Work Travel 4 weeks post-op? Terrified

[latido 178]

My doctor (@#$%^&*) rescheduled my 7/1 surgery because he wants to have a longer July 4th vacation! This means that when I fly on 8/8 for an important conference, I will not be on solid foods yet. This is a tremendous hurdle and anxiety for me. I'd be hauling frozen prepared pureed foods, possibly confiscated by security.... and be weak and unable to lug my rolling suitcase. Even worse, heating up pureed mush in a conference motel room on the other side of the country.

I am miserable... but reaching out to ask if anyone has had important things in life that came up four weeks post-op and how it went. Thank you.

[Srreeder 78]

I fly and travel every week with my job. I was back in the air at 23 days post op. I checked a bag with Protein mixes, baby food, the blended fruits that are in foil on the baby food aisle, and broth cubes. I was able to find Soups on all if the menus so I could participate with the dinners and socializing. I did have to ask the chef once to make me a blended Soup of their choosing and they were more than happy to do it! Don't be bashful to ask for what you need, even if it isn't on the menu.

[latido 178]

Groan. I'll be staying for one week at the UCLA campus, I don't suppose I'll see any chefs there willing to blend a cafeteria cheeseburger. I'm just so upset that the surgeon bailed on me, when I had it all organized to the last hour. I'm trying to calm down. I refuse to check frozen foods. I don't want to worry about getting them refridgerated in time, messing with microwaves 4" from a dorm bed.... Argggggggg

[Natasha Estrada 36]

Don't worry there will be plenty for you to eat in Los Angeles. This is the city of weird dietary requests. Worse comes to worse you could always hit a juice bar. I seem to recall the UCLA campus having a variety of food choices.

[Natasha Estrada 36]

Always the brentwood campus is within walking distance of many eateries and probably a trader joes and whole foods.

http://asucla.ucla.edu/restaurants/

Edited June 14, 2014 by Natasha Estrada

[butterflyinwaiting 12]

I am 3 1/2 weeks post op on puréed foods and it's really not that bad. My energy was low up until week 3 but I now feel relatively normal. I don't lift much even though I think I could if I needed to and there are such varieties of food out there that you can come up with just about anything in a pinch. Heck, you can even hit a Jamba juice for a Protein smoothie and no one would know you were on puréed. I think it will be ok, just get some refried Beans at a Mexican place, Soup at a restaurant, even Chinese you could do Egg Drop Soup.

[HilaryInRC 116]

I can understand you anxiety about this! However, you will be fine. I'm a week postop and I can definitely handle rolling a suitcase. It isn't fun, but it isn't impossible. So, by 4 weeks you should be fine.

Also, at Day 11 my doctor allows us to move from full-liquids to soft/smooth foods. On my approved list of soft/smooth foods is: eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, Beans, tofu, banana, unsweetened applesauce, cream of rice, thin oatmeal, crackers, melted cheese, mashed potato, mashed sweet potato, creamy Peanut Butter, and hummus.

So, here's what I'd do at UCLA - get eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, refried Beans (if mexican is an option), Soup, and mashed potatoes. I'd either pack or buy bananas, crackers, creamy Peanut Butter, and hummus.

Now, I'm still on liquids, but when I try to eat Jello, I can already tell that my pouch is teeny tiny. So, remember that you will only need about 2 teaspoons of food to make up your meal. Also, by week 4, my doc says I can also have ground meat, deli meat, low-fat cheese, corn tortillas, toasted bread, and some Cereal. So, that is even more varity for you! You could hit sandwich place and ask for slices of deli turkey and low-fat cheese (my dr. says full-fat may cause dumping).

Still concerned? Call you nutritionist for ideas. She should be able to help you think up some good ideas.

[latido 178]

Wow, you're all so helpful with this. The fact that I can easily work myself into a fury does not contribute. I think the bigger issue is the exhaustion (because I know I pass out from weakness after surgery, been there done that). This is the peak of my emerging career, a very important conference presentation. I don't want to pass out from overdoing it. The final concern is the social aspect. At conferences, you meet up delightful people at mealtimes. I look forward to meeting all these people and getting to know them. If I have to LEAVE campus (after paying $250 for a week of food), and return to nibble some lunchmeat, then I worry that my eating 'habits' will become a spectacle, rather than the content of my presentation. Gakkkkkk, I'm just so nervous.