Thankful Thursday for Thanksgiving

Bug
Bug Member Posts: 394
edited January 2021 in General Cancer
Hi, everyone. It seems like an appropriate time to do a Thankful Thursday. What are you thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day?

Comments

  • beachbum5817
    beachbum5817 Member Posts: 238
    edited December 2020
    Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I know it is a different kind of Thanksgiving for many of us, but I hope everyone is able to enjoy the day. I am so thankful that I became a grandmother this year. It was something that I never thought I would get to experience, for many reasons. My grandson has taken some of the sadness out of my life, but of course, I wish my husband were here to enjoy him as well. I am so thankful for WhatNext. I know that we are a bit at lose ends without Greg, but I am so glad that we are still here for each other. I am thankful that there is a vaccine for COVID-19 on the horizon, and I hope that we will soon be back to "normal".
  • MarcieB
    MarcieB Member Posts: 528
    edited November 2020
    I woke up this morning thinking about *the little things.* Of course we are grateful for family, friends, health, good fortunes, but I am wondering what specific, obscure thing might come to your mind? For me it is Bluejays. The bird kind. Every morning my husband fills the bird feeder and sets out about a dozen whole raw peanuts, in a line, on our deck railing. While he is doing this the jays call to each other and gather in the cherry tree beside our deck. The moment Steve turns around to come back in they are hopping on that railing, choosing a peanut (which looks so funny in their beaks) and fly off in a swirl of blue. I am thankful for these silly bandits - they make me laugh.
    Oh...and did I mention Starbucks Pike Place coffee with a pinch of cardamon? That too. ;-)
  • junie1
    junie1 Member Posts: 30
    edited November 2020
    HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!! I'm thankfull for all i have. my health, family, friends and my What Next family. Even though i'm still dealing with cancer, i'm going to go to my daughters house today. Family is important,, specially during this year!! I'm not giving up any opportunity to be with my family. we will be weating our mask,, be outdoors,, But most of all,, Be together.
  • Gin
    Gin Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2020
    This Thanksgiving we are very thankful for family and friends and a loving Savior, but the obscure thing I am thankful for this year is our rescue puppy. We had been without a pet for over a year, but in the middle of this crazy season, it was obviously the perfect time to find a new one. After searching the websites we chose a delightful brown and white, party colored schnauzer mix. Frito is now a vital part of our family.
  • ChildOfGod4570
    ChildOfGod4570 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2020
    Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I am thankful for my family and friends, my church, having survived the surgical removal of a 6mm by 10 mm kidney stone, the fall weather, and most of all, God Himself! HUGS and God bless.
  • Teachertina
    Teachertina Member Posts: 205
    edited December 2020
    I am thankful for my family members being well and still able to wait to support their families. Mostly my husband, who is my rock. I am thankful today to once again wake up able to enjoy another day. I’m thankful for this site and hope all of you can have a Happy Thanksgiving!
  • LiveWithCancer
    LiveWithCancer Member Posts: 470
    edited November 2020
    Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! There is so much to be thankful for! Despite this year being a bit different and a bit sad - we have decided to forgo getting together for Thanksgiving with my brother and my 90 year old mom out of safety concern - I woke up feeling hopeful and happy.

    It is going to be a gorgeous late November day here, sunny and warm, but not hot. i think I will try to get us take-out lunches from Cracker Barrel later on - no mess no cooking little cleanup! Can't beat that! I'm grateful for my faith, family, and friends and my two old dogs and even my two feisty cats - they mean the world to me.
  • Ashera
    Ashera Member Posts: 94
    edited December 2020
    Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!! So thankful you are such a big part of my journey. Just a comforting quietness knowing that whatever I need to worry about, or ask...there will be someone that responds in a loving, no-nonsense realness. There is never 'TMI' here and I love that!
    Also grateful...that Greg still remains in a wise and caring away and and feels 'surrounding' everytime I log on. He was a huge gift to all of us.

    And important: Pie has NO calories due to the pandemic. They've been quarantined. Enjoy, indulge and love someone - near or far.
  • faithfully58
    faithfully58 Member Posts: 27
    edited January 2021
    Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.Stay safe ! Though my Thanksgiving will be so hard this year without my precious turkey smoker here.I'm so thankful for the 52 years of friendship and 40 years of marriage we had.Most people don't get that many years!Thankful I got to spend his last days at our home with him!! He is loved and missed every second of everyday! Much love to you all.....
  • Carol1286
    Carol1286 Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2020
    Happy Thanksgiving. I had a great evening with family. My son stayed after the others left. We had a fantastic visit. It's been a long time since he's wanted to be close to us. He even made plans to come back with his girlfriend. I feel happy and blessed.
  • Molly72
    Molly72 Member Posts: 227
    edited November 2020
    Thankful that this year is almost over and even more thankful that the mess in Washington is/will be settling down. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
    Also thankful that we soon will have a Covid vaccine available.
  • Carool
    Carool Member Posts: 787
    edited December 2020
    Bug, thank you for posting this.

    I’m a day late, so I’ll say that I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving. A special thank-you to you, Donna, and I send you love back.

    My Thanksgiving was quiet and no different from the day before or today, and that’s how we lazy people here like it!
  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited January 2021
    I am a day late to this party as well. I am thankful for a drama-free Thanksgiving with family. I am very thankful for WhatNext. I am glad to have a space where I can share my journey and know there is no judgment and always some support.
    I am thankful for Greg's guidance and that I got to know him for a little while on this site. I am thankful to Donna for sharing him with us even when things had gotten down to the wire. Sometimes we just want to protect our loved one and draw our circle a little tighter in those days. Thank you for keeping the lines of communication open.
    My small obscure thing? I am thankful my husband has been patient and open to my coming home later in the evenings after he has "packed it in" to go to bed after our "family time" with my family. So I have rolled down my windows, turned up my radio and jammed out all the way home- listening to music I had come to love when I was doing Zumba regularly. It kept me well awake for the drive home (only 30 minutes but it was time to myself with no worries except getting home to love my kitty and go to bed). My husband gets up at 4 a.m. for work and has to be there by 5:15 so these days have been long for him. He has been a trooper but needed to come home and get some sleep.
    Anyhow- yes the loud radio and rolled down windows are my obscure thankful thing.
  • MarcieB
    MarcieB Member Posts: 528
    edited December 2020
    legaljen, I GET the loud radio, windows rolled down thing! That is definitely one of life's obscure pleasures. ;-) Unfortunately, I need to wait a season before I roll down the windows here, in Michigan.
    But, Christmas music season is coming...I like to drive to the music of Mannheim Steamroller turned up loud, so there's that. (and now we have Penatonix too!)

    I am so glad your time with your family went well. It seems we all had a nice Thanksgiving. Yay!
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited December 2020
    Checking in just a little late. I ended up spending most of Thanksgiving Day in the Observation Suite of our local hospital. I called 911 late Wednesday afternoon because of extreme dizziness, vertigo, disorientation and when I tried to lie down, hoping it would pass, hallucinatory "dreams". Very weird. They tested for everything they could think of and when all tests turned out negative decided I was having some kind of anxiety induced panic attack. Pandemic fatigue? So, my Holiday was just a bit different this year but I was served a lovely full turkey dinner complete with pumpkin pie at the hospital so it wasn't a total loss. My sister picked me up at the hospital late Thursday and I've been with her until this morning.

    It sounds like most are making the best of a bad situation through the Holidays. We do what we have to do. I think our family plan for Christmas is "everybody just stay home!" .

    PS: I too get much enjoyment from the visitors at my bird feeders. My favorites are the tiny Downey woodpeckers. I also love driving to loud music. I love good Blues.
  • Carool
    Carool Member Posts: 787
    edited December 2020
    Bengal, that sounds very scary. I’m glad it wasn’t due to anything but a panic attack (though that’s bad enough). Feel better.
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited December 2020
    Yes! It was very scary. I am trying not to let anxiety overwhelm me. The sister facility to the senior care unit where my mother is a resident has had over 100 cases of Covid19 confirmed over the weekend. Her facility has recorded 4 but once it gets a toehold who knows what happens.
  • Bug
    Bug Member Posts: 394
    edited December 2020
    Bengal, I'm so sorry you had that experience. I have been diagnosed with "a weakness" in my "vestibular system" - the system that manages balance. Upon occasion I get dizzy/balance/vertigo episodes - sometimes severe. I *hate* them. My heart goes out to you. I really hope you're feeling better.
  • Gabba
    Gabba Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2020
    Bengal, hope you are doing better.
  • Ashera
    Ashera Member Posts: 94
    edited December 2020
    Bengal - wrote a long note to you a couple of days...but see it never posted! Simply said how sorry I was you experienced this - Panic Attacks...are as real-feeling as they can be - your body feels the same as if they are really happening and responds accordingly. Terribly scary. During my 'heavy' days of chemo - when I would venture into a grocery store - it became overwhelming many times and I'd stand there thinking I was going to not be able to catch another breath. I would try to retrace my steps back to the front of the door and leaving my basket - got out to my car. The store realized I was going through stuff and would offer to either complete my shopping or help me check out or even leave the store. Happened long after that first hard year too. It's just a sideway's "wham" out of nowhere...and I do understand. A loving therapist at the time told me when they started to take a breath and name one thing...I could feel (grocery cart handle?), one thing I could see close by (a red coat on a boy?), one thing I could smell (something in the store, a cream on my wrist, something in my cart, one thing I could hear - (someone talking, a squeaky cart, the slicing door to the store....
    This often bought my heart rate down and I could breath...and then decide whether to stay and fight...or flee out the door. I do these things when I wake with a panic attack.
    Ativan from my oncologist are on board if I need them. Sending love and understanding.....
  • MarcieB
    MarcieB Member Posts: 528
    edited December 2020
    Ashera, the grocery store is my trigger too. The first time it happened to me was after my husband died. I was grocery shopping and suddenly I couldn't breathe. I had just passed the raisins and realized I didn't need them because it was my husband who ate them on cereal. I wasn't aware that thought upset me, but then...I couldn't breathe. (!) Every panic attack I have ever had has been in a grocery store, except for one time, and that was a shopping mall. It ambushes you.
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited December 2020
    Ashera, MarcieB, so sorry to learn you too have had to deal with these crippling panic attacks. On the other hand it does help to learn one is not alone in this. Unfortunately, many who have gone through a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment are left with some form of PTSD which can manifest as anxiety attacks and/or flashbacks. Fortunately, I have not (yet) had any of these in a public place. Mine have taken place in the comfort of my own home. ; ) Sometimes if I feel one coming on I can divert it through breathing exercises, focusing thoughts on something else, or just sheer will power (like, "this is NOT a convenient time for this, please come back later "). Sometimes I cannot stop them and just have to let it run it's course and have found in doing that it can be cathartic (also incredibly draining).

    Just one of the things they DON'T tell us about going into this.
  • MarcieB
    MarcieB Member Posts: 528
    edited December 2020
    Bengal, I really don't have attacks often, and I think mine are tied more to grief issues than anything else. I was just struck that it happened to Ashera in a grocery store because that is where I first experienced one. I haven't really had the kind where you can't breathe in years. But, lately I have noticed a feeling of deep sadness kind of overwhelms me for a few moments and I have no idea why? Nothing sad is happening in my life right now. I am beginning to wonder if it has anything to do with the quarantine? I miss crowds. I miss the energy of being close to people. I just want things to be back to normal, and most of all (right now), I want to attend a big Christmas Eve celebration again. Sigh!
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited December 2020
    MarcieB, I know exactly what you are referring to; these moments of just intense sadness. It happens to me too. Just out of nowhere and then it passes. I would say it definitely has to do with the pandemic, the isolation and uncertainty about the future. Thankfully, the feelings do pass. The Holidays are going to be hard. No question about it. I have resigned myself to a very low key Christmas and New year this year. We just need to hang in and hang on.
  • Bug
    Bug Member Posts: 394
    edited December 2020
    MarcieB and Bengal, I have that, too - the moments of intense sadness. It's interesting to me that others have it as well. I figured it was just me. It usually happens right when I wake up - before I get out of bed. I do a lot of self-talk to get through it then I'm fine. I don't remember this happening before the pandemic so I guess it's related to that...?

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