HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

21 Birthday, any ideas?

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/9/2009 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
I turn 21 on August 22, but of course that begs the question: What does a Crohn's patient do when they turn 21?
I'm on the SCD, I avoid alcohol, and I really just want to have a good time with whoever is showing up (secret apparently?).
I had literally a drop of Stoli's the other day and forgot how much I miss it, but it's still not worth going to the emergency room for. I need to stay well so I can do well in school!

Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any suggestions..
Posted 8/9/2009 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
Happy early birthday! My 21st was last Tuesday and due to my stomach ulcer(s), I couldn't drink either, so it kind of sucked. Have they already planned something? You said it's secret so I wasn't sure. You could do lots of things, beach, amusement park, a nice dinner, etc. You could always go out with your friends clubbing and just not drink too, but I know for me the temptation is usually too much and I'd end up doing it anyway. Hope your 21st was better than mine!
Posted 8/9/2009 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi!

Happy Eearly Birthday. I can relate my 25th bday was on July 27 which I spend in the hospital with a flare up.

All I wanted to do was drink and party and go clubbing like an normal 25 year old would do. My last 3 bday was spend in the hospital.

So the following weekend when I was feeling better, my bestfriend her bf my fiance and I all went to the water slides, where there was no temptation of alcohol. I had a blast, it was def a bday to remember.  Consider something like this.

Just do what is fun to you, you'll forget about alcohol (most of the time, hehe)

Good luck, have fun.. Enjoy your 21st it only last a year!

Keep us posted, let me know what you end up doing!

 

Posted 8/9/2009 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Just throwing this out there - I have issues with beer (maybe the amount of carbonation?) but I don't remember ever having issues with mixed drinks.
Posted 8/9/2009 7:27 PM (GMT 0)

Yup, Can never tolrate beer, Some days I can do the mix drinks be fine, other days I can have a mix drink not feel well right away. Or have a blat one night and pay for it hard core the next day (I was a bartender for 3 years with my CD, I wouldn't be suprised to know all my partying has lead my crohn's to be worse)

Posted 8/9/2009 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Same thing with me. Beer will make me throw up and have awful D, but if I drink wine or most mixed drinks in moderation I'm OK. If you're feeling bad anyway, I wouldn't risk it with any alcohol, but if you're feeling generally OK, a couple of drinks should be OK (excluding beer) as long as you don't drink too much. I'd say to keep to only a few drinks max.
Posted 8/9/2009 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm. It's a bit hard if it's being organised in secret, but if you have *any* say in the format, what about going all elegant and having a (modified) Victorian high tea? This would mean everybody dressing up and looking beautiful, and *no alcohol*. I've heard Spooky mentioning SCD almond butter brownies, so perhaps you could make & eat those, and leave your guests to eat the cream cakes and cucumber sandwiches?

Another idea: what about a ballroom dancing lesson & fun dancing session? I know you're interested in that, and want to take classes yourself some day.


Happy, happy birthday, Bonnie. I hope that you have a wonderful time, no matter what format the party takes :-).
Posted 8/9/2009 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
ya its hard being young and having all these food and drinking restrictions!! I just found the true glory and the feeling of being pampered a few years ago .. Why not get a few of your closest friends or family and go to get a massage, pedicure or facial or 2 of these.. Many salons or day spas do them and they are a bit pricey but so is dinner and drinks.. call around get prices for them..Something you would not do every day for yourself but what a treat and would be something special for your 21st.. Hope you have a great day doing whatever you decide..
Posted 8/9/2009 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
Oooh, that pampering sounds fun! Nice to have something that doesn't centre around food.
Posted 8/9/2009 11:26 PM (GMT 0)

wow, alot of amazing and great ideas. I think I may take one or two for my next bday!!

Your into dancing? I love dancing, I use to do ballroom, it was so much fun.

Posted 8/10/2009 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
* ¡Feliz cumpleaños! * Just a thought, but how bout daquri, margarita, or other "frozen" type drinks. These don't even have to have the alcohol, they taste pretty yummy. (for me, it makes the alcohol just a bit tolerable on the tummy)...even a "shirley temple"...haven't had one of those in years...
Posted 8/10/2009 1:20 AM (GMT 0)

I think SCD certain alcohol is allowed in moderation (??) – What about Vodka or those killers? Are you allowed one or two of those kinds of spirit drinks with no-sugar mixers?

 

Alternatively, what about a special picnic somewhere beautiful – a nice park or nature reserve, get your best friends together, head to the park and get everyone to bake something and bring it along! I recently went to a similar picnic for a friend’s bday and it was great! Everyone takes something along, you sit in the sun together, play music, whatever you want – and you can take some SCD friendly baked goods like that fabulous carrot cake with cream cheese icing!

Posted 8/10/2009 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
I had a shirly temple the other day, man I was in so much pain but with alcohol(dirty shirly lol). I really believe it's how you feel that day or a few days leading up to it. I had a few mix drinks yesterday, all fine untill recently this evening. Can't be far from the bathroom, and I know it had to do with the drinks!!!
So keep an eye on your syptoms a few days before your bday, and on the day. But i like the shirly temple idea, and the froozen drinsk ,they too are not so hard on the tummy. especially if you ask for half ouz vs a full one or full and half ouz they put in froozen drinks.
Posted 8/10/2009 2:12 AM (GMT 0)
I like Phoebe's idea of a byo picnic, laying around in the sun, throwing frisbees etc. Whatever you do Bonnie I hope you have a memorable 21st. :)
Jo
Posted 8/10/2009 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
Happy 21st turn!

I was diagnosed with crohn's about a week or two before my 21st. Since I was on prednisone, I felt better than I had in years. If I recall, I went out to eat with my family at a really good BBQ place. Yum! I've never been into alcohol though, so not going out drinking that day was no big deal for me. I once got roped into a bar crawl for a friend's friend's 21st birthday. That just cemented my abhorrence of bars and clubs: cigarette smoke and drunk people = no fun for me.

EDIT: Like Ivy said, nut butter brownies are very good! You can use either pecan butter or almond butter. There are a lot of SCD frosting recipes too, but I haven't made any yet. Add a little frozen yogurt, and you have a nice treat! Cheesecake would also be a good birthday desert. Or the fantastic Cherry Clafouti found here: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/06/5-dish-cherry-clafouti-grain-dairy-and-gluten-free.html#more-1612
Posted 8/10/2009 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
Oooooo the massage idea is my favorite. maybe because i'm over 40, but I found not drinking to no longer be an issue. I go someplace where I can dance and do that instead of drinking. But, massage is my favorite. I can handle one glass of wine...we bring a bottle to the massage place and each have one glass and a nice back massage...I get my wrists and legs done to relieve the CD pressures in my joints.

My husbnad threw me a surprise 40th a few years ago. He made a full blown dinner, but knew I would only eat part of it. I just enjoyed the time with my friends and family. he saved some "safe" foods for me to eat later.
Posted 8/10/2009 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
LMills -- there is so much fun to be had on birthdays that you don't need alcohol for (although I confess I love Stoli too)! I used to think it was all about the drinking when it came to 21 but if you get a good group it could be even more fun than a bar! When I couldn't drink my girls took me out in the city to a drag kind of Cabaret type thing that was hilarious! I am a big kid at heart so there's also going to an amusement park or having a day of at the beach or in a park where you can barbecue and concoct a fun list of sports activities -- frisbee, kickball etc. If it's still nice out you can go camping which could include hiking, whitewater rafting, smores and relaxing with friends! If there are any upcoming concerts in your area you could all go to a concert! Let me know if you need any more suggestions and hope you have a great birthday!
Posted 8/10/2009 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
You guys, thank you for all of these wonderful ideas!! I wish there was a way to take all of them and mix them into one haha.
I agree that isn't all about the alcohol, but I guess it just would be nice to go out and enjoy it with friends. Maybe the same idea applied to going out to eat you know?
But I think I can have a really good time otherwise. I'm going to have a harder time settling on one idea because they all sound like so much fun :)
Posted 8/10/2009 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
What about Ferris Bonnie's Day Off, then? Try to do as many fun and unusual things as you can in one day?

Perhaps this will be too exhausting for you right now, though.
Posted 8/11/2009 5:38 AM (GMT 0)
happy birthday! i'll be at a different birthday party that day so i'll have a drink in your honor (i hope you like martini's)

i missed my 21st being too busy with college and sick with crohns and being on 6-mp at the time = no drinking. so yeah, you miss a right of passage not having alcohol on your 21st bday, but in hindsight, it is just another day, like any other day. birthdays are days to celebrate with friends and family and you can do that without alcohol, even if it is the cause and solution to all life's problems.

if you must drink, know that not all liquors are wheat based. there are vodkas made from potatoes - blue ice and chopin. tequilla is from agave. wine is from grapes. stay away from mixers. use other liquors, ice, or fresh squeezed fruit juice if you must add something. if you do not drink now, you'll feel it heavy on just one, so milk any drink you have and just slow sip it throughout the night. dont be knocking back shots. call it a night after your second drink, no matter how feel. if you do three, prepare for a hangover the next day and the possibility of throwing up. 4+ equals lights out. you have been warned.

cheers!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply