The Holidays

[Guest guest]

I have to share something with all of you.....

I am really enjoying this holiday season. I know.... Sounds kinda dumb but I

really think that doing my best to alleviate most things stressful has helped me

in the long run!

Stresses I have limited:

1) Shopping for gifts: Other than my son and daughter, everyone got gift cards

or magazine subscriptions. No malls, no wrapping, nothing to exchange!

2) Not leaving my home on Christmas Day: For the first time in umpteen years, we

cooked a full Christmas dinner and invited people to our home. My son's GF and

her family as well as our kids adopted grandma who lost her husband in October.

3) Limiting my exposure to *my* family: Okay this seems harsh and I hope no one

thinks I am an awful child. I will preface this with the knowledge that I had

invited my father and stepmom for Thanksgiving dinner and that he took that

invitation as an opportunity to tell me everything I have done/not done during

this past year to piss him off! (Don't worry... I DID remind him Festivus was in

December) He also ended up not coming to dinner. He just started a bunch of shit

and I hope he feels better! It also made ME realize that I have been in denial

all of these years and that I always felt obligated to spend holidays with him

and well, now I don't. My mom lives in VA and was invited to spend time with us

but declined yet also tried to give me a guilt trip from 400 miles away because

I turned my guest room into my computer room 2 years ago. Hence.... this is the

reason that I did not call/email either of my parents from Thanksgiving til

Christmas. What a joyous 28 days! Honest to goodness! I have decided to enjoy my

parents on MY terms from now on and not out of obligation.

Okay then I added one... Well, not really. I am enjoying the holiday season

sooooo much that we are having my husband's mom, stepmom (Greg's father is

deceased and yes, my mother-in-law and stepmom are friends), sisters, and all

their family here tomorrow evening for a belated Christmas celebration.

Actually, everyone is bringing something so there really is no stress. I don't

have to worry about how I am going to feel because it's here and I can wear my

jammies if I feel like it! Heck, I have even invited MORE people so I could

possibly have 30-40 people here tomorrow night and I am sooooo relaxed about it,

it isn't even funny.....

Why am I sooo relaxed? Because I have SURVIVED my first year with RA. After

going through this, there is no doubt in my mind I can handle just about

anything...... (give me 20 mg of Prednisone and you can remove the " just

about " ... I feel like SUPERWOMAN on 20 mg... LOL)

Anywho... I thought I would share some of my HOLIDAY JOY!!!!!

Next celebration: January 5th, 8 AM, which is when I send my daughter back to

school and my hubby back to work...after being off 2 verrrrryyyyy long weeks!

[Guest guest]

Hi Kami:

I so enjoyed your post, and am glad you are having a wonderful holiday

season. Finally you have control of your life, and how you want to

enjoy it. It feels sooooooo good to do things on your own terms.

How wonderful to remove all that unpleasant stress you were feeling.

I am glad you are handeling your RA, which is certainly enough to

handle. I too, feel great on my Prednisone. I am still on 10mg's a

day, and my RA is quiet. I thank God for that everyday. We all deserve

to be pain free, even for a short while.

I hope you have a wonderful time with all your friends, etc., and I hope

they all can make it. Just enjoy each minute with them.

Wishing you pain free days, and I am happy you are so stress free.

Enjoy!!!!!

Hugs,

Barbara

>

> I have to share something with all of you.....

>

> I am really enjoying this holiday season. I know.... Sounds kinda dumb

but I really think that doing my best to alleviate most things stressful

has helped me in the long run!

>

> Stresses I have limited:

>

> 1) Shopping for gifts: Other than my son and daughter, everyone got

gift cards or magazine subscriptions. No malls, no wrapping, nothing to

exchange!

>

> 2) Not leaving my home on Christmas Day: For the first time in umpteen

years, we cooked a full Christmas dinner and invited people to our home.

My son's GF and her family as well as our kids adopted grandma who lost

her husband in October.

>

> 3) Limiting my exposure to *my* family: Okay this seems harsh and I

hope no one thinks I am an awful child. I will preface this with the

knowledge that I had invited my father and stepmom for Thanksgiving

dinner and that he took that invitation as an opportunity to tell me

everything I have done/not done during this past year to piss him off!

(Don't worry... I DID remind him Festivus was in December) He also ended

up not coming to dinner. He just started a bunch of shit and I hope he

feels better! It also made ME realize that I have been in denial all of

these years and that I always felt obligated to spend holidays with him

and well, now I don't. My mom lives in VA and was invited to spend time

with us but declined yet also tried to give me a guilt trip from 400

miles away because I turned my guest room into my computer room 2 years

ago. Hence.... this is the reason that I did not call/email either of my

parents from Thanksgiving til Christmas. What a joyous 28 days! Honest

to goodness! I have decided to enjoy my parents on MY terms from now on

and not out of obligation.

>

> Okay then I added one... Well, not really. I am enjoying the holiday

season sooooo much that we are having my husband's mom, stepmom (Greg's

father is deceased and yes, my mother-in-law and stepmom are friends),

sisters, and all their family here tomorrow evening for a belated

Christmas celebration. Actually, everyone is bringing something so there

really is no stress. I don't have to worry about how I am going to feel

because it's here and I can wear my jammies if I feel like it! Heck, I

have even invited MORE people so I could possibly have 30-40 people here

tomorrow night and I am sooooo relaxed about it, it isn't even

funny.....

>

> Why am I sooo relaxed? Because I have SURVIVED my first year with RA.

After going through this, there is no doubt in my mind I can handle just

about anything...... (give me 20 mg of Prednisone and you can remove the

" just about " ... I feel like SUPERWOMAN on 20 mg... LOL)

>

> Anywho... I thought I would share some of my HOLIDAY JOY!!!!!

>

> Next celebration: January 5th, 8 AM, which is when I send my daughter

back to school and my hubby back to work...after being off 2

verrrrryyyyy long weeks!

>

>