What to Have in the House for Being Sick Alone

The setup

When you're sick in a shared home, someone else makes the tea, runs to the pharmacy and notices if you get worse. Alone, the person who needs looking after is also the only one available to do the looking after, at exactly the moment they least want to get off the couch.

Why it's hard alone

Everything you need is somewhere else: the thermometer is lost, the pharmacy is a walk away, the fridge has nothing you can face. And nobody is watching how you're doing. The solo answer is to do the caretaking in advance, while you're well.

The solo method

1. Stock a sick-day shelf now. One box or shelf with everything in it, so you never have to go out sick. See the kit below.
2. Know your go-to medicines in advance. Keep the pain and fever reducers you already know are safe for you. If you're unsure what you can take with your other medications, ask a pharmacist while you're well.
3. Freeze a few single portions of soup. Future-you will be grateful.
4. Set up delivery before you need it. Have a grocery and pharmacy delivery account ready, with your address and payment saved.
5. Tell one person you're sick. And agree on a simple check-in, like a text each morning, until you're better.
6. Know when to stop toughing it out. Trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, fainting, or being unable to keep fluids down are reasons to call 911 or get urgent care, not to wait and see. When in doubt, call a nurse line or your doctor.
7. Keep your phone charged and within reach of where you're resting.

What nobody tells you

The hardest part of being sick alone is staying hydrated, because getting up for water feels like a project. Fill a big bottle or two and keep them next to you before you settle in.