Newbie at Home

I made it home on Friday afternoon. Thanks everyone for your well wishes. I guess I have been fine but I do have a couple of questions. As a newbie how long should it take me to finish and s/f popsicle? I was spreading it over a span of an hour, is that too long. I feel so obsessed with everything. I started by drinking 1/2 oz water every 15 min. because I just got so concerned about becoming dehydrated. Should I be able to drink an ounce every 30 min. I am so confused because I cant even tell if my pouch is full or not. I dread when I start pureed foods on monday. Then I feel like all I do is sleep but its like i wake up every 1-2 hours and even then it makes me worry even more because that's less time I had to drink my ounces. Please someone tell me I'm not in the twilight zone. Aisha

Welcome home Aisha!!! I sent you an e-mail.

Welcome home Aisha!!! Ellen

Aisha - Welcome home and congrats on becoming a loser! I understand what you are saying and really, what I've found is that over the next few days, you'll be able to read some of your body's signs. Some of the things I found, if I hiccup, burp or have a pain behind my breastbone...I stop. Remember to take all food/liquid slowly (I'm still having some difficulty - I'm used to inhaling! UGH!). Just remember, we are all here with you and don't mind 'listening' to you when you have questions/concerns. Keep up the good work, Valerie

welcome home, aisha.

Welcome Home Aisha!!! Take care Dana

Aisha, Welcome Home!!! As far as being in the Twilight zone ... I think that is a great way to put it ... I think that is what it is, at least for a while. (at least that is the way I felt for a short period). It takes time and practice to figure out what will work for you. I always like to think of my new pouch as a new little baby that I needed to get to know. Needed to get to know how it reacted to everything ... what would sooth it, what would cause it distress ... etc. Remember to treat it and yourself with much care, especially these next few especially important months. Truly you have a whole new way of life you have to figure out and it can take a while. But I have faith in you that you can do this. Likely you are not going to be able to tell if your pouch is full for a while. It will need time to heal the nerve endings that give you that full feeling, on top of that, you are doing liquids at this stage, and due to the nature of your new pouch, they will not stay in there for a long time. I hear it said of those that did not have the full feeling (some do some don't), that as soon as they start on solid foods (for Dr Irgau/Dr Wynns patient that is usually about one month out) they suddenly know that they are wired right and going to be okay cause they can finally feel that full sensation. Remember with the pureed foods, you can still do double duty ... ie shakes can count as a protein and a fluid. That is what I had to do for a while to help me get both my protein levels and fluid levels up to where they should be. I too was most concerned with dehydration and pushed the fluids as much as possible. Keep up the good work ... and I do know it is real work at this point especially. But know that soon, things will start to fall into place and you will start to fall into a routine that works for you and thus begin to relax and enjoy the ride. Know we are all here for you to help ease the transition as much as possible. Congrats on your surgery and on being back in the comfort of your own home. BTW - how is the nausea? Sure hope it has let up by now. Hugs, Tammy

Welcome home Aisha Linda