Finally, spring. Everyone is casting off coats, soaking up rays, and storing away winter apparel. Everyone but us people with chronic illness, that is.

We are smarter. We are aware that no matter what the weather app says, we still need to have our cozy layers for those below-zero cold infusion rooms, hours in the hospital, cold medications and cold clinic visits where the thermostat is set on "arctic blast."

It's one of those things no one warns you about when you get initiated into the chronic illness club. You just figure it out yourself - usually while shivering through an IV infusion while everyone else in the outside world is basking in beautiful 75-degree weather. That jarring disconnect between the warm outside world and the cold medical spaces inside isn't just unpleasant - it actually can worsen symptoms for many of us.

Medical Buildings: Where Summer Never Comes

There are valid reasons why medical facilities keep temperatures so low. It inhibits bacterial growth and preserves certain equipment. That is entirely reasonable from a medical perspective.

But from the patient's perspective? That cold air is biting when you have to deal with:

• Joint pain that increases with cold
• Raynaud's phenomenon that freezes fingers and toes
• Fatigue that worsens when your body spends energy to stay warm
• User issues. Sensory challenges in adapting.

While the rest of the world is exchanging sweaters for tees, we're still layering on blankets, socks, and clothing during our doctor visits. It's something that most healthy individuals never have to even think about.

Adaptive Clothing Isn't Just a Winter Thing

When you think of warm, easy-on clothes, winter clothing comes to mind. But for the rest of us wearing medical environments all year long, adaptive clothing meets necessary needs regardless of the calendar.

Our needs don't shift just because the calendar shifts. We continue to need garments that:

• Make it simple to access ports, IVs, or injection sites without undressing altogether
• Keep us warm on long days of sitting quietly in over-air-conditioned rooms
• Maintain our dignity in vulnerable medical moments
• Give us some sense of normalcy when everything else about our situation is anything but

That's why adaptive clothing isn't seasonal - because chronic illness doesn't take a summer vacation.

Finding Year-Round Comfort

At BeWell, we understand this year-round requirement because we've lived it. The feedback we consistently hear from our community confirms what we already knew by experience: medical spaces are cold regardless of the season, and appropriate clothing makes a difference in comfort and dignity.

Some options that work year-round for those cold medical rooms include:

• IV Zip Hoodie with zippers on arms featuring interior flaps for sensory-friendly access during treatment
• Multi Access Hoodie for those with chest ports, PICC lines, ostomy bags, heart monitors, feeding tubes or who require front access
• Infusion Day Blanket lightweight enough to toss in your bag but warm enough to chase the chill away
• Rest Day Socks that offer comfort during long waits and treatment

New Lightweight Options Coming

We've had a lot of you tell us that you look for breathable solutions that bring cold medical settings the warmth you need without overheating when you step inside on hotter days. That's why we're developing lightweight adaptive solutions - same accessibility features you need, just in more breathable fabrics for fluctuating temperatures. Look forward to our 2025 Bamboo IV Zip Hoodie and our lightweight athletic IV Quarter Zip!!

The Realization Moment

So many people in the community have said that they didn't realize they needed adaptive clothing until they try them. It's that experience of infusion day when you no longer must roll up tightly and uncomfortably swollen sleeve or wrestle with an impossibly stiff shirt to attempt to get on your medical equipment. It's no longer the choice of freezing in the thin hospital gown or overheating in your street attire.

Those moments remind you that comfort isn't a luxury when you live with chronic illness - it's a necessity.

Comfort Has No Season

The reality is simple: just because the outside temperature rises doesn't mean that medical facilities will stop blasting air conditioning. Our need for comfortable, convenient clothing doesn't go away regardless of the season.

Hospitals will still be cold.
Infusions will still be long.
Our chronic illnesses will still require the same accommodations.

That's why adaptive clothing is still a necessity throughout the year - because you should always be comfortable, dignified, and supported, no matter what season.

Did you ever find yourself shivering through medical procedures on hot summers? How do you keep your comfort in cold medical environments? I'd love to hear your stories and tips.