I say TMIFU, because it is more like "This Month I Fucked Up". But the price came due in time for Christmas.

Last year at this time, I was routinely working 100 hour weeks. I was a machine. Then, in the spring, I had a serious health crises - I almost died! - that uncovered many underlying health issues that had not been previously noted. I went from a steady diet of Mt. Dew and Monsters, as well as eating anything I liked, to a very restrictive diet meant to keep me alive past April.

In my new normal, I was no longer allowed to consume sugar, salt, alcohol, caffeine, most carbs (no bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.). No corn. No carrots. No grapefruit. No processed meats. No diary (except cured cheeses). Beyond diet, I also could no longer have any Ibuprofen or sunlight. Yes, no sunlight. Not even full moon light is allowed.

But I can still eat meats and especially fish. I can eat fats. Eggs and nuts, if I don't mind having them with no salt. All the berries I want. All the grapes and cherries I want. I can also have a little pineapple and some rice, but most other fruits are not allowed.

And I was placed on six medications and three supplements (like Vitamin D - no sun means I can't make it for myself.) It took months to acclimate to these radical changes in my life. I could barely manage a 40 hour work week for most of the spring and early summer.

But my strength returned. By my six month follow-up in early December, it was noted that I had lost 75 lbs (34 KG) since my last appointment (I'm still obese) and my A10C was down to 5.2 (normal) from 9.8 (pre-diabetic) six months before, among other improvements. The doctor was so happy, and said "See ya' in six months!"

Meanwhile, I was back up to working 60 hour weeks by the start of November, and with Christmas looming large and peak season in full gear, I had started working 70 to 80 hour weeks since mid November.

So, I fucked up.

First fuck up: I don't have to worry so much about sugar! Yeah. You know that human thing where you get really good results by doing things that work, and then stop doing them and your results change? I declared December my cheat month. I had behaved so very well for so long, and I am working so many hours that it makes it really hard to always get food that is strictly on my diet. So while peak season and Christmas with all its treats and sugars was going on, I was going to wing it a bit - still no caffeinated sodas or sugary drinks mind you, just some pumpkin pie and cake. The price for eating dairy is still too high, so no ice cream, but I have had some potatoes. I really had missed potatoes and apple pie the most of all! I'm not going to lie to you: I single handedly consumed two large Costco apple pies during the first three weeks of December. I figured that January and the end of peak season, I would go back to the full restrictive diet.

Second fuck up: There is a pre-packed fish product that I have treated myself to during this year. It includes a nice piece of fish, some grains (mostly rice and farrow) and veggies, and some seasoned butter. And it goes from frozen to ready in the microwave - a lot of seafood does not cook well in the microwave. The store I buy these from had a glut of them, and put them on sale for "buy one, get one free", and at that price point, I filled up the freezer with them. And being busy, I started eating them once or twice a day, instead of once or twice a week.

Third fuck up: Because of cost and no time to deal with it, I was not eating my normal supply of fresh berries and cherries and grapes.

Fourth fuck up: I mistimed the shopping for Christmas Eve dinner. Our family follows my wife's country's traditions by celebrating more on Christmas Eve than on Christmas. We have always opened gifts on December 24, and have a huge feast as well. It always must contain 24 different dishes. We decided to have a quality roast large enough for the whole gathered family as the centerpiece, and so I bought a $50 roast from Costco in anticipation. This is where I really fucked up! I was over eager, and thought we were closer to the day. A few days later, and upon closer inspection, I realized that the roast's sell-by date was December 17. There was no way it would stay good until Christmas Eve without being frozen! So I suggested to my Beautiful Wife she make a practice run of it, and I'd get a fresh one around December 21. So just the two of us were eating a really rich, savory roast for an entire week, since it was a lot of meat for just two people...

So how was all this a fuck up?

By December 22, I had a major gout attack. The worst one for many years! I couldn't even get out of bed. I could not drive. I could barely use the restroom. I was in so much pain! My Beautiful Wife got me cherries - they really are the best thing for it. In the past, I would use ibuprofen to help with the swelling, but I no longer can. My diet got really strict really fast all over again. Only for now, no fish or beef or fats either.

And so it was that I got to eat green salad, broccoli and Brussel sprouts for Christmas Eve dinner while everyone else enjoyed roast and ham and so many fine and rich things that I would have so loved to have shared with them. Sigh. It did smell really yummy.

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TL;DR: I gave myself gout for Christmas and had to watch others enjoy our Christmas Eve feast while eating very basic veggies.