UGH. I have to go to a benefit "ladies' lunch" today. I'm 2 weeks out, so there will be nothing I can eat. Any good ideas for how to make it less obvious that I'm pushing food around on my plate? Should I just fake a seizure or something?

This is my second benefit since surgery. Went to one last week but because I was running it was able to bring my own Soup which they served with the meal.

Can you ask for a special plate? Maybe soup? Or with me I'm Gluten free- I always have an excuse. Lol!

It's being catered at a banquet hall (not a restaurant) so I'm sure there aren't really any special requests other than maybe vegetarian.

My friend, it ain't the food, it's the function!

(sung to that wonderful Maria Muldaur song, "It Ain't the meat It's the Motion".)

You don't need to say ANYthing to anybody. Nobody get's to decide when or what you eat.

You know your plan, ask for warm Water or soup or nothing at all, and enjoy!

Yes. My current plan is Protein shake on the way; Water when they start passing mimosas/white wine; and quietly asking what the options are once I get there. It just makes me nervous because I'm sitting with 8-10 people and I only know a couple of them.

Thanks for the support. I don't know why this is freaking me out.

You will ALWAYS get our support!

Actually, since most are not known to you, that might make it easier... I can't imagine that strangers would ask intrusive questions and if they do you can also start with

"I have some dietary restrictions, right now",

and if they persist you can go one of two ways:

(1) the every popular; "I can't imagine why you'd want to know"

(2) or my favorite: Describe the surgery in gory detail.

I used to explain in response to quizzical looks why a big man like me is eating so small. Now I just act like it is a non-issue and say nothing. I get very few questions. Most folks have enough sense to mind their own business. The obnoxious ones who have the policy, "The fact that thoughts appeared in my head grants me permission to verbalize them", get standard non-answers..."Don't have any room for more....not that hungry...the food sucks" Forget that last one.

Good luck on this one, I'm sure you'll do fine. If anyone asks, just say "I'm not that hungry" and leave it at that, like Gman says. I use that line a lot.

I can't believe it! They had cream of asparagus soup. Next course was a big salad; I just said that I'd recently had surgery and wasn't allowed to eat salad yet. The only thing that anyone gave me any "crap" over was that they had cheesecake and I declined it.

So relieved. It was really so much easier than I thought it was going to be. Proof, once again, that there is no good reason to worry about things you can't control.

Thanks for your nice advice and support!

Oh you did WONDERFULLY WELL! Well done indeed!