11 Days Post-Op -- Checking in!
Hi there! I haven't been able to log in or post much while we've been on our trip to NC, but I have been able to read a a few posts here and there, and have been thinking about you all!
So far, so good! I am really amazed at the easy time I've had so far (please don't let typing that jinx me!). I have been able to get my liquids in from day 1 at home, and as many of you know, I left town 5 days post-op, and we are headed back home tomorrow -- yes, we stopped every hour on the way down, and will stop every hour on the way back -- for all 8 or 9 hours!
I've eaten in restaurants every day since day 5 -- sometimes twice a day. We've been at a lot of vegan/vegetarian restaurants (our son and his GF are vegetarians) -- and I've had no problem finding a soup that was liquid enough to eat, and I've been able to add 7-10 grams of protein powder to them all. I've tried a LOT of items that I wouldn't have tried at home -- thats for sure! Lots of squash soup variations, broccoli soup, butternut squash chili (never would have had that!) -- and an amazing green chile soup that was not spicy and was delish -- so I'll be looking for a recipe for that! I had thinned out oatmeal with protein powder a few times, and this AM has a couple of bites of a veggie quiche (well, the egg part anyway). Tonight, we made veggie lasagna, which was also tasty -- basically, I scooped out a few little bites of what is basically ricotta bake with some squished up veggies.
So overall, my sleeve has not been too picky about what goes in, as long as it's a fairly liquidy puree. The only realy problem I've been having is trying to figure out how many hours before bedtime to stop taking in any fluid. I get a little reflux if I've had anything within a couple of hours of bedtime (even my water/tea). I take Nexium -- and I even had to stop taking it with applesauce -- that did seem to bother me right before bedtime. I finally just started emptying the capsule on my tongue and drinking a little water -- that worked wayyy better!
Overall, the nighttime reflux (which hasn't been acidy or painful, just kind of foamy) is the only thing that is a bit of a problem. My incisions are all healing well -- and the glue is starting to peel off.
I have no idea about weight loss, so I'll find that out tomorrow when I get home. I typically avoid carbs, but pretty much all liquid veggie soups are a little carby, but since I'm taking in so few calories, I'm not too worried.
Thanks for all of your support - and thanks for so many great posts about Thanksgiving meals, dealing with the issues, etc. I've been lucky -- but I think there is a serious downside to my luck -- I am concerned that if everything goes down this easy, it will be very easy to slide off my plan ( a little extra bite here and there will add up in no time!).
Best wishes to you all, and to my fellow November sleevers -- keep a vision of the progress you expect to make by next Thanksgiving - -and keep that vision in your head every time you are tempted to deviate from your plan! We can do this -- and next year, I expect to see way less of you all!
