Adjusting Holidays Plans Because of Pain

Holiday gathers are tough for me. The lights are always too bright. The din of all the simultaneous conversations is always too loud. There are usually at least a couple women who wear perfume. Between getting ready, driving and then trying to engage in small talk with everyone, it's taxing and exhausting. In a nutshell - migraine triggers are everywhere.

It's always nice to see family but there is no getting around how tough it is.

With the addition of terrible hand and foot pain this year, the holidays are even more daunting. I'm not able to do much of anything right now because the pain has gotten so bad. Additionally, I'm struggling to cope with these new pains. More and more, this is looking like it will be something I'm dealing with for the rest of my life. I might be able to manage the pain but it will be management not cure. The few things I could still do now worsen my hand and foot pain.

I'm just not in a good place right now and the last thing I want to do is put on a show and make small talk. I can't make a dish to pass. I can't do my hair. I can't put on make-up. The only shoes I can wear are my sneakers with the special inserts and those don't look good when dressing nice. I don't eat meat. I just want to be at home with my hubby and my animals.

This year we are going to have to do things a little differently. We have opted out of the big family gathering tomorrow but attended a smaller immediate family thing over the weekend. We will take the same approach to Christmas celebrations. And I've decided to not attend a bridal shower for my cousin in a couple weeks.

I don't want to miss the holidays completely but I'm just not up for anything big. The only good news is that I don't feel the least bit bad about doing what I need to do to take care of myself during this tough time.