I Ate Some Food!

 Its only natural to be rebel against being told you cant do something. Yes these are important instructions that need to be followed but if we are to live then we must occasionally enjoy something. I know all too well how soul crushing liquid diets are, 2 weeks pre and 2 weeks post, I to had to have something even if it was a nibble of something. But i did it on my own accord and under my own choice. Because that's what this is, a Choice, our choice. Or doctors didn't make us get the surgery we chose to, we were not forced to have a small cheat we chose to. The thing is when we've chewed something to the consistency of water itself then it can NOT hurt the staple line. now taking a bite out of something and chewing a couple times and swallowing it near whole is a complete nother story. These are triple surgical staple lines, clamps, and fibrin glue...not scotch tape. It will take something tougher than texture of pudding to tear it. And for those who say that oh your gonna rip your stomach open and pray to god that you can get to surgery in time....really?....really? The stomach is a hollow organ not solid and heavily vascular like the liver or spleen. Your not gonna bleed out in a few seconds. But i digress, veterans thank you for your cardinal knowledge of your experience, your tales and photos have helped motivate a lot of us. But you can not stop human nature, we are gonna do what we feel is safe for us. This is unknown territory for a lot of us and the only way to truly learn is to live. Stop bickering over who ate what and why they ate it.

 
I guess I'm wrong..... Sorry..... Sorry.....Apologies.....

I was under the assumption that "Choices" become an "Option" after the "Safety Period"

My bad......

frisco

Well see there's the problem right there, confusing common sense with natural selection.
See if someone is dumb enough to try to eat a 12oz porterhouse and wa**** down with a liter of coca cola then its their choice to remove themselves from the equation and my job to drive them to the ER. But people who take caution and test the water slowly and approach choice safely then there is no harm no foul.

 
That's where you and I would differ......

Caution to me would be to error on the side of safer when it  comes to post-operative instructions......I actually chose to extend each phase by a week....... And I'm the King of Rebel..... If someone says go right.... I'm gonna need to know what's on the left. ......It's my nature and my job to step outside the lines.........

frisco

Hehe, good on ya lad. One rebel to another, I did what I did cause I needed the moral boost. A small piece of something other than broth is what I needed to remind myself what I'm fighting for. Weeks of brotha and liquids is disheartening even you have to agree on that.

Everybody is different.  Everybody's doctor is different.  I think sometimes people make too big a deal out of something that even the doctor's office doesn't make a big deal of.  For example, when I went for my almost 2-wk checkup, the dietician asked me if I'd started pureeds yet.  My paperwork said not until week 3, but she said to go ahead and start.  I said I'd had a little oatmeal and she was absolutely fine with that.  I have a feeling she would not freak out over a bite of pulled pork either.  Nuts and chips, yes, but pulled pork...I doubt it.

And, by the way, I had some watermelon today that made me feel like I was in heaven!  It was the first food I really enjoyed since surgery.  I even spit out the pulp after I chewed, but the water and pure sweetness I swallowed while chewing was amazing!

 I just wanted to say and I am not encouraging anyone to get off their plan, but I hit two weeks tomorrow and have my follow-up on Wednesday.  My surgeon told me if I felt well enough, to start advancing my diet today so that I can talk to him about it at the follow-up appointment.  

I was extremely nervous but had some cottage cheese and later a scrambled egg.  No problems at all.

I would never have done it without my surgeon's encouragement.  

I wasn't going to throw my hat in the rink on this thread but what the heck! Its a discussion and we all learn something from it. I am one week out today! Yay!!!!!! And i have had pretty much clears and some full liquids, very runny diet protein oatmeal, a soft boiled egg, lots of broth...all A OKed by my surgeon. I wrote him to ask when I can have blenderized tuna salad and he said next week so I am waiting for that. I am really not finding it difficult to comply with what he says. I don't feel hungry and its work just to get the liquids in, even at one week out, for me. I manage but just! I don't judge anyone for wanting to try well chewed "food" but we have a ton of time ahead to try all sorts of things. No rush here. Helped by no physical hunger, I am taking this opportunity to assert myself as boss over the head hunger or boredom.

I will not be another to say how dangerous it is to go off plan so early out. It's your staple line, your choice.

I will give you another reason you did yourself a disservice.

This was one of your (generic "your") first and most critical opportunities to take control over your mindset and reinforce the new lifestyle you signed up for.

No, you did not NEED that forbidden food...you WANTED it. Big difference. Right now sets the pattern for your journey. It is probably best if the whole "I deserve it" or "I need it", or "I've earned it" mentalities are left beaten and bloody on a curb somewhere.

You don't want to hear people tell you that not following your doctors plan is unwise, fine. Don't listen. It's your right.

Just like it will be everyone else's right to not coddle you when you come back in 6 months with the same habits crying that you aren't losing/are gaining weight.

Nothing in life that is worth it is easy and there is no shortcut.

The problem isn't the food...it is your head. Learn to control that and you will be golden.