If there is one holiday/season that is worse in regards to food it has to be the Christmas/Holiday feasts that happen once a year around this time. As part of our family tradition we have a huge sleepover at our home and a put out a large buffet type feast with all the things I know the family will love.
Similar to my feelings towards Thanksgiving this year, after my diagnosis, I was dreaded this event for the first time since it began. Although admittedly I had a lot of fun buying the feast for the family and planning small activities for the kids while the adults talked and other grown up type things.
Really this year was the first time since my diagnosis that I really wanted to gave in and drink about a million of the soda cans I had purchased, along with all the pies. It was my first real temptation test as before now I had craved the soda yet the idea of the pain had held me at bay. My mother in law made a comment that made me think.
She said that we say we don't care about the pain while we're eating but then regret it. And she has a point. Sure I could drink a can of soda, technically I could drink as much as I wanted, but like life I would not be able to control the circumstances that followed. Admittedly I ate more ham, more sandwiches, more pie and more everything than I should have yet I was able to pivot along the edge of my pain level instead of falling completely.
If you survived like me with little pain, I salute you. It was definitely one of the most challenging things I have had to do since my diagnosis. Here is what I did to balance my condition with eating some of what I wanted:
- Purchased rolls only after checking the ingredient list while waiting in line at the store.
- The ham I selected was honey baked, not smoked so it was listed on the things I should have been able to eat.
- The vegetable tray I got was the biggest I could find, since I knew that regardless of the other things those I could eat as much as I wanted.
- Even though ranch was included in the vegetable tray and I purchased more for the feast I knew that it was off limits and did not even attempt to try any.
- Though I also purchased ridiculous amounts of canned soda I also made sure to get plenty of bottled water again making sure that my guests and myself were taken care of.
- Indulging in a little pie is a given with me, since I cannot stay away from sugar for long periods of time so I made sure the ones I got were pumpkin and apple. Ones that everyone loves to eat and also ones I knew I could eat.
- When choosing the potato chips I made sure to again, select ones I knew the family would love and then plain ones for me.
As I stated above, even with my carefully planning I freely admit that I over did it and played with the borderline of my condition a little too closely. I do feel that with each passing day, week and month I become more accustomed to my condition and the things I can and cannot partake of, yet I feel a little indulgence is something we all need at one time or another.
Like before I drank lots of water and ate a lot of vegetables to make up for the other food and it worked out, for the most part, in my favor. That being said everyone has their own limit so I do not recommend trying something like this until you have had a few months of working out your limitations.
Whatever happened during the Christmas/Holiday break I hope it was a happy time for you and that you were able to spend time with your loved ones. Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year for 2016.
#AlwaysKeepFighting
#StayStrong
#ICLiving
#Survivors
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