Professional Patient

Managing Time and Energy This Holiday Season

I just hosted my first Thanksgiving for 10. And it was a success. But man, am I tired now. Between the housecleaning before, work the day of, and cleaning up after, I haven't rested in about a week.

I know I can't maintain this breakneck pace through Christmas. And did you know there are only three weekends left until Christmas? Given the tight time frame, and the number of obligations most of us have to meet this time of year, how can you stay healthy, rested, and sane this holiday, and maybe even enjoy it, too?

1. Get help where you can. Have a potluck holiday open house. Or buy most of the dishes for your holiday party (you would be amazed how many holiday specialties you can buy pre-made at the store). Or, ask for cleaning help as your present this year - but have someone do it for you BEFORE the holiday.


2. Downsize. Have a holiday brunch instead of a full-fledged holiday dinner (or worse yet, cocktail party with all those stupid little appetizers that need to be fussed over). Give fewer gifts, or at least complete your shopping in fewer stores. (Fewer stores means fewer trips, and more sanity and time.)


3. Do it smarter. I have been furiously shopping online today, because it means l will have fewer Christmas errands to run. I also took advantage of being at a museum store this weekend (we went to the museum with the in-laws) and got gifts while I was there (it helps that I had no set ideas about what I was after, so I could be more flexible in the choices I was able to make. 


4. Prioritize. In general, I like to value people (time with them) and experiences (doing fun or meaningful things with my people) over things (getting the perfect gift). Also, ask your loved ones (and yourself) what things make the holiday season the most special for them. You may find that no one cares about putting up outside lights, or having the perfect fresh tree (so many needles to clean up), or going to the work holiday party, or... you get the idea. You can focus on what everyone really wants, this year, and maybe leave a few things off your to-do list. This year, given the limited holiday time frame, I may buy one of those tiny Christmas trees in a pot and leave the tree issue at that (there's so little time to convince my hubby to help me drag home and decorate a 5-foot fresh tree).


5. Postpone. This is best done with close friends and non-demanding family. I really want to visit my best friend and godsons... but we're going to do it on New Year's Day, rather than trying to squeeze in a hurried, harried visit before Christmas. I've also heard that some families agree to have their holiday gift exchange and meal days or weeks after the usual Big Day (so they have Christmas in January, etc.). This allows people to spend less (buying wrapping paper, decorations, and gifts late in the season, when things are on clearance) and stress less (the mall is less crazy the week after Christmas than it is the week before). And if you can, move those doctor's appointments that aren't 100% essential to January or February. You will be running around enough in December. Why add more?


6. Remember to recharge. You MUST exercise and sleep on as close to your normal schedule as possible. Eat well, too. These activities really keep your motor running, and can help you fight off the inevitable illnesses that seem to be passed around in December. (Who wants a cold at Christmas, anyway?)


7. (Last resort). Flee! Go on vacation over the holidays and duck out of the whole mess. (Sorry, Auntie Mae, I'll be 3,000 miles away this holiday.) 

I Will Not Give Up My Workout

Exercise is essential to managing the fatigue and pain that can accompany chronic illness. For me, it's absolutely critical because I have hypermobile joints (they are too loose and floppy). Keeping the muscles around my joints strong is essential to keeping my body upright and balanced (literally). If I miss workouts, my joints get loose, my muscles overwork themselves, and I wind up with horrible muscle cramps. 

Today I had a typical situation - I had already run an errand and been to the doctor. I had 3 afternoon hours in which to (a) pick up some medication for my dog OR (b) work out and then rest afterwards. I talk to myself a lot (sometimes just in my head, sometimes out loud while I'm alone in the car). And I surprised myself - the little voice in my head said quite clearly today "I WILL NOT give up my workout." 

All too often, we treat exercise as something optional, something less important than work and errands and chores. So practice saying this with me: "I will NOT give up my workout." Who knows when you may need to use that in conversation with a real person (or during an internal debate). If you practice saying it now, when there's no one around to disappoint, it will come more easily the next time you (or someone else) is trying to talk you out of your workout and into doing something less important.

"Rogue" Ways of Coping with Fall/Winter Depression

With the Daylight Savings Time change, and the daylight waning by dinner time every day, it's SAD (seasonal affective disorder) season for me again. My SAD is a lot like an extra-strong case of the "winter blues" or "winter blahs" that affect many people during winter's shorter, darker days. I've previously presented tips for coping, but this year I'm providing a few small, rather unconventional ways to cope with winter sadness or depression. I've had to look for new tools and techniques this year, because I was recently moved into a sunless, windowless office at work after my company moved into a new building. 

1. Prescription steroids. I discovered, after taking prednisone (10 mg/day) for my Sjogren's Syndrome, that a short course of steroids is a real pick-me-up. Prednisone has boosted energy (overall), concentration, and mood. I have only had passing moments of sadness while on the prednisone. This is NOT something you can do regularly. Long-term use of steroids can cause diabetes, weight gain, and completely wreck your body's own steroid-generation system (the adrenal gland). You will almost certainly have an extremely difficult time convincing a doctor to give you steroids to chase away the winter blues. But if you absolutely cannot get through the winter holidays because of your winter depression, steroids might be a last resort.

2. Get steamy (literally). I've also discovered by accident that a dip in the pool at my local YMCA is also a great mood booster. There's something about the warm, humid air that is very relaxing and energizing. I can't go super-hot (hot tubs, steam rooms, and heated therapy pools make me feel nauseous), but you might benefit from either cool or warm-water activity.

3. Get steamy (figuratively). It's hard to be depressed after having an orgasm! Being depressed makes it nearly impossible to feel sexy. But if you can manage it, sex (or a brief session with a vibrator) may improve your mood. Regular sex actually changes the balance of hormones in your body, which may help elevate mood, too. 

Vote, Vote, VOTE!

This year, the outcome of the presidential election could have far-reaching effects on our health care coverage. So get out there and vote tomorrow! Do your part. 

Not Sure Which Candidates' Health Insurance Proposal Is Better? 

The Kaiser Family Foundation website provides an objective side-by-side comparison of Obama's "universal" health care plan and McCain's "market" health care plan. View 2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals: Side-by-Side Summary from the Kaiser Family Foundation's health08.org website.

Need Help Getting Up to Speed on All the Issues on Your Local Ballot?

The League of Women Voters' vote411.org website provides voters' guides to the issues on your local ballot (including local and state special questions/referenda). Go to www.vote411.org, select "On Your Ballot", select your state, and then select your local voting district.