How do you celebrate your birthday post-op?

Hi all!!

I am 8 weeks post op and my birthday is coming up this Saturday.  Traditionally in our family we go out to eat, have a nice meal, come back to my parents house and have cake and presents.  This year is obviously going to be different for me as I am now surgically altered.  LOL  Everything from the meal down to what to do afterwards is starting to give me some anxiety.  Anyone have any tips, pointers, clues to lessen my anxiety a bit?

Jennifer

We just went straight to gifts and cards this year.

I told my family quite emphatically that I did not want to celebrate with any type of food. They honored my request and we just had a low key time. I opened my cards and a couple of gifts and was very happy.

Is there something else you would rather do that is not food related, such as see a play or go to a museum? If that doesn't strike your fancy, how about bowling or something along those lines? It will probably help if there is a non food activity for everyone to enjoy.

Have a happy birthday.

I went on a fabulous long weekend in Telluride ...

We usually do trips or events for mine - beats birthday cake every time! I love to eat out, and MY birthday is the one event that I get to choose the venue ... I can promise these social things get easier every year!

 That sounds as fun as my birthday.

 Well it's not a birthday, for my 20th wedding annivarsary we did go to a fancy itialian resurant. I had some soup and I actauly had ONE very small bite of cake. Did fine. Just don't make the food the center of the event, make the celebration the focus. Who cares if the others eat 3 plates of food and you have a sacer full. Enjoy yourself anyway. I am one of those RNYers who do dump and even though I had no icing at all I could feel my pulse go up some just from that small bite of cake. 

To me it was more of a 'communion' thing and more symbolic than actauly making an kind of dessert out of it.

 Hot Wild Monkey Loving with my wife!

We share a Birthday. Mine is Saturday as well, only I will be 2 days away from surgery. The surgery is my gift for many more Birthdays, and I well celebrate with my protein Birthday shake. I think I'll mix it up with something really fancy....

There are so many non-food activites. I like playing tennis, mini golf, beach day, kayaking, going to the park, bike riding, amusement park, museums, shopping. I find myself doing more active things with friends and family because eating at a resterant is manageable but not really fun anymore.

You could always go to a resturant with many healthy options (tampa has a few where Everythng on te menue is under 500 calories) or make dinner at home. You could try to put candles in a sf-jello mold as an alternative bday cake!

Don't be nervous it's your bday it will be awesome even if you have sf-jello instead of cake and play a round of mini-gold or go karting. Remember this is a lifestyle change lots of things are different now.

Even my first birthday after surgery, I still went out to a nice dinner with my family.  I had filet mignon and green beans almondine and had a LOT of yummy leftovers.  Instead of cake, we all split two different desserts after dinner.  I ate two very small bites of each dessert and the rest of the family finished them.  After dinner we went back to my mom's house with all the family dogs and played cards.

Lora

 Happy Birthday! These are great ideas!!!