Summertime naturally brings with it heat and humidity, two foes of Persons with M.S. For me the heat seems to increase my fatigue exponentially while growing my periods of dizziness and enhancing my sensory symptoms. To keep cool I hydrate often, wear cool clothing, and avoid direct and intense sunlight when possible. Mostly I try not to overdo it.
There are times, though, when heat is unavoidable, so I decided to check out a popular product for Persons with M.S. – the cooling vest. There are many on the market, but I got my hands on the ‘Cucumber’. Here’s how it works. You immerse it in hot/warm water for just under thirty minutes, wring it out and towel it dry. The neck expands into a cool gel pack and the mesh-like vest and back turn into all around cool comfort. I tossed mine into the fridge for awhile to further prepare it for the 90 degree heat outside and it was an amazing comfort.
It felt a little odd under my clothing, so I don’t imagine I’ll be wearing it when I’m out in the general public. I can see myself donning the Cucumber while working in the yard, taking hot-sun summer walks, or while sitting on my back deck in private.
Here’s an online marketer of the Cucumber, but before you shell out the dollars to buy one, check with your local office of the National M.S. Society. They gave me mine pro bono. Tip: Get one that is one to two sizes larger than your normal shirt size. It will fit better, especially under regular clothes. When it’s cold and slightly wet, it tends to mold right to your skin. It’s fastened with Velcro, so the increased size (especially for ladies) will keep the cool vest from busting open in all the wrong places.
A cooling vest … man, that would be nice but I’ll imagine a bit messy to clean. I sweat like a hog even at 70 degrees.