Boy do I hear you!  I am a surgical resident, and promised my boss that I wouldn't be off more than a week, so POD8, like a little trooper, I dragged my bottom back to work.  The service is really light these days, thank goodness, but the operating days are a woozy.

At day 10, I am currently up to about 1.5 L of water a day.  Because I am still on a fullfluid diet, and getting so very little protein in, I add crystal light and protein powder to my water, but very little, not enough to call a shake per se.  (The powder says mix 2 scoops in 1 c water, I mix 1 scoop in three cups - - gives me an extra 14 g protein/bottle).  The way I do it, is by setting goals throughout the day.  Like my first 3 cup (I have a 3 c bottle) have to get in by lunch.    I have found that sometimes I can actually take almost a half cup at a time -- but not always.  My second bottle is supposed to go in by supper.  that ones harder, because there are fewer hours b/n lunch and supper for me than between waking up and lunch.

The protein though... I am supposed to aim for 110.  I think this might be my best day yet, and i am at 66 -- but I had a 42g-3oz new whey bullet as a snack....

I am not sure how I would feel about doing a full nursing shift (esp an ICU shift) at this point.  Can you guys be there as a second-line nurse, you know, back-up, without being a primary for a patient.  Or desk duty, like we do for our pregnant nurses?  Kudos to you if you can, but I don't think I could do a full shift 1:1 right now.

Good luck come what may!  Take naps on your breaks -- it will help!

My NUT and surgeon say I can only count noncaloric fluids. That means I can't count soup or protein shakes. Trying to get in that much water or crystal lite really is hard for me. I have never been a grea****er drinker except with meals and by gulping. Since i can't do either now it is a beig relearning thing for me.

Yuck...but it will pass..so sorry you had trouble though!  But hey..you are on the other side of the surgery now!   Love yourself well and rest and recover..
38 pounds is pretty freaking amazing, even if it was the hardest way...a consolation prize maybe.?   I wish you a good recovery and great success... For now you have a great excuse to get some sappy netflix, hunker down and relax.  love

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about your troubles, but the weight loss is great! Keep up the good work!

Debbie

Hi all. This is the first time I have been able to get on here for a while. I had to be opened when I had my surgery due to scar tissue. Then I got infection in the incision and had to be opened up again. Now I have in a vacuum pump. Very unhandy. BUT!!! The good news is I lost 38 pounds in 13 days. Hope you all are doing ok. All in all I still think I would do it again.