Shopping Cart [ 0 ] May 9, 2022
Meet Sarah
She is a wife and a mother of two very busy boys and two fur babies. She is a resident assistant at a an assisted living facility. She told me that one of her best accomplishments is being a mother and advocate for her two boys who are both autistic.
"I absolutely love my ThermApparel Cooling Vest! I can't even express how good it is. When you have fatigue in the summer, it gets humid and it cools you off in a way that you wouldn't even imagine. It's almost like jumping in a pool. It makes those hot, humid days, so much easier.
I can be out with my kids when they're playing. I can watch them versus saying, "Oh, we got to go back in because I'm getting overheated."
Because of my MS. I felt like I was a lump. I just felt blahh like I was sick. But with the Cooling Vest, I can stay out for a few hours and let them get all their energy out. Then I can come back in and refill my Vest with new packs and go back out.
I took the kids to my cousin's wedding. It was a hot windy day and I was able to stay out there with them. I didn't have to say "Oh, I gotta go sit in the car, and turn the AC on". With, my cooling vest I didn't have to even think about doing that, which was great.
It lets me function more and be a normal person. I'm a more productive mother. Having the cooling vest is the best thing ever."
Sarah's ThermApparel Cooling Vest of choice:
Festival Bundle
1 Small Black Vest Garment
2 sets of ExtendedCol Cooling Packs
Sarah was able to get her cooling vest through the National MS Society's Cooling Program.
You can call the National MS Society and ask to speak to a MS Navigator. Tell them you need financial assistance for a ThermApparel Cooling Vest. If you qualify they may be able to help.
National MS Society
1-800-344-4867
contactusnmss@nmss.org
Sarah's Now I Can Story
"I'm a more productive mother."
Transcript from Sarah's Testimonial
ThermApparel 00:00
Hi everyone, welcome. I'm Julia from ThermApparel. Today we have Sarah here with us who is one of our customers. She is a wife and a mother of two very busy boys and two fur babies. She is a resident assistant at a an assisted living facility. She told me that one of her best accomplishments is being a mother and advocate for her two boys who are both autistic. Welcome, Sarah, I'm so excited to talk to you.
Sarah 00:30
Hello, thank you for having me.
ThermApparel 00:32
Tell me about your experience with your ThermApparel UnderCool Cooling Vest.
Sarah 00:39
I absolutely love it. I can't even express how good it is. When you have fatigue in the summer, it gets humid and it cools you off in a way that you wouldn't even imagine. It's almost like jumping in a pool, but you're not. It makes those hot, humid days, so much easier. I can be out with my kids when they're playing. I can watch them versus saying, "Oh, we got to go back in because I'm getting overheated." and then we'll come back out later, which sometimes later didn't happen. So it makes it easier for me.
ThermApparel 01:18
I forgot to mention, that you have MS and that's one reason you have to be careful about overheating and getting too hot So when you say"Iam overheating boys, we have to go back inside." What's the biggest thing you've noticed since the wearing the vest versus not wearing the vest with your energy level or your fatigue level.
Sarah 01:39
Because of my having MS. I felt like I was a lump. I just I felt blahh like I was sick. But with the cooling vest, I can stay out for a few hours and let them get all their energy out. Then I can come back in and refill my vest with new packs and go back out.
ThermApparel 02:05
How old are the two little boys?
Sarah 02:07
They are 9 and 5.
ThermApparel 02:09
Oh my goodness. Yes, those are total balls of energy.
Sarah 02:14
Oh, yes, yes. From the time they wake up till the time they go to bed, they're just go, go, go. Mommy has to try to match them however I can. And with having MS I can't get around as much as I used to be able to.
ThermApparel 02:32
So what have you been able to do with the boys that you wouldn't have been able to do before.
Sarah 02:38
Going on walks. Going to the park, I took them to my cousin's wedding. And it was a pretty hot day, a little windy, but it was still hot. And I was able to stay out there with them. I didn't have to say "Oh, I gotta go sit in the car," you know, and turn the AC on. With, my cooling vest I didn't have to even think about doing that, which was great.
Sarah 03:02
It gives me more. It just lets me function more and be a normal person. So I don't have to say "Oh, because of my MS. I can only stay for a little bit". I have to you know, go sit in a car or I have to go home. It I'm able to go out and visit with friends more often. Car rides are easier. It just I feel like a more productive mother. Having the cooling vest is the best thing ever.
ThermApparel 03:32
That's awesome.
Sarah 03:34
As soon as it came in, when I got my first vest, and it came in, my son got excited. My oldest said, Oh, come on, let's go outside and I said, Well, now I gotta put it in the freezer for a little while and then we can load it up. And then we can go outside and you can ride your bike or your scooter or play with the other kids and I can sit there and read a book and keep an eye on them at the same time.
ThermApparel 03:56
It sounds like it's given you a lot more freedom and a lot more enjoyment and fun time with the boys.
Sarah 04:02
Yes. I mean, I used to be very energetic and I used to be very much into sports. I used to run. I was very active. I did almost everything to whatever limit I could and since I've had MS it's knocked my limits down a lot. I still can't be as active as I was. But with the with the cooling vest, I can at least go out and take walks with them.
Sarah 04:29
There is no running anymore because due to my foot drop and whatnot, but yeah, I can be more of a productive mom being outside with them because they both love being outside 24/7
ThermApparel 04:43
Besides being able to play with your boys, what else have you discovered that you're able to do now?
Sarah 04:49
When my husband and I bought a home, I was able to have the the vest on and I could help him move. I mean I couldn't lift really much of anything. You know, small things. But with the vest on, I could be out in the heat because it was in the middle of July. And it was it was very, very hot.
ThermApparel 05:09
Very hot. How hot is hot?
Sarah 05:14
I think we got up to the hundreds a couple of times like the low hundreds, but I don't think it was anything lower than 85F. And we didn't have any rain, which I was okay with. But yeah, it was hot.
Sarah 05:28
If it's anywhere from 60F to 75F, I can handle it without the vest. But anything above that I have to have the vest. I just have to because if not, I just feel like I sat in a sauna for an hour. And it just happens really quickly without the vest on.
Sarah 05:48
When I'm at work, since I'm a resident assistant, most of my residents want to be outside baking themselves in are getting that summer tan. And I can sit outside with them versus standing inside the kitchen at the sliding doors, and I don't have to sit on a chair watching them to see if they need anything, I can actually sit out there with them and have conversation while they get their summer tan.
ThermApparel 06:20
That's wonderful that you can use it at your job too. So it's not only enhancing your life, but it's enhancing the life of the residents.
Sarah 06:29
Yes, yes. And I don't feel again, like I'm secluded too. Well, I can't come outside and sit with you guys. But I can sit here inside the dining room while I watch you guys sit outside. And I can take my extra cooling packs and put them in the freezer at work and switch them out as needed. When they fit under my my scrub top, which is even better, and nobody can tell them wearing them. So it makes it easier, it's nice.
ThermApparel 06:58
That's great because you've got so many uses, you can use it with the boys, you can use it at work, use it when you move and God bless you moving. Moving is exhausting.
Sarah 07:09
Yes, the residents, they leave their heat on super high because they're always cold. So it makes it easier going in and out of their rooms. So I don't feel like I have to hurry up and rush my residents to take their medicine or when I'm helping them to the bathroom or whatnot. I feel like I can actually spend time with them.
Sarah 07:25
So you can use it all year round then at work.
Sarah 07:31
Yes, yes.
ThermApparel 07:33
We do have some customers that only use it in the summertime. And then they don't think about using it other times of the year.
Sarah 07:41
God forbid when I go into the change, you know it'll be good for that to
ThermApparel 07:50
Oh, hot flashes. Yes. Yes, hot flashes. I have entered the change. And I can tell you Yes, it is a godsend.
Sarah 07:59
I'm excited about that too. So if and when that does happen, you know, it's going to duel for a bunch of different things at that point. I think it's an amazing product.
ThermApparel 08:09
Here's how I use mine for the hot flashes. Because the cooling packs melt so slowly because of the 70 degree refreezing temperature, I leave it in the freezer, and then when I go to bed around 10 o'clock. I take it out of the freezer and then I just put it on my nightstand and it'll stay there until two or three o'clock in the morning when I get my hot flash I'm just like dying. And I roll over and I grab it and I just lay it across me. I lay it across my stomach or across my side and it cools me down and I go right back to sleep so my sleeps really not disrupted that much. Because otherwise you have to get up you have to like change your pajamas, put a towel down on the bed.
Sarah 08:58
Yeah, and then you're wide awake and alert...I'm just gonna get some coffee
ThermApparel 09:03
it's 3am we may as well get up. I'll do some laundry or something, so I've discovered it really helps with that.
ThermApparel 09:11
What do you do for exercise? Do you do anything?
Sarah 09:13
Yeah, I've residents I take care of the kids but I mean I'm always going. It's rare if I get a chance to like sit and that's what I want to do because with my MS... I understand how people want to sleep and rest and do nothing because that's me now. I don't want to do anything.
Sarah 09:33
But with the cooling vest. I mean even with the residents I'm running around and I'm not getting overheated or exasperated because a lot of people with MS get exasperated. With my MS it affects the right side of my body. And of course I'm right handed drive, with my right foot and with the running around to the residence from going room to room to room. You get hot with the heat and everything.
Sarah 10:02
The house stays kind of cool-ish, I guess. But the rooms are very hot. It makes it easier for me and when we're going in and out of the house with the kids or whatever For example my husband and I, we cleaned out our garage after we moved in and minimize stuff, got rid of more stuff than what we did when we moved.
Sarah 10:28
We're trying to make that a productive shop area, because he wants to do his computer work because he builds repairs and everything he wants to get his company back up and running. And we want to get our basement, you know, to where we want it fixed up. The Cooling Vest makes it easier because you know, in a garage and 90F degree heat. There is no air conditioning in the garage. So the windows don't open. And it just it captures it any even if you have the bay door open, it's still you got maybe wind coming one way, if you have wind and it doesn't help
ThermApparel 11:12
But by having the vest you'd be able to be out there with him.
Sarah 11:15
yes, and I love the fact that you can put the vest garment on backwards or I guess inside out, and then you can my husband can go ahead and pack it for me. And then I can switch it around without me having to lay it on a table and put it the cooling packs in.
ThermApparel 11:32
That is actually a really good tip. That's, especially for women, that if you wear it inside out, so the the opening of the pocket is facing away from you someone else and you can just pull your shirt up and someone can pull them out and put them back in. So what other kinds of tips have you discovered that help you with the vest?
Sarah 11:50
There's times I'll put the vest itself with the packs in it, in the freezer to prepare for whatever activity I might be getting into. And then I can just throw it on, put my shirt on and we're good to go. So taking a cooler with me to keep the extra packs cold. And if you have a second vest, that helps as well. Which I will have a second best here shortly.
ThermApparel 12:21
With 2 vests you can just keep you don't have to pull the packs out. You just keep rotating them through the fridge or the freezer or dump them into ice water.
Sarah 12:32
Yes, it makes it easier when you able to rotate it like that. So it lasts longer. You don't feel like you're like Oh, I gotta stop. And I have to go do this to throw them in the freezer and put them back in. Having extra packs when you order the vest makes it much easier.
ThermApparel 12:53
That's a good tip too. Speaking of just tips in general, how long have you had MS.
Sarah 13:00
I was diagnosed April 25, 2019.
ThermApparel 13:05
So it's been quite a few years.
Sarah 13:07
Yeah, they said I've had it my whole life but it finally reared its ugly head. They said something must have happened to me that caused it to come out. I'm thinking it was because of my one job I had, I worked too many days in a row and I was tired. It just got to me. My body finally just said, You know what? This is it. I was having what I thought were seizures. And I because I didn't know what it was the whole right side of my body would cramp up. It would happen when I was laying down in bed. Of course it scared my husband scared me because I never go to the hospital. So I'm just like, I need to go, you know. I made an appointment for my general practitioner. But then my husband was like, You need to go to the hospital. Something that's going to be more than what they can handle at your GP. So he took me to the ER and of course they look at you weird when you go to the ER cuz you're like, oh, there's something wrong with me and I'm acting like this, but I don't know what it is. And they just look at you like why?
Sarah 14:20
It was it was very scary. But now I'm glad to know I have a have. And then that summer, I was so hot. And I was complaining to one of my other fellow MS people that were down in Kentucky. And she was telling me that about having a cooling vest and I'm like what? So tell me more about it. And she said they have so many different kinds and she also said you know if you can't afford it, the MS Society can help you fund it and I'm like really?
So I got more information from her about it. And I did some research myself. Because, after you get diagnosed with the disease, you want to do research and find out more about it because they don't tell you much in the hospital. And I was looking it up and like, Hey, this is really neat. So I told my neurologist about it. Once I finally seen her, she said, Oh, yeah, they have many different companies. And she said, Yes, the MS Society will help you and she's giving me information.
So when I called the MS Society, they gave me more information, which was great. They gave me a list of companies. And ThermApparel was one of the first companies. I went to the website, check it out. And I'm like, this is really cool. You know, it looks almost like a cami. But you can hide it and wear it no matter where you go. I am thinking this might work for me. So I told the MS Society, I want to try this out. And they took care of that part. And then I ended up speaking with the people of ThermApparel, and I'm a second time customer. So I'm getting another one.
ThermApparel 16:11
That's awesome. So that's actually a really good MS tip is that the National MS Society has a national cooling program and thermal is a part of it. And actually, we'll put all those details of how you can contact the MS Society down in the comments. So anybody that wants to explore that option can but if you need financial assistance, you can contact the MS Society, and if you qualify, they may be able to help you. And it's not only just cooling vests, I know that the MS Society helps with medication costs, transportation costs, just costs that come up with dealing with MS and having MS. They're a really good resource.
National MS Society Cooling Program Info:
You can call the National MS Society and ask to speak to a MS Navigator. Tell them you need financial assistance for a ThermApparel Cooling Vest. If you qualify they will be able to help.
National MS Society
1-800-344-4867
contactusnmss@nmss.org
facebook.com/NavigatorMS
MS Navigators
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Find-Support/Ask-an-MS-Navigator
Sarah 16:58
They are. They have a lot of different things they help people with financially. If they have the funding, they're more than happy to help folks. They can help with mortgage, rent, bills, it's nice to have an advocate on your side when it comes to that.
ThermApparel 17:21
What would you tell someone who's just firstly diagnosed?
Sarah 17:25
Definitely do research. Check out your resources. Never push yourself more than what your body allows you. Because you'll find out how far you can go with certain things. You'll learn the signs of your body because there there are different stages of MS. I have relapsing remitting, which is the lowest stage but there's like at least four stages of MS I believe. You're not the only one out there. There's groups. And just know how far you can go.
Sarah 18:08
That's kind of like relearning your body's limitations.
Sarah 18:13
Pretty much, pretty much and it's like a mental thing and not pushing yourself more than what you can or than what you have to doing research is the best thing I can say. Yes, I know a lot of people, there's a lot of WebMD doctors out there because you get the older ladies and they're like, Oh, you've got this you need to go to the doctor, you need to go the hospital you. It's not always like that. But there are MS groups out there online that do zoom meetings, and you can talk to them about things that you're having, like problems you're having, or if there's medication you're taking and someone else has maybe the same problem. You can tell them Well, this is what I'm taking. Actually a couple of people I talked to they're like, I'm so glad to talk to you about this because of this. Do you research, find your resources and never feel like you're alone with it?
ThermApparel 19:10
That's a great tip. Never feel like you're alone with it. Sarah, thank you so much for being here with us today. I've enjoyed talking to you and hearing your fun stories and I'm so glad that the vests and the cooling packs have been able to help you and your family.
Sarah 19:24
Thank you and thank you for having me. I really appreciate your product.
ThermApparel 19:28
You're welcome. Thanks for being here.
Do you have a Now I Can story that you want to share with us? We would love to hear all about it. Give us a holler as fast as you can.
ThermApparel is a small business making big waves in the heat sensitivity world by designing the first lightweight, comfortable and invisible cooling vest, UnderCool. Check us out online, on our blog, or Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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