The Benefits and Consequences of Hosting a Party

Once every summer for the past few years, my wife, in-laws, and I decide to throw a huge backyard party just to gather all of our friends and family together. It takes a lot of work and preparation, but when everything is all said and done, it is totally worth all of the crazy and intense stomach aches and back pain. The reason why I choose to host a party once a year is because I’m willing to sacrifice one day to let loose with my friends and family. However, I suffer for days, if not weeks, after. With this article, I want to share with you the benefits and consequences I endured while hosting a party as an IBS sufferer, but as always, I will start off with the negative and end with the positive.

Consequences

1. The preparation for the backyard party is equivalent to “Hell Week” because of the amount of cleaning and setting up that has to be done. We have a third of an acre and it can be quite a handful, and not to mention we also have the inside of our home to take care of as well. Suffering from IBS the way I do makes these tasks hard to do, especially between keeping up with my job and using the toilet so much.
2. My anxiety goes through the roof before the party. I usually invite family and friends I haven’t seen in a while, and sometimes there are new friends mixed in the crowd as well. Sometimes I dread those “let’s catch up” conversations because I feel like my life revolves mainly around IBS, and who seriously wants to hear about my bathroom troubles?
3. Although my plan for every party is to have a great time, initially, I have a hard time starting because I know what the consequences are going to be. By having a great time, I mean indulging in the things that will most likely trigger my IBS symptoms, such as drinking alcohol and eating all kinds of unhealthy food. Once I indulge in these things, I suffer for days upon days after, and it’s never a great time when that happens.
4. When I’m going through my recovery period after the party, my work tends to suffer because I might have to call out for a couple of days. If I call out, then that leads to me falling behind, and who like’s falling behind?

I can literally go on and on about how much suffering I go through afterwards, but quite honestly, it still doesn’t outweigh the positives that come out of the party.

Now, on to the positive…

Benefits

1. One of the best parts about hosting a party is that I get to see all of my friends and family whom I haven’t seen in a long time. I might complain a bit about “catching up”, but that’s only when it comes to my IBS attacks. I love hearing about how people are doing and what’s new in their lives. Sometimes my old friends will bring their children, which is always great to see because it amazes me how grown we’ve all become.
2. Another great thing about hosting is that I make it a point to let loose and be myself around my friends and family. As I’ve mentioned, it’s not always easy starting out in “party mode”, but eventually I ease my way into it, and BOOM, carpe diem, baby!
3. I might indulge in alcohol and food that may trigger my symptoms, but so what!? Can I live just this once? I’ve lived with IBS for so long that I am well aware the consequences, therefore I am willing to make certain sacrifices so that I can have a great time with my peoples. This only happens once a year and I have the rest of it to get back on track.
4. Towards the end of the party, we have a tradition where we light the fire pit and have s’mores and conversations until people are ready to go home. This is one of my favorite parts of the day because it’s a good way to have intimate moments with loved ones. Also, it’s a great way to wind down and relax before going to bed.
5. Literally, every party we have thrown is ALWAYS filled with positive vibes, which makes dealing with my IBS easier. I don’t know if I’m lucky or blessed to have people in my life who just know how to be positive and have a good time, but the atmosphere is always something truly magical and rewarding.

When I host a party, I truly appreciate every moment because I see all of the craziness, but also all of the good things that happen from start to finish. The preparation for the party almost makes me not ever want to host a party again because it can be a bit much on my body. However, when I see my hard work, along with my wife’s and in-laws’, being appreciated simply by everyone enjoying themselves and getting along with one another, it makes it all worthwhile. If you ever decide to host a party, go into it prepared and ready to battle with IBS, but make sure to have a good time while you’re at it.