magpiemiscellani

[magpiemiscellani]

Ok, I tested out the Oro Sports gear.

Gotta say, not very pleased. It could be my fault for not reading closely enough, so I won't put all the blame on the product. But these are ice packs.

They're just fancy ice packs.

I got the hand cooling set and the headband set. The headband is very nice but the pack, being frozen, gave me brain freeze. Tried it again after leaving it in the fridge and it wasn't as bad, but didn't last very long.

The fingerless gloves? Not useful to me. If you're going for a run and not using your hands yeah that's OK but you basically have just taped ice packs to your palms. And they aren't very slim, either. So you're just holding a ball of ice.

That being said, if you are an athlete or have a sports injury which is mostly what they market for? I can see their products being useful. For chronic conditions where you are trying to avoid ice packs? Not great.

3/10

I don't mention it much but I have MS. And with it, heat intolerance. Unluckily for me I also got the cold intolerance as well, so crash cooling can be dangerous for me.

I have been low key dreading summer. I know I can make it through but knowing I'm gonna get sick daily? Too fatigued to walk much? Dizzy? Ugh.

Through a massive stroke of luck, I discovered PCM cooling equipment.

This shit is used for menopause, pain relief, hormonal relief, general heat intolerance - a LOT OF THINGS. Not just for MS folks!

And through MANY massive strokes of luck in my life, I have the funds to burn on these things. The National MS Society and sinilar resources have rather outdated reviews on these items. So I'm going to test and review them myself!!

I've placed orders with 4 companies. They should arrive at the end of the week. Meantime, I can post a review of ThermApparel arm wraps later.

Note: MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE HSA APPLICABLE! And a lot of them your insurance can cover! And!! The national MS Society has resources to help you afford things like this if you can't yourself.

[magpiemiscellani]

Not even kidding, its been like, a week since making those posts about cooling gear?

We are 90% sure the AC in my house just broke.

Its Warm.

Fuck. Me.

[magpiemiscellani]

Next up, I received my Opal Cool items! I got a Cooling pad and both the 80 degree and 58 degree "Gal Pals". They're adorable little pads that fit into your bra.

Education time!

Opal Cool is a neat brand, largely marketed toward pregnant women, mothers, and women in menopause. They also have Onyx cool, which is the same company but has more injury-recovery focused items. Opal Cool has 2 types of PCM: their 80 degree and their 58 degree. The 80 degree solidifies (cools) at room temperature and then when you put it against your body, it absorbs the body heat and melts. Because human bodies are 96 degrees, the difference is NOT drastic so it's not uncomfortable!! The 80 degree is also good for maintaining cool or not letting you overheat. But it doesn't last super long. The 58 degree PCM items are more for actively cooling you down once you're already hot, or keeping you cool while being active. They go in the fridge and have the same premise as above besides that they are colder and last longer.

Review time!

I had my doubts about the cooling pad. Initially it does not seem to be cool at all. But like all PCM, you have to have some pressure - sitting back against it, laying on it, sitting on it, etc - and then you see the fantastic results. It really does draw heat away, gradually cooling your core temp. When you actually have pressure, you can feel that it's colder than you, and it's so mild that it's not distracting and uncomfortable like an ice pack. The only reason I'm not sleeping curled up agaisnt this (yet) is because I don't want to get reliant on it LOL.

I keep bracing before touching the cool pad like I'm gonna get thst shock of unpleasant cold but it never happens. I've taken to sitting with it against my back every time I come in from gardening (it's still cool out so I don't need cooling gear while I'm outside). It draws away the internal heat and makes me comfortable within minutes.

The Gal Pals are nice! They're surprisingly effective for keeping your overall body heat down, especially since they are so small. I will say they DO warm up quick but again, they're small so that makes sense. You can also put them against your neck, which I found was very nice last night.

Final rating: 9/10

I still like the Thermapparel better, the Gal Pals warm up VERY quickly, but I'm low key addicted to this cooling pad, though it also warms up very quickly. They do not have a 58 degree version of the cooling pad.

I don't mention it much but I have MS. And with it, heat intolerance. Unluckily for me I also got the cold intolerance as well, so crash cooling can be dangerous for me.

I have been low key dreading summer. I know I can make it through but knowing I'm gonna get sick daily? Too fatigued to walk much? Dizzy? Ugh.

Through a massive stroke of luck, I discovered PCM cooling equipment.

This shit is used for menopause, pain relief, hormonal relief, general heat intolerance - a LOT OF THINGS. Not just for MS folks!

And through MANY massive strokes of luck in my life, I have the funds to burn on these things. The National MS Society and sinilar resources have rather outdated reviews on these items. So I'm going to test and review them myself!!

I've placed orders with 4 companies. They should arrive at the end of the week. Meantime, I can post a review of ThermApparel arm wraps later.

Note: MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE HSA APPLICABLE! And a lot of them your insurance can cover! And!! The national MS Society has resources to help you afford things like this if you can't yourself.

[magpiemiscellani]

First up! Thermapparel's cool sleeves!

I bought these at a comic convention recently, the company was there selling these for people in heavy costumes and fursuits. I got to speak to the creator, who told me he designed them with MS in mind, but they work for LOTS of applications. Thermapparel items are made to be hidden or fit under clothing and NOT be bulky or heavy.

About PCM: Phase Change Material. It "freezes" at a lower temp, and it PULLS HEAT AWAY from your skin instead of "cooling it down". Ice can cause frost bite and actually makes some people have worse symptoms if their core temp drops too low. PCM does not have condensation, and works in humid climates, unlike "wicking" options. It lasts 1 - 4 hours depending on the product, but "recharges" quickly, sometimes even at room temp. It is made to REGULATE YOUR CORE TEMP, not fight the heat already there. It draws away rather than combats.

Review:

I love these dang things. These are more "crash cool capable" (if you're already heated up they can bring you back down) rather than "maintain a moderate internal core temp for hours on hours" BUT they do 100% work for both. For at least an hour+. I don't shiver with them on even when they're right out of the fridge (have not tried freezer). Like all PCM, it is made to not tank your core temp too low.

It does fit very nicely under sleeves!

Thermapparel ALSO sells an extended length cool pack which should fit in the sleeves? I'll try when it arrives this weekend.

They can also be recharged with a 15 minute dip in ice water - so if you're at an outdoor event, pop over to a food stand, ask for a cup of ice water, hang out for 15 minutes and you're set for another couple hours.

TESTING:

I was at con when I met the vendors and I put it on. It hadn't occurred to me that I was so fatigued and out of it because I was hot (though I knew it was a bit warm). I thought I was tired from 3 days of con. APPARENTLY NOT. Within 5 minutes of putting these on I felt miles better.

While cooking yesterday, I got warm and was just dealing with it (shirt off, hair up, etc), then put ONE sleeve on. Within 10 minutes I was not only feeling better, I was able to pull my shirt back on and return to the kitchen, and I felt great.

Obv not paid to review all this. I will say this shit is expensive. They're $80 for a set (which do last for 3-4 years). But compared to ALL PCM stuff? Yeah that's pretty fair. It's typically HSA applicable, some insurances cover it, and the National MS Society has funding, but you do have to qualify. I was too impatient to even attempt (and I would feel bad taking the funds when I can afford this).

Here's some more info. Whether you have MS or not, this resource is great for heat sensitivity information:

https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/momentum-magazine/living-well/cool-product-guide

My other products should be arriving Friday and Saturday! Super excited. And I'll definitely test and post reviews.

I don't mention it much but I have MS. And with it, heat intolerance. Unluckily for me I also got the cold intolerance as well, so crash cooling can be dangerous for me.

I have been low key dreading summer. I know I can make it through but knowing I'm gonna get sick daily? Too fatigued to walk much? Dizzy? Ugh.

Through a massive stroke of luck, I discovered PCM cooling equipment.

This shit is used for menopause, pain relief, hormonal relief, general heat intolerance - a LOT OF THINGS. Not just for MS folks!

And through MANY massive strokes of luck in my life, I have the funds to burn on these things. The National MS Society and sinilar resources have rather outdated reviews on these items. So I'm going to test and review them myself!!

I've placed orders with 4 companies. They should arrive at the end of the week. Meantime, I can post a review of ThermApparel arm wraps later.

Note: MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE HSA APPLICABLE! And a lot of them your insurance can cover! And!! The national MS Society has resources to help you afford things like this if you can't yourself.

[magpiemiscellani]

I don't mention it much but I have MS. And with it, heat intolerance. Unluckily for me I also got the cold intolerance as well, so crash cooling can be dangerous for me.

I have been low key dreading summer. I know I can make it through but knowing I'm gonna get sick daily? Too fatigued to walk much? Dizzy? Ugh.

Through a massive stroke of luck, I discovered PCM cooling equipment.

This shit is used for menopause, pain relief, hormonal relief, general heat intolerance - a LOT OF THINGS. Not just for MS folks!

And through MANY massive strokes of luck in my life, I have the funds to burn on these things. The National MS Society and sinilar resources have rather outdated reviews on these items. So I'm going to test and review them myself!!

I've placed orders with 4 companies. They should arrive at the end of the week. Meantime, I can post a review of ThermApparel arm wraps later.

Note: MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE HSA APPLICABLE! And a lot of them your insurance can cover! And!! The national MS Society has resources to help you afford things like this if you can't yourself.

[magpiemiscellani]

Cooked with meat for the first time in my life yesterday. I'm 26. But I am terrified of E.Coli or salmonella. I survived E.Coli once, don't want to again, yknow?

Anyway

If you're just easing yourself into cooking actual meals

COOK SHRIMP

It SHOWS YOU how cooked it is! It curls up and changes color so you know! And it's super fast! And tasty!

Im so proud of myself for cooking something. I then soaked my counter and sink in Lysol to make sure it was safe afterwards and all is well.

[magpiemiscellani]

Being raised by someone with severe depression is wild. Especially when to you it's so normal.

Because suddenly you're 22 and despite being mentally healthy yourself, you realize you don't actually know how to maintain a house. And despite your efforts for the next 4 years you still don't know what you're doing.

You realize when everyone says "my house is a mess" they don't mean anything like what you live in. But they also don't mean the perfectly clean and neat accounts you see on Instagram.

So now you have to learn skills you never practiced that everyone else knows.

It's a wild ride.

[magpiemiscellani]

So. You ended up on my account. Welcome!!

I swear I'm a nice person! This account will probably have a lot of very evident spite tho.

Be aware this is largely a vent account. But it's also a place where I plan to reblog relatable things and tips on household stuff. Because I never learned. And as an adult, trying to learn what you don't know that you don't know is grueling and discouraging and frustrating.

I'm NOT here for tradwife shit. Gtfo.

Maybe something I write down will resonate with someone else who doesn't know who to start, or who is struggling with similar issues. Feel free to reblog, and my asks are open (not that I know much!)