Day 7, observations and Random thoughts

[Angry Banana 37]

I've been a board ho.. Reading and ignoring my family. it's so addicting sometimes that I've found myself sucked into feeling what people are describing. Just the other day there was a post about someone being hungry and then food suggestions and I searched high and low for justification for me to advanced my stages on my own.. Despite finding enough willing participants, I did find the strength to stop reading food related posts and stick with my plan.

As for me, things went pretty well this week, I'm including surgery day as day 1 because it was hell and I think it deserves to be included in the post surgery day count. I saved some of the swabs for when I go back to work and if anyone says anything, I'm going to make them use nothing but swabs in a glass of cloudy Water for the entire day as their liquid. Try rubbing one of those sponges across your teeth just so they aren't sticking to your lips for a second.

Generally the week went pretty smoothly, I had some general pain the first couple of days and it hurt a little bit every time I swallowed a golf ball but that was to be expected I guess.

Interesting to find out that prior to surgery and with a normal functioning food processing internals, I'd take a few gulps of milk here and there and it never bothered me. Once the kids left for college, we very rarely had any milk in the house, so I never drank any. During my pre-op, when I was stocking up on my list of acceptable fluids for post-op, one of them was milk. Figured why not and bought some 1% organic in a really cool looking packaging.

I'm not sure about you guys but a cold glass of milk tastes damn good and I decided to make it a part of my daily routine and 2 o'clock-ish was milk time.. 3 o'clock-ish was bloating time. Took me 5 days to figure out why my abdomen would push the boundaries of elastics stretch-ability and extend out past my loose in the morning and now digging into my waist shorts!

I was so wrapped up in looking for symptoms of other things that this one slipped through as normal post op swelling until I noticed the pattern. No milk yesterday and bloating went down and today it's even better. I went from a .2 lb gain on day 5 to a 2.2 lb loss today by stopping milk. oh and having 2/3'rds of my stomach removed. minor detail..

Other than that and worrying about bursting staple line, blood clots, strictures, dehydration and incision infections, it's been a pretty stress free week

My doc's office allows milk, Protein shakes, Protein mix post-op but not full liquids for first 10 days. Opti-fat 800 is what I had to do for 2 weeks pre-op. What I find funny about this is that one of the recommendations post op is that you can continue using opti-fast as your protein of choice. Opti-fast 800 contains 20 grams of sugar per 8 ounces, with only 14 grams of protein. If I used just opti-fast, I would have consumed 140 grams of pure sugar to get to 90 grams protein per day. But per their guidelines, If i buy my own protein, it has to be under 5 grams of sugar per 8 ounce serving. My Dr and staff have been terrific but I think oversights like this are unacceptable and need to be mentioned. and I just did. There's too much other important stuff to get done in the short visit I'll have with the doc than b***h about too much sugar in the product that they are recommending for optimal health and beneficial healing

General observations and my opinion:

It is so difficult to strain Soup and look at the good parts you are going to toss out. Gave up on that.

Isopure clear drinks, while having zero carbs and 40 grams of protein, taste like ass, what is that soap taste exactly?

Protein based soups=bogus, especially opti-fast garden tomato..

Instant decaffeinated coffee=bogus

You'd think that a tangy Powerade zero followed by a creamy Protein shake would equal instant heartburn or stomach turning but it doesn't for me.

EAS Advantage carb control shakes with 2 grams of carbs and 17 grams of protein have been my fav so far.

Final observation, family-

I never realized how much my life revolved around food and drink. My wife, son and daughter are all slim. While my kids are slim because they're young still and they have the potential to fatten up, my wife is old like me and I hate her. Just kidding but really.. She eats everything, drinks beer, Snacks, etc and gets slimmer with every bite. She probably weighs about 125 I'm guessing. She's been great with me this week though, cooking all my favorites, leaving an extra cold beer on the counter, buying yodels and cosmic brownies for the kids,etc.. ahh just kidding.. she's been so supportive as the rest of my family has been except for doing all the stuff I mentioned lol..

Since Wednesday when the kids and their significant others arrived home, they've gotten take out only twice- chinese food and pizza and went to dinner every night except for thanksgiving. But I'm okay with it and encourage it. It's what they do and I have to do what I have to do.

I've decided that until my follow up appointment, I'm going to stick with Protein Shakes, Water and Powerade. I may try Soup again.. and at my follow up appointment if my Dr doesn't advance me to full and then pureed, I'm going to eat one of the fish in the tank in his waiting room.

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Edited November 29, 2015 by Angry Banana

[jhclikesshopping@gmail.com 285]

@@Angry banana - great user name. I totally get your comments. I struggle with my family eating too. Now that i am 8 months out, my family wants me back to presurgery eating habits and they say to me often. For instance, dad ordered for me when i was late to the restaurant. And he ordered fried calamari. Hello! No gallbladder dad!

Remember its a learning for them too!

[2goldengirl 2,076]

@@Angry Banana, with your sense of humor, you will do fine!

Please tell me we can look forward to more of your posts. Humor is good, humor is healing, and as a coping mechanism, it's much more helpful postop than the food you can't eat

[Babbs 14,681]

@@Angry Banana

I hate your wife, too.

Just kidding. I'm sure she's a perfectly nice woman. A never-gaining-an-ounce-eating-whatever-she-wants nice woman. I'm not gritting my teeth when I say that at all, either.

Anyway, you sound like you're doing great! Keep up the good work and great attitude.

[finediva 979]

@@Angry Banana. Hot Water heater is broken and the kitchen sink is draining...WELL it's not! Oh, I also have a moody teenager. I needed to have a good laugh. Thanks!

[cindi gant 101]

I suggest taking your spouses and other loved ones to a couple if support meetings with you. They learn a lot.

[cindi gant 101]

My shake of choice is PURE Protein. It has 35g of protein, 170 cals, 4g carbs, 1g sugar. It comes in several flavors. You can get it at Vitamin Shoppe, Sam's and I think costco.

[jane13 2,256]

@@Angry Banana - love your post!!! are you related to @@Dub ???? I love his too. Its great to get a guys perspective.

I love the EAS Protein Drinks too and I hated straining the goodies out of the Soup but I hated the "clear" broth more };/