Handling the Holidays with a Baby Sleeve

[Sleevesdropper 16]

So, I'm the crazy person who willingly and happily scheduled her surgery for November 21--right before Thanksgiving! My retired parents were already planning to come down to spend Thanksgiving through Christmas with us (it's a good relationship, no worries).

I'll be exactly 1 week post-op on Thanksgiving, and if my post-op goes well, I should be able to have my first "solid" food on Christmas Day (though I'm not bummed if I don't make that date. More interested in healing well).

My family is EXTREMELY food-centric and we definitely have food issues. Just wondering how you have handled/are planning to handle the holidays. Also, does your family feel uncomfortable eating around you? How did they adjust to your new state after surgery?

[LoryLosesXS 154]

For me my whole family are great at gorging and eating unhealthy. I decided the holidays for me will be more about the emotional aspect. What I mean is....focusing on the love I have for my family and just enjoying their company. I had my 44th birthday this Sunday and no cake or gourmet cupcakes my daughter usually gets me. My brother offered to take me out to dinner. They forget. Lol. What I decided to do was jut enjoy the family time. We laughed a lot as I ate my sugar fee pudding. Lol. We also were thinking about doing some service or volunteer work and giving back to our community on the holidays. My daughter work for Starbucks and they require it. So she has done a lot. It may be our new tradition and get the focus off food. I hope that inspires you! :-). Best wishes!

[Sleevesdropper 16]

For me my whole family are great at gorging and eating unhealthy. I decided the holidays for me will be more about the emotional aspect. What I mean is....focusing on the love I have for my family and just enjoying their company. I had my 44th birthday this Sunday and no cake or gourmet cupcakes my daughter usually gets me. My brother offered to take me out to dinner. They forget. Lol. What I decided to do was jut enjoy the family time. We laughed a lot as I ate my sugar fee pudding. Lol. We also were thinking about doing some service or volunteer work and giving back to our community on the holidays. My daughter work for Starbucks and they require it. So she has done a lot. It may be our new tradition and get the focus off food. I hope that inspires you! :-). Best wishes!

Enjoying my family so resonates with me. I'm sure I'll deal with some head stuff, but when I think about Christmas day, I think about sitting around the dining room table with gorgeous blue skies and a breeze (we live in Florida), and laughing with and loving my family! Thanks so much for saying that!

I'll admit it--the volunteer aspect is not one that I had thought of. We used to live in Memphis, and I really enjoyed working with the homeless; this seems like a lovely opportunity to give and serve food to someone who needs it way worse than I do! That seems somehow very balanced.

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

Let them worry about the food and you make it about the entertainment and family aspects :-)

Hopefully they will be understanding and respectful about your situation. Will you been on full liquids during thanksgiving? If so, you could probably enjoy a nice cup of turkey broth with a touch of sage added for the familiar flavor. Actually, if your doctor has you on Clear Liquids that works too :-)

For Christmas, will you be on purees by that stage? You can run some things through the food processor to finely chop them and add some broth or gravy so you don't feel deprived.

Either way, have fun with it! Enjoy the time you have with the family :-)

[notmeanymore 629]

In the beginning my family felt a little strange about eating in front of me until I explained that it doesnt matter. There are always going to be people eating large amounts of food in front of me, its on me to deal with it and I dont want anyone changing their habits on account of me. Plus, I dont get hungry so its not like Im dying to eat 5 pounds of food in a sitting lol. Everyone is used to it and its not even an issue.

[Teachamy 1,042]

Although I am going to make it through Thanksgiving pre-sleeve, I am hoping to be sleeved on Dec. 18th. I always make the kids gluten-free pancakes on Christmas so I could indulge too. (I have Celiac) This year I will make them regular pancakes so I won't be tempted. (I SERIOUSLY won't be tempted. I have had Celiac for 6 yrs., nothing is worth the agony!) I am not too worried about dinner...broth will be fine, I am sure. I also like the idea of going to the movies on the holidays. i know they are open Thanksgiving evening, what about Christmas? It would be a good time to hang out with the kiddos and sip,sip, sip. My mom is planning to help me with wrapping gifts and final details. VERY happy about that too.

I am so excited!

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I was a pre Christmas sleever and no one but my husband and grown kids know about my surgery. The 30 + other family members didn't even notice I wasn't eating. They're used to me dieting so it was normal for me.

[TJL 222]

I am the cook for most big holiday gatherings, but this year my sister offered to take over the cooking, to which I readily agreed. However, I am still making mac&cheese for Christmas because my nephews only get it once a year and I make them each a pan to take home with them. Mac & cheese doesn't really tempt me much so should be ok. Most of the time there is so much activity going on that no one really knows if I have eaten or not. Hope things work out ok for you sleevesdropper.

[Sleevesdropper 16]

Let them worry about the food and you make it about the entertainment and family aspects :-)

Hopefully they will be understanding and respectful about your situation. Will you been on full liquids during thanksgiving? If so, you could probably enjoy a nice cup of turkey broth with a touch of sage added for the familiar flavor. Actually, if your doctor has you on Clear Liquids that works too :-)

For Christmas, will you be on purees by that stage? You can run some things through the food processor to finely chop them and add some broth or gravy so you don't feel deprived.

Either way, have fun with it! Enjoy the time you have with the family :-)

I love the idea of turkey broth with a little sage! It's festive and gives me something to look forward to! And focusing on the entertainment...perfect! Thank you!

[Sleevesdropper 16]

Although I am going to make it through Thanksgiving pre-sleeve, I am hoping to be sleeved on Dec. 18th. I always make the kids gluten-free pancakes on Christmas so I could indulge too. (I have Celiac) This year I will make them regular pancakes so I won't be tempted. (I SERIOUSLY won't be tempted. I have had Celiac for 6 yrs., nothing is worth the agony!) I am not too worried about dinner...broth will be fine, I am sure. I also like the idea of going to the movies on the holidays. i know they are open Thanksgiving evening, what about Christmas? It would be a good time to hang out with the kiddos and sip,sip, sip. My mom is planning to help me with wrapping gifts and final details. VERY happy about that too.

I am so excited!

I'm not celiac but definitely gluten sensitive, and even that's not worth it. Good strategy! Movies are definitely open on Christmas night. I've gone a couple times. Fun! Though it triggers popcorn lust for me, so we'll have to wait and see...

[AprilS 25]

I'm being sleeved before the holidays too. I know I could wait but I just don't want to. Think of the weight we could lose before the end of the year instead of waiting and gaining. So I've been wondering about this same thing. My surgery is November 4th so I'll be further out than you and on a soft to regular food diet. I know turkey will be fine but it will be my first time having it. I don't know if I should mix it with mayo to make it moist or what. Of course, I know I'm way ahead of myself but I'm still wondering. And will I be able to take a bite of dressing. All of that will be new to my sleeve and you're only supposed to intro one food at a time.....so I don't know. Plus, I won't want to get sick since my family isn't supportive of the whole thing anyway!

[Teachamy 1,042]

I'm being sleeved before the holidays too. I know I could wait but I just don't want to. Think of the weight we could lose before the end of the year instead of waiting and gaining. So I've been wondering about this same thing. My surgery is November 4th so I'll be further out than you and on a soft to regular food diet. I know turkey will be fine but it will be my first time having it. I don't know if I should mix it with mayo to make it moist or what. Of course, I know I'm way ahead of myself but I'm still wondering. And will I be able to take a bite of dressing. All of that will be new to my sleeve and you're only supposed to intro one food at a time.....so I don't know. Plus, I won't want to get sick since my family isn't supportive of the whole thing anyway!

Sorry your family isn't supportive. It's never easy. When I eventually start solids, I plan to food process my meat at first. You should see if you can find fat-free lo-cal gravy, if you're so inclined. Squash would be good too, I bet. And cranberry sauce.

[jess9395 5,449]

My date is the Monday after Thanksgiving and my Dr doesn't do a big pre-op diet, just liquid for 48 hours, so thanksgiving will be a last meal of sorts even though I am already starting my own pre op diet.

I love the movies idea too! It was a tradition we used to have growing up (and yes they are open Christmas Day) so I will try to revive that one. Also board games! Lots of fun!

Thinking of making leftover turkey purée with a touch of gravy and freezing it in ice trays for when I get to the purée stage!

[AprilS 25]

I actually haven't even told my family yet! BUT I was pretty interested in it back in Feb. and asked my mom if she'd support it and she said no. This time I actually made a consultation appt. and have followed through with it. I've been playing with the idea of not telling my parents at all but I just hate to lie all of the time about it. So today I sent my dad a link of the sleeve surgery being discussed on Dr. Oz. He loves Oz and he actually said it is a viable option. I text and told him I sent him a link but I haven't heard back. I told him it was something the dr. has recommended for me. I'm wondering if he'll just have my mom talk to me about it or pretend it didn't happen.

I'll be eating pureed foods during week three. Of course, I can still do that in week four also. Your suggestions sound good. I'd like to be able to just take a few bites and not have to blend anything up while there. My manual says no more than 2 oz of meat and 1 oz of other food for a meal that week. I'll know more on what to expect after my pre op class on November 1st I guess.

Edited October 22, 2013 by AprilS

[PracticingPatience 17]

So' date=' I'm the crazy person who willingly and happily scheduled her surgery for November 21--right before Thanksgiving! My retired parents were already planning to come down to spend Thanksgiving through Christmas with us (it's a good relationship, no worries).

I'll be exactly 1 week post-op on Thanksgiving, and if my post-op goes well, I should be able to have my first "solid" food on Christmas Day (though I'm not bummed if I don't make that date. More interested in healing well).

My family is EXTREMELY food-centric and we definitely have food issues. Just wondering how you have handled/are planning to handle the holidays. Also, does your family feel uncomfortable eating around you? How did they adjust to your new state after surgery?[/quote']

I'm right there with you, scheduled the 21st as well! And we host thanksgiving at our house! I'm pre-cooking and freezing, and making myself something awesome full liquid, like cream of asparagus (which I love). All my folks are really supportive (though we have the emotional eating thing too), and I'm committed, so I feel pretty good. Are you worried?