Emotional coping strategies .. post-op

[gillabean]

Hi everyone. All my life I have eaten when upset, eaten when happy, eaten when sad, eaten when .......... are you getting the picture?

Well my 21 year old son is going out to Afghanistan early next year for the second time. I will be 5 months post op by then and obviously won't be eating for comfort.

Has anyone any other ideas for me to cope emotionally. I already use a Forces discussion forum which helped a lot last year. I don't want to go down the alcohol/smoking route and would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks in advance, I know that you'll all help.

 

[salski]

Exercise? Swimming or going for a walk? x

 

[margaretmc]

Hi Gillabean
It must be an awful worry for you , I hope to God he`ll be ok out there .
What about keep fit , swimming , WI or doing some charity work or something like that to keep your mind busy hun . Good luck to the both of you . Take care .
Margaret xx

 

[I will get there one day!]

Hi

I have a similar dilemma and would therefore be really interested to read other replies. I only had my op on the 1/10 and so it's really early days. I think problems will start when I go back to work.

Where are you having your op by the way? I see you are on the South Coast. I had mine at The Spire in Southampton.

x

 

[gillabean]

Hi Nicola, I'm going to St. Richards in Chichester on 12th November, eeekk!!

Margaret and Salski, I think that walking would be good. At the moment, it's very difficult for me to walk far because I have arthritis but when my weight starts dropping off (!) I will be lighter on my feet so it should be easier. I have tried knitting to occupy my hands but I am totally rubbish. I'd love to join a really nice gym like David Lloyds but it is very expensive if you are a shift worker as you have to get the gold membership which I believe is around £100 per month. Having said that, the team from Portsmouth Football Club use my local David Lloyd gym, I saw them when I went there for coffee recently and ...........oh my! I came over all unnecessary!

 

[Cuppacocoa]

Lol what was that you were saying about finding a toyboy Gillabean? Get back there woman!! :character00182: :sign0151: :silly:

Cuppa xx

 

[hopelesscase]

Gillian my friend was in a similar situation to yrself wasnt fit enough to take up seriouse exercise but was starting at WW and was a real emotional eater. In her case it was her husband who was in afganistan and she took up embroidary. She started off with the kits you can buy as she was hopeless with a needle taught herself how to do them and now 10 stone down she does the most amaising keepsakes for people she get special orders for weddings births christening etc.
Her husband didnt recognise her when he came home as she was the slimest she had ever been. She says it was the best therapy for her emotional eating she had ever done as in the early days she only ever used to do it when she felt the need to eat other than at meal times she also made sure she planned her meals well so she never got caught just eating whatever was to hand.
Now she laughs as she says where did she find time to eat between meals she now always has a needle in hands as she is sooooo busy.

 

[gillabean]

That's actually a really good idea. I used to do hand-made curtains for a living so I know how to use a needle. I have often seen embroidery and thought about doing it but didn't think I had the time. But this makes sense now, so thank you for that. I will have to do a couple of kits first. My friend bought a totally beautiful embroidery, with bits of metal and silk and glass and then framed, it was very expensive.

My son has never seen me slim, the last time was when I was breast-feeding him 21 years ago. He (and his brother) are really behind me. They have never ever said anything about my weight but I am sure it must have bothered them when I went to their cricket/football matches. I just hope everything goes well as I am all they have.

 

[fat-girl-slim08]

Have you ever tried Watercolour painting?
Its very relaxing and a good way to take your mind off things.
I started about 10 years ago and really enjoy it.
Sometimes when i feel a little down, I get all my paints out and I get totally engrossed in it and with practice you can paint some lovely pictures and frame them and hang them on the wall.
Its even better when people visit and compliment them and say are you an artist?

 

[hopelesscase]

That's actually a really good idea. I used to do hand-made curtains for a living so I know how to use a needle. I have often seen embroidery and thought about doing it but didn't think I had the time. But this makes sense now, so thank you for that. I will have to do a couple of kits first. My friend bought a totally beautiful embroidery, with bits of metal and silk and glass and then framed, it was very expensive.

My son has never seen me slim, the last time was when I was breast-feeding him 21 years ago. He (and his brother) are really behind me. They have never ever said anything about my weight but I am sure it must have bothered them when I went to their cricket/football matches. I just hope everything goes well as I am all they have.

My son is 20 and i am a single mum. He too has never seen me slim and has been so supportive even the day of surgery he left a works do to come and see me. I went to pick him up from a party the other day and he dragged me in and said hey everyone this is my mum. My initial thought was how much has he had to drink and i then realised he hadnt as he was on antibiotics. It was only in the car on the way home he told me that when i dropped him off one of the guys at the party wanted to know why his "bird" wasnt coming in lol. He told them i wasnt his bird but his mother he then said that i really didnt want to know how the conversation went after that. pmsl

Like yours he has never commented on my weight but these days he frequently says you look nice in that or god how tiny are you. It means a lot coming from him as he wouldnt say it if he didnt mean it.

good luck on yr journey and make sure you keep a photo diary once a month with measurments that you can share with your son when he returns home.

carole

 

[gillabean]

Have you ever tried Watercolour painting?
Its very relaxing and a good way to take your mind off things.
I started about 10 years ago and really enjoy it.
Sometimes when i feel a little down, I get all my paints out and I get totally engrossed in it and with practice you can paint some lovely pictures and frame them and hang them on the wall.
Its even better when people visit and compliment them and say are you an artist?

Now that's weird, I have often been called a **** artist!!!! Does that count?