I am being made to feel like I am and as I’m quite emotional about it I can’t work out if I am or not!
For context, I have some long standing digestive issues which have been in flare up the last few years. I am under a London hospital, following quite a restrictive diet atm. Eating isn’t really a pleasure for me and food/eating often triggers my symptoms so after a meal I usually have to sit with a hot water bottle or lay until I feel better and sometimes I need the toilet quite quickly afterwards (sorry if that’s tmi). Sadly, this means eating out isn’t much fun either, I have eaten in a restaurant approx twice in the last 3 years and before that I’ve had a few occasions where I have had to come home from a meal as I’ve felt poorly (that’s not much fun, leaving people to dine alone). So I chose not to eat out atm.
Anyways, back to the original question.
I am 50 in a few weeks time. My dad, who is fully aware of my gut issues (but frequently dismisses it!) has decided that the family should all go for a big meal to celebrate. That would be 9 of us all together.
I have said thanks for the offer but I really don’t want this
a) because due to my issues I can not guarantee from day to day how I will feel and obviously eating out just isn’t a pleasure for me right now because of how I feel after eating and how restrictive my diet currently is (not much fun eating boiled potatoes and grilled chicken when everyone else is tucking into gorgeous food) and
b) my dad has stated that this celebratory meal will be my birthday present. That seems a bit off to me, not because of the money side of things, I haven’t asked for anything for my birthday and don’t expect it but the idea this meal will be my gift when around £10-£15 of the bill will be what I have consumed and everyone else will scoff the rest is a bit of a blow for me.
I have suggested we all spend an afternoon in one of the many cosy country pubs in our area, we can have a chat and a laugh, have a few drinks and if anyone wishes to order some bar food then great and no pressure for me to have to sit and have to watch everyone eat a 3 course as we would do in a restaurant setting.
Dad says this is a crap idea because we are not a family of alcohol drinkers so sitting in a pub is pointless. I’ve said well pubs serve all kinds of beverages and we don’t have to sit and get legless just because it’s a pub!
So I then suggested a nice garden centre cafe. Have been told that’s a shit idea too!
So it seems that it’s MY birthday but apparently I don’t have a say in anything.
Does that make me this big ole party pooper that my dad and now my dsis seem to suggest I am?