I am an emotional WRECK!

Is it normal to think I will never eat real food again? I know it's psychological but today is a bad day. I am afraid to eat because I just don't know what to eat. I just can't see myself pureeing meats, so I am eating foods that are ground, like ground beef and trying to chew em enough. I know that my pouch is still too sensative. Joanie and Luis have been so helpful through email. I'm a wreck and I really need suggestions on what to eat that won't sit there in my pouch and make me feel sick. I am sorry this is such an unorganized post, and I am usually so damn together (emotionally), but today is a day where I wonder why I had this surgery. I want to eat A LOT OF FOOD RIGHT NOW! *sigh* Any suggestions? Hugs are welcome too. Love you all! ps. Eating tuna fish with light mayo right this second and so far so good. pss. I hate cottage cheese.

hey Tara, I am sorry you had a bad day wish I can come over and give you big HUG SMILE! I am soory I can't help with you that since I am pre-op but I am sure post op people will be glad give you alot of advices Hang in there! Hugs KATHY K

Thank you Kathy! I've calmed down quite a bit, but think I ate the tuna fish too fast. I swear, I feel like death. Not trying to scare you, I am sorry. I think I just need to learn how to eat again! Thanks for the virtual hugs, they help too! Tara

TARA, I AM FEELING THE SAME WAY - MY SURGERY WAS THE DAY BEFORE YOURS - MY LIST SAYS NO BEEF, PORK, LAMB LIVERWURST, HOT DOGS, FRIED FISH - I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THOSE LIMITATIONS OR NOT - I ATE TUNA WITH LIGHT MAYO TODAY TOO - I DID EAT IT SLOW AND NO PROBLEM - YOU MAY WANT TO TRY IT AGAIN - I HAVE BEEN EATING EGGS, GRITS (BELIEVE IT OR NOT THEY ARE GOOD) I EVEN ATE A SMALL PIECE OF GRILLED SALMON LAST NIGHT - THAT WAS THE BEST - I TOO AM FEELING LIKE I DON'T WANT TO STOP EATING BUT I THINK IT IS JUST THOSE OLD BAD HABITS - I THINK I AM THINKING ABOUT EATING WAY TOO MUCH - IT TAKES OVER ALL MY THOUGHTS - I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO - I DID TRY TO GET OUT WITH THE KIDS TODAY TO TRY AND NOT THINK ABOUT IT - BUT OF COURSE THEY HAVE TO EAT AND IT IS THERE ALL THE TIME - I AM TRYING REALLY HARD TO HAVE THE MIND SET THAT I DON'T WANT TO STRETCH OUT MY POUCH THIS EARLY ON - I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!! GOOD LUCK

I didn't get that list of no beef, pork, etc. My dietitian thinks that anything we normally have for lunch/dinner, I should have as well. Okay, I love grits! I love salmon too so I will try these. I guess it's the old habits and I KNEW I'd have to learn how to eat again, but I also knew it would be real hard. I think once I can put a bite of food in my mouth and it doesn't hurt when it gets down there, I will be happy! Thanks Isabella, I appreciate your comments! Tara

Tara, I'm soorrrrrry! Oh you poor thing! Hugs to you first of all. And secondly, think about something that you used to really like that was soft...like maybe mashed potatos and try that. Wait to take the meat back, it may not be time yet. Or better still, call the doctor and ask. Of course, I am pre-op, so what the heck do I know? I feel fortunate, for once in my life, that I do not have a family to worry about. Because if someone was here eating around me, I probably would die! Take some deeeeep breaths and relax...I think you are going through a mourning period. After all, we've all had a love affair with food !! But I must tell you, judging from the support group meeting that I went to on Tues, everyone eats food eventually. So don't despair! Let the board help you through! Hang in there sweetie... JA

JA: You are always so good for my karma, thank you! I was told potatoes are out, can't have em. But, yep, I think you are right, I am going to have to wait on the meat. Lots of love, Tara

Hi Tara: I am on week 4 of pureed food, so I know what you mean! It can be boring after a while. I look forward to chewing. Here is what I have been having: egg salad with light mayo, canned chicken & turkey - both 98% fat free - mixed with light mayo...also, I tried the hormel chili with turkey, it is also fat-free or 98% (i forget) and put a teaspoonful of fat free sour cream on top. Also, avocado, mushed up with fat-free sour cream, but not very often because avocado it is high in fat. And fat-free refried beans also with fat free sour cream, I find the sour cream gives is something special...I have eaten wonton soup with only the meat and broth, not the noodles. Messy to get the meat out of the noodles, but worth it for a change of flavor. I have also had a teeny bit of roast pork egg foo yung - it's mushy and went down easy. In the mornings I have been having a couple ounces of non-fat flavored yogurt and flavored cottage cheese, but you can also eat soft cheese, like mozarella string cheese. I was told cheese 5 grams of fat or less. I can eat egg salad, but for some reason I cannot eat scrambled eggs - it gets stuck and I feel like I will I even tried egg beaters, no luck. I have to admit, I have been eating more than pureed this last week...I am sick of all that stuff. I am not allowed any breads or starches yet. I really haven't had any veggies, because I just don't want pureed grean beans or zucchini. I will try those when I progress to soft foods next week. Well, hope I gave you some ideas, hang in there. Soon we will be eating real food. Personally, I don't mind, I ate so much in the months before my surgery that I was actually sick of food! Take care, Anne

Anne: WOW what an amazing post. So many good ideas and fun things for me to try here. I agree, sour cream makes a lot of things better! I am not allowed starches either and honestly, the thought of tossing chicken or steak into a blender gives me the heebie jeebies! Egg beaters are so gross but they go down okay and so does regular eggs for me. I guess we experiment and we find our nitch in the food world .. Thanks so much Anne, I am going shopping today and you've really helped me a great deal! Hugs, Tara

Hi Tara, I am soooo sorry that you aren't feeling well. Emotions can run rampant at this point in time. I must say though that you seem to have been eating things that it may be too soon to eat yet. I don't know what your doctor's protocol is but mine was two weeks of clear liquids and 6 oz of ensure or boost. Then about two weeks of soft foods like scrambled eggs, cheese, cottage cheese yogurt etc. Then soft foods again like tuna, other fish a little mashed potatoes etc. We don't start chicken until after about 1 month and beef later than that. I personally was not interested in beef for quite awhile. I had alot of ground turkey, home made chili with the turkey etc. I also loved browning some ground turkey putting some sauce, riccotta cheese, mozzarella and baking that as if it was a pasta-less lasagna. It is yummy. I have lots and lots of recipe suggestions if you are interested. Please don't push the hard to digest foods right now. Your tummy isn't ready for them yet but it will be!! I eat pretty much all foods except that I chose not to eat pasta, bread, rice or potatoes anymore. It isn't that I can't tolerate them, I just don't want to get back into that. Have pudding, jello with cool whip etc. for snacks right now. Pamper your pouch. Good luck!! Linda