Today was "get out of the house" day. Went to Seattle and had my hair cut & colored, stopped at Pier 1 and bought small plates (and matching bowls, oops), picked my husband up at work and went for my 1 week post op check. This was important because one of my incisions was painful, irritated and generally driving me nuts and I had some questions as to what constituted a "liquid" food.
So, for the incisions - I have a total of 5; 4 small (2 stitches each) and 1 large (1 inch). The large one happens to be at the same spot inside my navel as when I had my tubes tied. It had some bleeding issues leaving my navel looking like a black hole about the size of a softball. That is also where I had the most swelling and pain. Now it looks more like an unripe lemon and the skin is super irritated from the tape covering it. You're supposed to leave the tape for 2 weeks but not this girl! My nurse agreed and took off the tape plus all the super sticky tape residue, Bonus! Stuck with the rest of them until the tape falls off on it's own, but they don't hurt and aren't irritated. Well, they don't hurt unless cats walk across them or a 20 lb kitty stands on them. I think my boys have finally figured out not to walk on my stomach unless they want to go flying.
LIQUID FOODS are foods that you can suck through a straw or don't evolve jaw movement to eat. That certainly cleared that up! Its contradictory...applesauce is okay, but baby food is not. Pudding is okay, but plain yogurt is not. CLEAR AS MUD. So, bottom line, if in doubt don't eat it. My diet right now consists of cream soups or clear broth (no bits of stuff), fruit and vegetable juices, jello, Popsicles, the dreaded protein shakes, applesauce and pudding. It takes me about 1/2 hour to eat a snack pack size container of applesauce or 1/2 cup of cream soup (Note: Safeway Organics has an awesome Sweet Potato Pumpkin Bisque). I was also confused because it feels like I'm eating all the time! by the time I get down breakfast, liquids and a snack it's time for lunch...and then time for dinner...and you're not supposed to drink while you're eating so that drags everything out even longer! How is this teaching me to eat less at regular meal times?
For starters, I learned today that the "food rules" don't apply yet. My only rule right now is that I need 48 ounces of liquid a day. AND EVERYTHING COUNTS AS A LIQUID! I was thinking I needed to eat my soup, etc. AND have 48 ounces of liquid. It's also okay to be slowing sipping/snacking through out the day. My new stomach doesn't hold much and if I take to big of a sip it feels like a rock is sitting in my stomach. It's better to take small sips every few minutes for the 2-3 months until my stomach heals. After that we'll start working on scheduling and planning meals. I added liquid vitamins once a day and am drinking a dread protein shake every morning so I can get enough nutrition through this phase. One more week of this and then I get to move on to "soft foods".
Other news on the progress front:
1. I have lost 8 pounds since surgery (the surgical center doesn't really track yet, but I was excited)
2. I am off all diabetes meds - I haven't used insulin since the day of surgery and no pills since Sunday. My blood sugars are holding steady through out the day at 86-89.
3. I am off my blood pressure meds - I haven't taken them since Sunday and my blood pressure is a perfect 120/80.
4. I haven't needed any pain meds since Sunday either - apparently Sunday was stop meds day!
5. I am riding my excercise bike 1 mile - twice per day (substitute for walking in bad weather).
ALL IN ALL A PRETTY EXCELLENT WEEK!
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