Hard Time

Hey Ya'll,

This is my 1st holiday since surgery and I am finding it very depressing! Please tell me that I am not alone in feeling this way! (not that I wish anyone to be depressed, but I would love to know that this will get easier) I feel very angry at the world right now. We were suppose to be alone today, but now it has turned out that we have people coming over. I guess it may have been easier to cope with if things were a bit easier. I was looking forward to not cooking, which I am doing, not cleaning, which I already did,  and not entertaining. (By the way, I should mention, I DID NOT invite them, my partner did)

Arrrrrrrrggggggggg, I feel like Lucy in the "Peanuts" cartoon!

Sorry, dont mean to be depressing, but had to vent, or I would explode!!!!!!!!!

Thanks and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Sweeny

And your partner is doing??? cleaning? cooking? anything? why not suggest a resturant? there you  have more control of what to order and eat, plus go dutch and have everyone pay their own way...

Being alone as it's good points, but it also is very lonely.....I have my dog today, it's just me and the dog...my family all went other places, and i am left to take care of the animals.....

Sweeny,

I have not yet had surgery (mine will happen in Jan) but I lived on this planet for a while now.  I know that holiday times can be tough, but please do your best to focus on what you do have.  You are months post surgery so you can eat and enjoy in moderation.  You have people around you who love you and you have your health.

I am facing a lay-off, both my parent passed away 6 days apart in 2001. I have no brothers and sisters so basically I am it.  I got divorced in 1999 and both my children have not spoken to me (1 in over 3 years and 1 in over 2) and have have 2 grandbabies on the way whom I may never know and one that I haven't seen for over a year.  I was a June Cleaver mom who did the very best she knew how until I divorced their Dad and there were many reasons which they should understand but they choose to turn their backs on me. I have paid for their college, given free room and board to one,her boyfriend and my wonderful grandbaby and got slapped in the face.   Could I be depressed, you bet.  Will I allow myself, no friggen way.  One of my best friends would tell me, "Barb, pity party of one."

So, I focus on, the fact that I am remarried to the most wonderful man in the world.  We live comfortably (not lavishily) and we have our health.  I have a job (at least for now) that I love and hope to keep.  I will be having my surgery in Jan to help me get even stronger and healthier.  It's all in the way I look at life. 

Please take time for yourself today.  Surround yourself with things you love and think of all you have and how far you've come.  I am reaching you to give you a big hug and say you have lots of people who care about you and your are special.  Love yourself and see the joy that life brings.  I wish you a beautiful Thanksgiving.

Always,
Barb

I am 7 months out from RNY and this is my first real food holiday since surgery.  I was worried about how I would handle it.  We were supposed to go camping but with all the flooding we decided it would be safer not to go. Planned on a simple meal  with pork tenderloin that I would cook at the campground but when we decided to stay home at the last minute hubby told 4 elderly friends that I would take plates of hoiday dinner to them. ;(   So then I had to cook a full holiday meal. At least now I was in control of the ingredients as I dont know if I truly dump.   I love candied sweet potatoes. Today I made them with only nutmegs and a sprinkle of brown sugar.  No marshmellows or other ingredients. Didnt load the mashed potatoes with butter. Didnt add sugar to the creamed corn.  Choose to do a pork tenderloin instead of turkey (we usually fry a turkey and I was worried about the oil) and since hubby volunteered me at the last minutes they get what I wanted to cook. The tenderloin was already defrosted.  Made the green beans with milk instead of cream.  Ate from a bread plate. Ate less than 1/2 of what I put on my plate.  Even thought to myself that preop I could have eatten at least two dinner plates of food before.  Even with the few bites I ate of everything it was so much less volumn I was surprised.   Know I pushed the volume limits of my pouch and when I started to feel it stopped immedately.  It was wonderful and I truly did not miss the other ingredients I normally would have used.  Everything tasted so good.  Will have a bite of pumpkin pie later. Since we ate about 2 PM I am sure there will be some left overs later about 7 PM.  Not the usual eatting pattern but I am truly impressed with the control my pouch holds over me!  Probably the first year I wont gain 15 pounds during the holidays!! Love my RNY!!! 

Let me tell you Sweeny...first of all...I do not know if I would be so nice about having to do all the work when it sounds like this is not what you really wanted to do today...and secondly.....I am here to say...YES it does get better and when everyone is laying around in a food coma you can for sure have the last laugh.

So even though all holidays and everything inbetween is celebrated with FOOD....I wanna say who cares as you will have the last laugh when you are feeling fine and lookin fine!!!!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you!  

Thanks Ya'll,
I did read these, and they did help me make it thru the day!! Hugzzzzzzzzzzzz
I ate a SMALL sliver of ham, a wee bit of salad and part of a baked potato. I also made some SF/FF cheesecake pudding, but omgggg it was terrible! (I threw it away and went w/out dessert, but didnt feel deprived)
Thanks for hanging w/ me!!
Sweeny 

 

Sweeny,

I am so glad you had a good Thanksgiving.  I thought about you all day and hoped things would turn around for you.  So glad they did.  Sorry your dessert wasn't so good, but maybe there will be a great recipe on the board or web for the next time.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Always,
Barb

Thanks so much Barb.
I read your story and thought I better get myself together. I know I have TONS to feel thankful for!!!!!!

Maybe when I get to SF we can have dessert together! (I'll buy) LOL

I am off to "finish" decorating my house. (Inside is done and outside is almost done. Outside is a LOT like Clark Griswalds, on National Lampoons Christmas Vacation) I LOVE having the neighbors walk their kids and grandkids by the house and see the faces on the little, AND BIG ones!!! I am also planning the "Neighborhood Cookie, Hot Cocoa and Apple Cinder" get together. A couple neighbors and I get our fire pits out and invite all the neighbors and this year, we have sent out invites to 3 of the local Senior Homes and they are going to bring the seniors over by bus. I cannot wait, should be fun!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend,
Sweeny

Sweeny,

I'd love to get together.  You'll never believe this but my husband Ron and I love to decorate for Christmas too.  When my folks passed away, I needed a diversion and I started painting yard art for Christmas and Halloween.  Our yard art is all gingerbread cut outs, a church, toy shop, bakery, train, snowman.  I have a couple more I want to do, but have to wait until Ron gets out of school to cut out my plywood.  He is simply the best!  He is going to Cal full time and will graduate in May.

Inside the house, we have lights, trees, etc everywhere.  It's my thing and I call Ron my closet decorator, because he loves it as much as I do.

Well. when you do get up this way, let me know and we'll rally.

Have a blessed Christmas season. 

Barb

OMGGGG, I do "yard art" too. We have the gingerbread men and womyn... Elfs, reindeer, and a 7 foot tall soldier. We also just painted several sheets to look like brick and covered our travel trailer. It looks like a HUGE chimney, and we have a very large Santa to put up there. Santa looks as if he it going head first down a chimney. Should look cute! If I can figure out how to gets some pics on this site, I will post some.
Would love to see pics of your yard when you get it done!! E-mail is: [email protected]

Thanks and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Sweeny