How do you cope during the holiday season?
 

We abstained from most social occasions for quite a few years. But I do remember we did have a lot of guests for a Christmas dinner 2 years ago where I insisted that my job would be setting the table two days in advance very slowly in order to save enough strength to be able to cut my own food at the actual dinner!

Are there certain things you do or don´t do to manage during the holiday season?
Are family members more helpful at this time?

The trouble with celebrating Christmas is that we have traditions from before I got sick. Kids are very wed to traditions! There's tremendous pressure to do what we've "always" done in the past. But here are my helpful hints.

Number one: I do all my Christmas shopping online, which is a no-brainer, but oh, what a boon not to have to go to a big department store or a mall! Also, don't go to the post office. Order flat-rate shipping supplies from the USPS online, and print out labels and have your mail carrier pick up packages.

Numbers two, three and four: delegate, delegate, and delegate. This requires a bit of letting go, because if you hand over some tradition, the person who takes over isn't going to do it like you did. Steel yourself. It's really OK.

Number five: budget your energy fiercely by skipping the things you don't care about, but are tempted to do out of social pressure. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that it's false to say you "can't" go, because after all, you could, if you gave up doing the things you actually do care about. Nope. If it takes away the energy you need for the things you care about, then "can't" is an accurate word.

Those are my ideas. I always overdo it a bit anyway, and recover in January.

Abby

I did great through Thanksgiving then got a cold and it's still with me. So looks like Christmas may be rough unless I recover. I basically follow Abby's advice. You just do what you can and life will go on.
Mike

Those are great thoughts for everyone, Abby, and written like you´d been practicing this for longer than you probably have!
I do hope your recovery time will be over before January this year :)

I think we also learned quickly and accordingly. My husband took over all the food preparation & cooking and had help from other family members with cleaning afterwards. All those things you can control were controlled and my dwindling reserves of energy were preserved.

What we did not want to control and could not really control was the huge amounts of wonderful energy visitors brought with them to our home during celebrations of any kind in the last 5 years. And absolutely the hardest thing in the beginning was maintaining my own level of lowered social energy output with dignity, as that also used energy in itself.

For me to finally learn these two sentences ´Just entertain yourselves without me´and, ´I´ll be back in a little while´........
Was a great learning process and would also serve as my own little investment of a lifetime :)

I agree- online shopping!!! so much is free shipping these days.. and if it isn't , it is still cheaper than gas, parking, walking and the exhaustion that may follow!

I take the kids to do Santa and other things during the less crowded times too (or at least that's what I try to do)...

It is almost one year ago from the time I got admitted into the hospital - i got out on Christmas Eve!!! what an awful, terrifying time it was... I couldn't hold silverware, cut food, or even suck through a straw (I remember my hubby gave me these nalgeen bottles with a straw.. and I cried that I couldn't suck water up them)! So, this year is a big reality check on the - wow.. i am SOOOO much better- physically and mentally than I was a year ago! It's hard to think back on those times!

I sit more often when I am socializing with people.. and have to make a pretty big effort to try and get my face to smile and my eyes to look not intoxicated/half closed in pictures! :-0!

I do love the holidays! :)

Mike - those ailments that used to be so innocent before MG can suddenly be so treacherous now. Get well very soon...:Sick:
Goodness bny806! :eek:......Wishing you a less ´eventful´ holiday season this time round.
And glad you say you are feeling much better this year :)

I knew infections were very bad for us but I try to be extra careful. Guess where I caught it. In the Dr's office getting skin cancers removed. They told me when I went back to get stitches removed they said everyone in the office was infected!!!! I now have face masks to wear in populated areas and the heck to what everyone thinks.
Mike

Very good question!

Basically, the biggest key (for me) to coping with the holidays - is that I have learned to keep things very simple. (Shopping, getting together with family, etc.)

I try to rest and stay healthy - so that MG does not exacerbate - allowing me and my family to truly enjoy the holidays.

Happy Holidays To All !

SoftTalker Sue