Lupus Support Group

Depressed yes I get like that but I do have my days where I am ok. I think I let too much get to me sometimes. I am sappy and any little thing will start me crying. I really think I need to start taking anti-depressants. Your not alone there. The holidays are ok for me though because its a good distraction from everything although parts of it can be stressful. I have in-laws coming in Thanksgiving to stay for 5 days.

The Holiday's can be such a difficult time for people...including me. I lost my father right before the holidays then many years later my step dad (who I was close to) just a couple days before that holidays. Feels like a curse...I get so depressed. My children are grown and not home anymore...that has changed so much with the holiday's. I do look forward to them coming home but they to miss grandpa and feel the loss. I try to see what the holiday's is really supposed to mean...which is family and birth of Christ. The buying and spending makes me frustrated...and in debt! But the stress of getting everything ready for the family and having the house full always makes me get sick. Shoot I actually for 4 years in a row got pluerisy and the flu. Ugh I guess that is trying to tell me something. I really hope this year will be different.
Please hang in there...we understand. HUGS!!!

Thanks for your replies. Yesterday I just let stress and illness get the best of me. Not today, it will be a good day no matter how I feel. I hope you both feel better and 5 days wow!!!

I am so sorry for you losses tishka, my prayers will be with you and Allison this holiday season. I love this support group and all of you wonderful people on it!!! HUGS!!!

I'm looking forward to the holidays but I find myself dwelling more and more on how my life used to be. This time last year I was running around with my kids and enjoying my busy life. These days I have to summon the strength to walk my baby to and from the bus every day. I'm going to do my best like Tishka and remember the true meaning of the season. Hope everyone has a good weekend. :)

It is amazing how quickly everything can hit you. This time last year I was in better shape, but the year before that completely normal. What makes me nervous is the years to come and where I will be say 10 yrs from now. It is hard not knowing that. I try to live in the moment but its hard.

I know how hard it is and I am sorry you all are going through this. I always hear my friends talking about going shopping here and there and doing this and that and I think I wish I could go shopping. Even on "good" days I know I will tire fast or hurt so I can hit one store and go home and lay in bed. But I must think of all the reasons why I should be thankful. My healthy children and husband are my blessings as well as my cat and doggie.

I am luck that I am alive and can enjoy another day with my family. I am sorry for all of your suffering and I hope there will be a cure for auto immune diseases soon.

I stopped shopping a few years ago. My kids are older and I give them money. Grand kids are teens now and they definately are only interested in money. I love spending time with them. That's my gift. I'm flying to Massachusetts for Christmas and already worried. It's so hard on my body. Once I get there I lay around the house just watching them all interact and having fun. Younger kids are different. Take it easy. Short shopping trips. Think about their joy. I think getting away from the in laws is a great idea. You'll enjoy it all so much more. My thoughts are with you. HUGS Marla.

Thanks Maria, I hope you have a wonderful holiday. This new drug is very exciting so maybe next year it will be out for the general public and everyone will be able to enjoy the festivities!

It will be cold there but I am sure the joy out weighs the cold. Christmas used to be magical a few years ago when my boys believed in Santa Claus. My husband and I would try to have most of their gifts rapped and on the eve we would come home from his grand fathers which we still go to and see his family and rush to get all of their toys finished and lined up around the tree. The sweet look of pure joy on their faces was priceless. We used to have to go to breakfast at his parents and go back over in the afternoon for christmas with them and mils side of the family. Last year was the first year I put an end to going over there on christmas. We had a big fight with them and I refused I had christmas with our close friends and my parents (my mom is jewish) and dh took the kids over to ils for a couple of hours.

I am hoping only to see his family on x-mas eve and enjoying christmas without his side. Sorry this got so long I wasn't going to talk about my self and here I go again!!

Oh I completely understand. I can not stand my in law's. And after many years of abuse and back stabbing...then supposed to spend time with them on the holiday's ...I put my foot thru the floor!!! Lol
My husband was furious at first...but when I finally explained to him I needed to be able to take care of myself..he got over it. And then he finally saw how horrible they were to me also. Wow it was like a huge light bulb went off. Took 15 years tho. But I do enjoy the quiet times we have now. My mother comes over...he gets along with my mom...and my kids. I just am not able to do it anymore. The stress puts me in a flare faster than working back breaking labor in the stables. Go figure!!!
Hang in there and remember we must take care of ourselves or then you can't be there for the people who really matter!

This year we are having Thanksgiving with dh's side of the family then Christmas we are going to do my side. I get stressed out doing either honestly. I wish we could just do an intimate Christmas just us but Kelsey is at that age where everyone wants to see her, especially grandma's. Literally all of my husbands family are going to be in, and his sister, her husband and brother are staying at our house. I guess his brother, whom I have never met (and we have been together for 10 yrs) is sleeping on our couch. It ordinarily wouldn't be an issue, but its going to be for 5 days, and his brother has a criminal history. I know he is supposedly on the right path now and doing good and he has never done anything violent, but it still stresses me out and I feel really awkward about it. The funny thing is dhs mom invited him to stay at our house, and pretty much just told dh he would be staying with us and didn't ask. Then dh pretty much just told me they were staying with us, didn't really ask either. Hopefully things will run smoothly. I do understand because right now his mom is very, very sick with cancer so I am going along with it.