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Posted Today 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
Well, tomorrow is the first day of December and I thought it might be a good idea to start a topic where we could all share ideas for trying to get through the holidays without flaring and maybe even have some fun.  For me the holidays are both wonderful and stressful.  I love the time with my husband and kids and seeing other family, but the pressure and the traveling to see everyone can really take its toll.  Here are a few things I am going to try this holiday season to hopefully avoid a flare. * Either have holiday meals at someone elses house or have the meal be a potluck. * Shop for gifts online * Relax and watch old holiday movies and some great classic movies * Retreat to my bedroom with hot chocolate and snuggle under the electric blanked and nap or read a good book. I'd love to hear other ideas that people have.  Maybe by putting all of our foggy brains together we can help each other to not overdo things and end up in a flare.
Posted Today 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Great topic Hippie!! This might sound like scrooge . . . but if YOU aren't the one enjoying the Christmas Tree, here is a survival technique I have used for many years. . . . I ask my family members (now just me and hubby . . . but a few years ago, there were still teens at home) "Who wants a Christmas Tree this year??" Of course, the first time, they all said "ME, ME!!!!" And I said, then who is willing to set up and decorate the tree. Looking dumbfounded at each other, they all agreed they wanted to do it. Then I asked, who is willing to take the decorations down, put them away in their nice neat boxes and put the tree away. Even more dumbfounded, they looked at each other and agreed to take care of it. After THEY put the tree up and took it down a couple times, it turns out that none of us needed to have the tree up EVERY year . . . so don't always have a tree. This won't be a good time/energy saver if you love, love, love the tree . . . but it sure takes about 4 days of effort off my plate because I just can't decorate it or take it down in just one day. ____________________ My all-time favorite motto is . . . if it stacks up, take care of it!! This would be dishes, laundry, mail, and clutter around the house. I make these the priority effort in my home. The rest of it (dusting, vacuuming, washing windows, etc.) does not get any harder if it waits an extra week or month or more. . . and it is well-spent effort to keep all the "stacks" knocked down because they only get more and more difficult if they are left for even a day. Blessings!
Posted 12/1/2007 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
Rosie, I was actually thinking about the same thing the other day. My kids are little and love the tree and my hubby and kids are the ones who put it up. But, my mom no longer puts up a tree and I completely understand why. We're putting our tree up today. I love putting the stuff up, but taking it down is not fun at all.
Posted 12/2/2007 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
I will be making this holiday easier on myself by driving over to my grandma's house Christmas Eve after my husband gets off work. We will stay in a motel that night so that Christmas day isn't so hard on me. We have to return home that night so my husband can go to work the next day. I have an ultrasound on Chirstmas Eve to make sure all is okay for me to make the trip. I am hoping they do the stitch a week from Monday instead of putting it off.

Posted 12/2/2007 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
What a great idea, hippi!

I happen to LOVE Christmas so any ideas to make it more enjoyable is wonderful! I also love Rosie's tree idea but it wouldn't work for me, yet. I put up three trees but hubby actually puts two of them up, I decorate (slowly), and he takes two of them down. The third tree is our rec room tree in the basement and we keep it up all year (very LAZY, I know) by covering it with plastic and "scootching" it to the back room after Christmas.

I have cut way back on our decorating by only doing the trees and the mantles in the living room and the family room. I also set out a few kitchen santas and set up my favorite nativity scene in the family room. My hubby hangs a wreath on the front door for me and sets out our lighted trees on each side of the door and that is it for outside. We used to put lights all over and set out our lighted nativity set outside but that is not part of what we can handle at this time. It was beautiful and we also had lights around our deck out back, too. Since hubby has to help me with so much now he needs to cut back on something.

I know I will have to cut back eventually but I hope I can keep this up at least until my son and daughter get out of college. Who knows what we might be inspired to do after grandchildren, though!

Other ways I cut back on Christmas: I bake seven dozen cookies for a cookie exchange at work so I can have a variety for when friends drop in; I give gift cards for gifts to co-workers, friends, and family; the only presents I wrap are for my mom and dad and hubby's dad and then I try to shop at places who have free gift wrap; I do not send out Christmas cards anymore; I have Christmas flowers delivered to out-of-town friends, instead, and SAY Merry Christmas to in-town friends who I don't buy gifts for.
Posted 12/3/2007 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yikes! It is Monday and I am not finished with my decorating! I will finish Tuesday because my Mondays are very long work days for me . I am a Rotary member and we meet after work on Mondays. I was thinking, however, as I was decorating this weekend about how much I am still in denial about this whole lupus and RA junk and how I try not to let it interfere with all I used to do! I am a hopeless case, I believe. I cannot seem to give anything up! Any ideas for us hopeless lupies who are still in denial?
Posted 12/4/2007 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Audrey: You are likely the same as the rest of us and need to send yourself into a flare over it before making some hard choices. Then again . . . you may already be pacing properly for your medical needs. Blessings!
Posted 12/4/2007 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
You have a good point, Rosie. I have learned to stop when I start to feel tired and my med combination seems to be effective for me. I would love to keep up with as much as possible before I retire from school. And, I didn't bother decorationg for Halloween this year like I used to before lupus. So, I suppose I have made some modifications despite my apparent denial.

When my mom and dad came up from Ohio to visit for Thanksgiving, my mom said I have a more active case of RA than my Oma (grandma) had when she was my age. I was very young then so I can't remember. I was sad to hear that because I always thought that I was lucky not to have it as bad as my Oma did!

Wow, I guess I should apologize, Hippi, for taking your post hostage. The holiday season seems to make me realize that we need to, as lupies, balance our lives to stay healthy. Thanks, Hippi, for making me think!
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