Worst dinner assignment results yet

[Sailorsong]

I'm suppose to go out to dinner 3 times this week for my PTSD. But since the first night there number of people in the restaurant were no more than the early dinners I usually do I figured I better go out a forth night.I picked the Chinese Buffet restaurant that I usually go to because the food is good and there is one waitress there that is very nice with a great smile. Every time I have gone there when I have been having a bad day her smile has made the day to seem like it was great.

Anyway my stress was the worst yet (level 10/10), was getting tightness in my chest,  short of breath, pain down my left arm, my pants felt like they were made out of course sandpaper. In other words I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Not even the waitress smiling at me helped at all, So after eating only a fraction of what I normally eat I was bailing out. It only took about five minutes after I left for things to calm down. I kind of wish I had my BP monitor at the time to see what that was like.

The only thing I can figure is that while the food was good it was not enough to distract me from my surroundings like the last dinner that I bailed on. That one was only a 9/10. So for the 4 times I went out to eat the score is a "B", "D", "C", and  "D". I guess not too bad for the first week.

Dennis

[Corriel]

Hi there, I am relatively new to the forum so I don't know much about you or your situation, and already I can tell that you have tremendous courage and perseverance. From what I can see you are brave and willing to push yourself. I hope that things continue to go well for you. :-)
Corrie

[SarahL2491]

gosh darn, gonna go with you next time..............trip you if you leave........but you wouldn't leave a girl stranded now would you?

so, heck, order an extra glass of water, put it across the table, and pretend your date is lingering in the ladies room inconsiderate broad that she is LOL.

Can you take a book with you?  A paperback?  Something to distract you, if even momentarily?

you have made great progress.......you are able to talk about it and I think you are harder on yourself with the grading........just going in and ordering and staying as long as you did, merits you a "C".

If you stayed long enough to ask for a "take out" bag for the left overs, that would gain you some more time.............and trust me, I know where you are and have been there, done that, just didn't have it as an assignment............

try going into a strange patient's room and carrying on like you know what you are doing, knowing full well the "battle axe" nursing instructor is in the hallway door watching and listening AND grading you on your every move............to heck with whether or not the patient is cooperative!............

I personally think you are doing great.  I also think you might start with smaller projects, I think she is asking way too much up front.  I'd start with fast food and work my way up to a full restaurant setting........

If I have to go in a strange restaurant by myself........and normally I love going out by myself........but when I'm in my "mood", I pick a back corner that's not crowded, pick my meal, and bury myself in a book until my food arrives.  By then, I have calmed down enough to eat/watch other people, which allows me to eat without getting upset, by distracting myself with what they are doing.  If that doesn't work, I get the book out.

Ok, you say this is someplace you go often and know the waitress; are you "bailing" when you go these other times or is it less crowded then?  Just wondering.

Hang in there, little steps, baby steps at first, remember bike riding, seemed to take forever when you were little?

[cramp_n_mystyle]

Dennis,
  Look at it this way~~you've made some progress in that you chose to go out to the restaurant;you put yourself there.Yes you bailed out.But keep trying.Eventually,it'll get easier...kinda like sticking your toes in the swimming pool,then your feet,your legs and finally your body!