Trying to be OS with a Chronic Health Condition

FairyPrincessk

I just realized you mentioned batch cooking (sorry!) However, I want to point out that nights when you can't cook due to having low energy and mood are not "lazy" nights. You are no more lazy on those days than anyone else who has a disability or illness that prevents them from doing what they otherwise would.

I hope that sounds like a gentle reminder, and not a lecture.

You may also find it helpful to make a list every day in the morning. Only put essentials on that list--as in you must feed your children. You may not realize how much you really do accomplish each day--even if it doesn't live up to the ideal of feeding your children a home-cooked perfectly balanced meal.

Cat501

Great advice FP I just wish I had good days! You're doing really really well Heavenleigh:T

daska

You're right, you're not! And everyone resorts to the 10p pizza (or equivalent) sometimes. Don't be so hard on yourself, you've managed to get up, cook dinner and feed the kids. Essentials covered! Save the hours of cooking for days when you will enjoy it and include a bit of batch cooking. And reduce the 'guilt' on the days you can't cook from scratch, because you know that you did cook it yourself and were organised enough to put it in the freezer and that means you're NOT lazy.

I sometimes describe myself as lazy but as many people have pointed out, I'm not, what I excel at is 'economy of effort'.

PixieDust

Heavenleigh, you are most certainly not alone sweetheart I'm BiPolar and have Asperger's....on the good days I am Supermum personified. During the good days/weeks and sometimes months I am about as useful as an amoeba...I barely exist let alone live.

But somehow, some way, I'm still married and I have two hormonally-happy, healthy children.

You do more than you think when you're down...you just can't always see it or appreciate it xxx

Cat501

A good piece of advice I read on here was to note down every little thing you do, everything is an achievement when you're depressed, and as daska said getting up and feeding the kids - well, to me that's a big achievement.
It helps me sometimes to post on here what I've done, even down to getting dressed, brushing my teeth (I'm not so hot on that one, not the recommended twice a day anyway) , getting something important posted - even making a cup of tea or coffee - that can seem like a big effort sometimes!

heavenleigh

Cat501 wrote: »

A good piece of advice I read on here was to note down every little thing you do, everything is an achievement when you're depressed, and as daska said getting up and feeding the kids - well, to me that's a big achievement.
It helps me sometimes to post on here what I've done, even down to getting dressed, brushing my teeth (I'm not so hot on that one, not the recommended twice a day anyway) , getting something important posted - even making a cup of tea or coffee - that can seem like a big effort sometimes!

Thank you Cat, i'm feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment, i only plucked up the courage to see my GP 2 weeks ago so not sure if the medication is kicking in yet, but the fact i've confided in my family and os friends makes me think maybe this time i'll sort it out.

My problem is in my head i have this perfect lifestyle, i know i want my kids to get their 5 a day and meals cooked from scratch and i can do it, on the bad days though i resort to chips and nuggets etc and i cant quite seem to train my brain to think that's ok occassionally.

My husband of 14 years walked out and left me with 4 kids (wonderful wonderful kids) but i'm struggling to do everything to keep them happy.

On the other hand i think the prozac is starting to work and i guilt myself over needing pills to stay stable :0(

Alison_Funnell

*HUGS*

I have periods of being superwoman and then runs of being as much use as a chocolate teapot. Bipolar.
OS is about doing what you can, when you can not, some awful prison regime.

I'm sure others will put it far more eloquantly. There are alot of us in the same boat. xxxx

Cat501

Another thing I've decided to try soon is getting my shopping online. This might not seem cost effective because of the delivery charge BUT I know that shopping exhausts me so much that I'll come in with a load of good healthy food and be far too tired to cook any of it - so I resort to ready meals or takeaways for that night, far more expensive than a delivery charge:)

daska

It's all a matter of how you look at it. You don't need the pills to stay stable, at the moment yes but not forever, they're there to help you while you deal with the things that need dealing with and when they are sorted out you won't need them any more. 4 kids is a handful (TBH 1 can be a handful when it's DS2 LOL), and you've got the shock and grief and readjusting to cope with as well. Nobody died from an occasional meal of chips and nuggets - but maybe next time you're feeling bright you could make the nuggets from scratch and freeze them. Are the kids old enough to chop small potatos into chips with an apple slicer? If they are then delegate!

Cat501

heavenleigh wrote: »

Thank you Cat, i'm feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment, i only plucked up the courage to see my GP 2 weeks ago so not sure if the medication is kicking in yet, but the fact i've confided in my family and os friends makes me think maybe this time i'll sort it out.

My problem is in my head i have this perfect lifestyle, i know i want my kids to get their 5 a day and meals cooked from scratch and i can do it, on the bad days though i resort to chips and nuggets etc and i cant quite seem to train my brain to think that's ok occassionally.

My husband of 14 years walked out and left me with 4 kids (wonderful wonderful kids) but i'm struggling to do everything to keep them happy.

On the other hand i think the prozac is starting to work and i guilt myself over needing pills to stay stable :0(

oh my god love, you poor thing, you're doing even better than I thought! You've got so much to cope with! Well done on getting to the doctor, it can be a tough step to take, you must NOT feel guilty (that's an order! ). 2 weeks is very early days, but if you feel a difference already that's a very good sign! I've been on umpteen anti-depressants over the last 12 years, hopefully the present ones will work:o You are doing your best for your kids, a great job as far as I can tell and a helluva lot better than me, and I know you don't believe it but you do deserve a pat on the back! xx

ps is there such a thing as a "perfect" lifestyle? I don't think so. If you strive for perfection, nothing is ever quite good enough