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Description: two shelves of books inside a cloud shape, headphone attached. Image has the number 4 in a square and the hashtag #ChronicChristmas

This is my daily Advent calendar of gift ideas for people with chronic illness, running from December 1-25. Some entries will contain affiliate links.

When you have a chronic illness, you are more likely to spend a fair bit of time in need of entertainment and being entered, my favourite is reading. If you’re not feeling well or the pain is being a bully, it’s a way to escape, at least mentally, and a wonderful coping tool. As well, there are those endless medical appointments that inevitably includes a lot of waiting (and I do mean a lot).

It’s why you can often find us with a book. But what if holding that book and looking down to read hurts?

In 2004, I flared so badly that I was no longer able to read books. It was absolutely devastating — they were my companions, my friends, my way to escape since the moment I could put together letters to make words. I read voraciously, often consuming three or four books a week.

My local library loved what I did to their stats.

And then that big flare took away this part of my life that was so central to who I was. I have never regained it.

I found other ways to read, mostly online. This was before e-books blasted onto the scene, so I read blogs, newspapers, and essays.

And then, for Christmas in 2005, my friend Ken gave me a gift certificate membership to Audible, a website with thousands of audiobooks, and in so doing, gave me back the books I love so much.

Reading a book in audio format is very different than reading it yourself. One, it takes longer, which is why I’m now reading two or three books a month, depending on the length. But when you find a good narrator, the combination of a good story and a skilled reader come together, creating something greater than the sum of the parts. A good narrator embodies the story, makes you forget that you are reading and instead disappear entirely into what is happening.

Also, who doesn’t love cozying in and having someone read you a story?

There is a range of Audible memberships, varying in price, number of credits, and cost. You can also gift someone a specific title, if you want to share a book that’s special to you.