amazing.

6.      Lotion Bar – Smells amazing.

7.      Chronically Fabulous Tumbler – I love this!  It is super cute and sparkly.  Will be taking it to work to use to increase my water intake.  Perfect! 

8.     Tea Bags – I love tea, so it’s nice to have a few tea bags that are different from the standard boxes of tea that I have. 

9.      Chronic Illness Warrior Keychain – Love it!  It’s already on my keychain.

10.  Organic Gummy Bears – We’ll see about these, not sure if I even like gummy bears…

11.   Paint Brush/Paint Set – Probably will donate this to my work’s collection of art supplies. 

12.  Spoonie Necklace – This is not my style, but very cute.  The thing I like the best about it is that it is created by a fellow spoonie. So that part is awesome!

13.  Happy Pills Pouch Cross Stitch Kit – I hate sewing!!!  Plus it’s kind of difficult with the arthritis in my fingers.  So I will probably pass this along to a friend.  But it is super cute! 

14.  Heart Socks – Love these! 

15.   Party Popper – This must have popped in transit, as there was confetti all over the inside of the box.  I couldn’t figure out what the plastic part of it was at first.

16.  Candle – Smells good, and is in a cute little jar.

Overall Impressions

To me, when I get a subscription box, my goal is to see unique things that I might not be able to find anywhere else or a grouping of things that I know I would not be able to get for that price elsewhere/separately.

I would say that this box sort of meets those requirements.  I’m a huge fan of the spoonie themed items, and for the most part, I love the items in the box. 

I appreciated that since it is February, the theme was about love and Valentine’s Day.  That and the spoonie theme, and it was a good combination.  I felt that the box basically stayed true to the theme.  And I loved the personalized touches from the creator of the box. 

I also love the packaging of the overall box.  It’s fun and bright, and I love the overall “I am visible” message. 

The two things that I am considering dislikes are mainly because they arrived damaged/broken. 

The first is the party popper, which appears to have “popped” in transit, as the confetti was all over the box and the popper was empty.

The second is a hand-packaged bag of candy.  This came torn open, so I ended up throwing away all of the candy that was loose and not individually wrapped. 

This didn’t bother me so much since I didn’t have to pay for the box, but I imagine that if I had paid for it, I would be disappointed if anything in the box arrived and was not in usable/edible condition.

Aside from these two items, everything else appeared to be totally fine other than the fact that there was something in the box, the smell of which permeated the entire box, which makes me think you have to be careful when you are including scented non-food products and food products together.  However, once everything was out of the box and I let it sit for about a day, it seemed fine. 

Would I purchase this box for myself on a monthly basis?  Probably not.  And for the price, I probably wouldn’t necessarily order this for a spoonie friend, either.  

However, I could see purchasing it if there was a quarterly option.  I personally love subscription boxes, but get overwhelmed by the volume of products in them, and I felt a little bit that way with this one. 

This box was definitely fun and unique.  It is also clear that a lot of time and effort goes into creating something like this.  I think this is great for spoonies who are worried about committing to a more generalized product subscription box.  It is also great if you are having flares and are looking for a pick-me-up.  

I am a huge fan of subscription boxes and the like because they give you the opportunity to try new products.  The Spoonie Essentials Box has a ton of stuff in it!  I mean, it took me almost six (6) minutes to unbox everything!  You can enjoy 10% off your purchase if you use the code “Chronic Blog”.  

Finally, here’s a recap of everything in the box:

 

Product Review: Axon Optics Migraine Glasses

** I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network.  Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. **

I’ve been absent for a while.  There are some things that happened recently that I cannot really publically talk about right now, and I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to.  But I’m back to post this product review and I’ll probably go away again – both for the sake of my emotional and physical health (more on that later).   

Anyway, this is a review for Axon Optics, specifically for the COVER-RX indoor glasses. 

What drew me to these frames in particular was the premise of being able to wear them over my prescription glasses.  I have been known to wear my prescription sunglasses inside when I get headaches that make me sensitive to light. 

People probably think I’m hungover, which I’m not.  I just get really bad headaches with pesky light sensitivity, and the only thing I can do is slap some glasses on my face and look away from the light.  That makes me sound like a vampire.  But I’m not a hungover vampire.  I just have lupus. 

I’ve been getting headaches with light sensitivity for as long as I can remember.  They have become more frequent since I was diagnosed with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.  Sometimes they are so bad that I can’t function.  Other times I can function, I just don’t do it well. 

Axon Optics specializes in glasses specifically for migraine sufferers who experience light sensitivity. 

 

Overall, I was really impressed with the quality of this product, from the box they were packaged in, to the case that they came in, to the glasses, themselves.  I will say, they did put some pressure on my nose, which initially increased the pain.  I think I just have to get used to wearing them.  I felt like the tint was something to get used to, as well.    

The other thing is, wearing two pairs of glasses isn’t super sexy.  In fact, it looks kind of goofy.  Any more or less goofy then wearing traditional sunglasses inside?  Probably not.  I guess the positive thing about wearing actual sunglasses inside is that people can’t see my eyes, which is good when I don’t feel good. 

If my headaches get bad enough, the only solution I have found is to put a cold cloth on my head, close the lights, get under the covers, put a pillow OVER my head, and go to bed.  So the idea of being able to still function with one of these headaches is very promising.  Especially by doing something that I do all the time – wearing glasses. 

That’s the other thing I like.  This is a simple solution to a complex problem.  Not simple for those who created them, but simple for those of us who have tried a plethora of solutions with little to no relief.    

I do feel that this is one product that I have to keep trying to really adequately reflect on the results, especially considering that things have been so crazy lately.    

With lupus, I have full body sensitivity to fluorescent lights, so I’m curious to see if wearing these glasses will minimize that, as well.  If only they could create a full body filter for fluorescent lights – that would make this lady with lupus very happy. 

If you suffer from headaches, especially with light sensitivity, you might want to check out these glasses.  Axon Optics has a variety of styles.  They are a bit pricey, but if you wear prescription glasses, then the styles that go over your glasses like the COVER-RX are a great option.   

Product Review: SunGrubbies Sun Protective Accessories*

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know a lot about me, including the fact that I hate sunscreen.  Yes, I have lupus.  Yes, I have fair skin.  And yes, I hate sunscreen. 

This is a problem.  Part of me thinks I’m allergic to it, and the other part of me thinks I just hate it. 

But I have been walking to and/or from work since I moved last month (a post on that soon).  It’s only a mile and a half away, which isn’t too bad, but it’s a lot of direct sun. 

… I digress…What brings me to this post are some amazing products I was asked to try recently.  I received SunGrubbies Casual Traveler hat and Sungloves.  What’s great about SunGrubbies is that all of the products contain SPF!  In other words, that’s sun protection that you don’t have to lather or spray directly on your skin.    

So it was the perfect time for me to try sun-related products as I generally do my best to stay out of the sun, mainly to avoid having to use sunscreen – lame, I know. 

I am not a hat person.  Nope!  I hate hats about as much as I hate sunscreen. 

But I might be a hat convert now, or at least a convert of hats that look good on me and truly offer sun protection.  The Casual Travel hat is adjustable, which is great, because I have a small head.  It fits well, and I can still see out from under it.  It’s also pretty darn cute!    

But more than the hat, I love the Sungloves.  They are so lightweight and easy to wear.  It’s hard to describe the material, but they’re very comfortable.  And since they’re fingerless, I can still text and use my phone while I walk – do pretty much anything – but I know that my hands are protected.    

And this has always been a huge problem for me.  Even when I use sunscreen, the tops of my hands always seem to get burned.  I’ll admit, I feel a little Michael Jackson when I’m wearing them, but they are so worth it.  I can also still wear them comfortably with my jewelry on, so I don’t have to fiddle with that stuff or worry about it.       

Both items are also very packable, so I am able to just throw them in my purse, and don’t need an additional bag to transport them in.  Both items would also be great for traveling since they don’t take up a lot of space.

I like the fact that I was able to try these products and use them more for everyday than just for traveling, as I’m not sure I would appreciate them as much, as I don’t travel purely for vacation all that often.    

I know the summer is basically gone, or pretty much coming to an end, but unless the world ends tomorrow, the sun is going to be a thing, and you’re going to need protecting from it. 

Honestly, I have to say that these two products are some of the first that I’ve reviewed in a long time that I can actually see using on a regular basis.  And I have been.     

SunGrubbies has created a code specifically for my readers, so if you’re interested in any of their products, visit https://www.sungrubbies.com/ and use the code NOLUPUS10 for 10% off of your order.

Have safe fun in the sun, kids!

* SunGrubbies was generous enough to provide me with these products for free.  However, it was ultimately my choice to write a review and has to do solely with my personal opinion of the product.

Product Review: Mo’s Dream Cream

** I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network.  Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. **

I’ve fallen off the blogging bandwagon, but I’m back, and my first post in is a product review that I wanted to share with you.

I love trying new products, especially those that are thought up by those with chronic illnesses in an effort to help and improve the lives of others with chronic illnesses.   

I recently had the opportunity to try Mo’s Dream Cream and No Mo Pain Stick.  The key to this is that the product is all natural and the main ingredient is capsaicin paste. 

I have heard of capsaicin before, but have never tried anything that contains it. 

According to Keri, the creator of Mo’s Dream Cream, arthritis pain relief can occur in five minutes and can last for six to eight hours, and sometimes longer.    

I’ll admit, I was skeptical about this product.  I have used other pain relieving gels and creams with varying levels of success.  I was also skeptical because I thought, “Fermented cayenne pepper is going to help my pain?  Yeah right.” 

So imagine my surprise, when after using Mo’s Dream Cream, my pain was greatly improved in a very short amount of time.  I spot used Mo’s Dream Cream against another pain relieving product that I used as a test to see which worked better.  And I didn’t test it on just any “normal” pain for me.  I tested it when I was in a full-on flare.

And it worked!  I mean, really.

I feel that the lotion was more effective than the stick.  However, I love the stick because it is portable, and you don’t have to worry about getting it all over the place.

Because it’s all natural, I suppose you can use it over larger areas of your body.  But being used to using products that aren’t all natural, I haven’t tried using it much more than on spots that are especially sore.

To me, the only downside is the smell.  It takes a bit of getting used to, and as a result of my lupus, I am very sensitive to smell.  You can smell the lotion through the bottle, but once I had it on, after a while, the smell didn’t bother me anymore.  I found that the smell of the stick was a bit more palatable, although it’s still a pretty strong smell.  I will say, however, that all of the other pain relieving products I have tried do have pretty strong smells, it’s just not a smell that I’m used to.

If you have sensitive skin, you may want to spot test to make sure that you don’t have a reaction.  I have sensitive skin, but I didn’t have any problems in this regard.  I was also worried that the lotion might burn.  It didn’t. 

The only caution is that you must wash your hands after using the lotion because it does have cayenne pepper in it, and there are certain places you don’t want cayenne pepper to go – your eyes, etc., you get the picture.  Common sense, but I’ll say it anyway.    

To learn more or to purchase Mo’s Dream Cream, visit https://squareup.com/store/modreamcream.  The lotion costs $20 a bottle and the stick costs $15.

And if you decide to purchase Mo’s Dream Cream or the No Mo Pain Stick, you can use the promotion code LESLIE4U that Keri has generously created specifically for my readers.  This will give you 10% off all products.  And it never expires!  

Product Review: Pill Suite

Disclosure: **I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network.  Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. *

There are all kinds of pill cases on the market, and many of us with chronic illnesses that take multiple medications struggle with how best to store them.  One alternative is the Pill Suite.  The Pill Suite allows you to individually package your medications for single, one-time use. 

Basically, the system consists of a pill case that you can divide your pills into.  You then turn the funnel so that each divided section goes into its own “suite” (bag).  Once the bag is filled with the pills, you put it under the sealer, hit the button for a few seconds, and it heat seals the bag so your pills are safe and secure.  Each “suite” is one-time use only.  Once you’ve opened it, you cannot reseal it. 

The bags aren’t the best quality, and I sometimes struggled to rip them off without ripping off the part of the bag that is needed to open the bag once it is sealed.  If you do it very carefully, you can get the bag off in one piece. 

For me, personally, I can’t see using this every day.  This system is convenient if transporting medication bottles and a weekly pill organizer isn’t practical.  I guess for some people, that’s never practical and this system is perfect for those people, who may take so many medications that they don’t fit in any standard pill case.

The other issue I had is that the button on the sealer is made of very hard plastic, and even though you have to press it for just a few seconds, it’s not totally arthritis friendly.  So this is another reason why I can’t see using this all time.  But if your fingers/hands don’t give you trouble, then this really isn’t a consideration for you.        

In order to give the product a fair try, as an experiment, I doled out my pills for an entire week.  It took me probably at least three times the amount of time it would take me to dole out my pills for the week into a standard pill container.  I actually have a weekly pill organizer that I really like, but I know that there are people chronically searching for a weekly pill organizer and they never find one that they like.  So maybe a system like this is perfect for someone like that. 

I will say, it was kind of nice that all of my pills fit into a sandwich-size Ziploc bag.  It was much flatter than a normal pill case.  However, it took a bit of searching to make sure that I was picking the correctly labeled suite.  And if I would have happened to forget to take a dose, I might not have noticed as easily as when my pills are organized in a pill case. 

When traveling, I often struggle with how best to transport my meds, and this system would definitely be ideal for trips.  This system is also useful if you want to carry a “spare” set of pills with you at all times, and you want a very compact way to do that.  I can definitely see using this for travel.

You can write on the bags – best to do that when they are empty – and this allows you to customize them however you want. I needed to have two bags per day, one for morning meds and one for night meds. 

Some of you may have heard of Pill Pack, which is a system that allows you to get your pills pre-packaged for you into single serve pouches, similar to the ones that come with the Pill Suite.  If you like the idea of Pill Pack, but your pills change too frequently for you to take advantage of that, the Pill Suite is great because it’s the same concept but you can do it on your own, even when your pills change.   

Again, for me I think this is a great solution for traveling with medication.  I personally wouldn’t use it every day, but the reasons that hold for me might not hold for others.  So if you’ve been looking for an alternative to the traditional, bulky, plastic pill cases, this might be the perfect system for you. 

The Pill Suite system comes with the pill case that allows you to funnel your meds into the bags, the sealer, 400 “suites” (bags), and four AA batteries.

For more information, visit www.pillsuite.com,  

Summer Giveaways And Promo Codes

I wanted to do something fun for summer, so I’m providing you with some promo codes and giveaways for a few products that I have been introduced to recently.

Scough*

Scough is this super cool company out of Brooklyn.  They’ve taken wearing a mask to a whole new level.

As someone who has had to wear a mask on a plane before, the Scough, while there, is less obtrusive than simply wearing a mask.  And it doubles as a scarf, both when you’re using the mask/filter and when you are not.  I had to wear a mask on plane one time when my doctor told me that was the only way she would clear me to travel.  It was embarrassing, uncomfortable, and all around annoying.  As someone who is also very sensitive to smell due to lupus (and as someone who frequents the NYC subway system), I could also see how this can be useful in situations where I am overcome by odor to the point of getting nauseous. 

Scough has generously offered to provide one lucky reader with a free Scough. 

If you enter and don’t win the Scough in my giveaway, but are interested in getting a Scough for yourself, you can receive 50% off your order when you sign up for a one year filter subscription – you pay $15 each and receive a new filter every three months – along with a purchase, using leslierott50. 

If you don’t want to purchase a subscription, you can use leslierott15 and receive 15% off any order. 

For more information on this product, check out http://wearascough.com/.

Make Great Light NaturaLux Fluorescent Light Filters**

Many of us with lupus, including myself, experience photosensitivity from fluorescent lights.  This is a really pesky symptom, especially considering that fluorescent lights are everywhere, including in most hospitals and doctors’ offices. 

I really wanted to try this product out, but currently do not have any fluorescent lights in my immediate environment.  I would love to try it out once I do.

However, Make Great Light has graciously offered to extend their offer to me to one of my readers.  One lucky reader will win either a panel filter or a set of tube filters.

For more information on this product, check out http://www.makegreatlight.com/.       

Adult Coloring Books***

I’ve actually been looking for adult coloring books lately, when I happened to be contacted about them. 

Two lucky readers will win either a Stress Less Coloring – Flower Patters: 100+ Coloring Pages for Peace and Relaxation or Stress Less Coloring – Mandalas.

“League of Mortals” by Duncan Cross****

I recently reviewed Duncan Cross’s novel “League of Mortals”.  He has provided a coupon code – JD55B –for $2 off the book on Smashwords.  The code expires July 10, 2015.   

***

Promo codes are yours to use. 

If you would like to enter to win the Scough, please post a comment in the comments below about why such a product would be helpful to you.

If you would like to enter to win the Make Great Light filter, please post a comment in the comments below and explain why the filter would be helpful to you.  You don’t need to have lupus, but should have some sort of light sensitivity. 

If you would like to enter to win one of the coloring books, please post a comment in the comments below about what you do to relieve stress, and how coloring might aid in that.

You can enter to win each of the giveaways, but please comment once for each.

If entering for more than one giveaway, please indicate your preference, as different winners will be chosen for each prize.

Entry will be open until July 17, 2015.  Winners will be notified in reply to their comment(s).

Disclosures:

* Scough provided me with two free samples to try out.

** Make Great Light offered to provide me with a free filter to try.  Since I was unable to accept this offer given that I am currently not exposed to fluorescent lights, they agreed to extend that offer to one of my readers. 

*** Adams Media provided me with four copies of some of their older coloring books for free, and are also planning to provide me with free copies of their two new coloring books once they are released.

**** Duncan provided me with a free copy of his book to read and review.  

My ID Square*

Today I am reviewing a medical alert product called My ID Square. 

  

I think that medical alert bracelets and other jewelry are essential for people with complicated medical issues.  I was first interested in such products when I was teaching and worried that if I wasn’t with someone who knew me, I needed something that would, in effect, speak for me if I could not communicate on my own, in a medical crisis or other type of an emergency.

I have tried many types of medical alert jewelry that are available, so I am excited that I am getting to try the My ID Square and adding it to my repertoire.

SquID squares (shown here), which can be attached to bracelets or necklaces, cost $47, which provides a lifetime subscription to the Emergency Medical Profile.  Squid Tags (dog tags) are $44, and also come with a lifetime subscription to the Emergency Medical Profile.     

In the Emergency Medical Profile, you can include date of birth, emergency contacts, allergies, medical devices and problems, medications, medical providers and insurance information, important dates, and any other information you want to include.  

Pros:

+ Made specifically for use as medical alert jewelry.

+ Love the packaging and the QR code concept.

+ The plastic QR part is colorful and probably great for kids.

+ Maintaining the Emergency Medical Profile database is built-in to the price of the ID, so you don’t have to pay a yearly fee for your information to be stored.

Cons:

- Not sure that this ID is great for professional, working adults.

- Has a small charm with a medical alert symbol and has a large one on the back of the part with the QR code, and since this concept might not be familiar to emergency responders, this might be overlooked.

- I am wondering whether all paramedics and medical personnel at hospitals are equipped with smart phones in order to read the QR code or even recognize that that is what it is.  I guess to circumvent this, the back of the ID has a web address and code so that it can be entered on the internet if a QR scanner is not available, but that sort of takes away from the concept.

- I don’t love the interface of the online database.  For example, there is no “boyfriend” option.  Additionally, I think because of this, when I attempted to make my boyfriend the primary contact, the system kept reverting back to my mom in the version that medial providers and first responders can see.  My mom is in Michigan and I’m in New York, so while she is definitely top on my emergency contact list, it doesn’t make sense for her to be the primary since we aren’t in the same state. 

- In order for your emergency contacts to be included, it requires that an e-mail or text message is sent to your contacts so that they can confirm.  I don’t really like this.  Other interfaces allow you to assign emergency contacts without requiring that they are contacted to confirm.  I worry that this could freak out unsuspecting people and they might mistaken it as an actual emergency.    

Overall, I think this concept is great and it’s a really innovative use of technology.  However, with many hospitals and medical providers just getting on the electronic medical records bandwagon, I worry that this might be too new for widespread use.

In other words, I love the concept, but am not so sure about the execution of it.

Thankfully, I have never been in a situation where my medical alert bracelet has been needed.  But I think that that’s really the true test of this product and others like it.  It’s great to have peace of mind on a daily basis by simply wearing a medical alert, but it’s more important to have that product work in an emergency situation.   

For more information, visit http://myidsquare.com/.      

And now through April 22, 2014, if you purchase a SquID, you can use the discount code GettingCloserToMyself15 and receive 15% off your order.

* My ID Square was generous enough to provide me with a SquID for free.  However, it was ultimately my choice to write a review, and has to do solely with my personal opinion of the product.