12 days post-op and better

Hi Everyone, First of all, I want to tell all of you that this board has been such an unexpected, important, God-given source of amazing positive support in my life ever since I made this decision to have this surgery. Thank you to all of you, for reading, for posting, for praying, for keeping all of us going. Second, I owe the board an update. I had my surgery on October 7th at Valley (with the WISH Center). About a week ago, I posted to the board from the hospital, where I remained in misery for extra days because my innards were too swollen to allow anything in and out. Finally, that same evening, I kept down an ounce of water, then an ounce of a clear protein drink called "Resource" (something the hospital dietician tracked down just for me). And it worked! I kept it down! I didn't gag or anything, which was the very first time in days. So, my surgeon, the wonderful Dr. Strain, let me go home that night! By then, I was walking marathons around the hospital, driving the staff crazy with my sense of humor, and crying often because I was so worried about myself. Little by little, I have been able to keep things down. With the WISH Center, you have a very detailed "Stage I" diet, and it contains no variety, but tons of input!! You eat about 2-3 ounces like, every hour, from morning to night, including only protein supplements, broth, milk, and diluted fruit juice. At first this was fine, but now, I am gagging, not from my little golfball tummy, but from the fact that EVERYTHING TASTES LIKE CRAP!!!! I am trying to get creative but am afraid that every deviation I make means that I am ruining everything. (Oh, I guess everyone should know, I am very hard on myself. ) I eat "no sugar added" Dole fruit juice popsicles every night, and it is my favorite part of the day. I don't dump, and they are amazing! I am not sure if I should have this everyday, but I am just trying to get through this, ya know? Anyway, I am supposed to have about 34 ounces total everyday, by the time I go to bed. Yeah, right!! What planet are they from? I can only take 2 ounces of anything at a time, and then I am full, like pig-out-at-Claim-Jumper-full. You know what I mean. I never thought it would be possible, pre-op. Then I have to wait at the very least an hour to start on something else, which means that I am eating only a fraction of this "ideal" diet. Oh, and it takes about a half-an-hour to do that 2 ounces, especially if it is yukky. Is there something wrong with me? Speaking of yukky, what is WRONG with that WISH Protein Plus?!?! THe WISH Center sells a special protein powder that has an astronomic amount of protein in it, PLUS all of the vitamins you need for the rest of your life. So I thought, great, I don't have to buy vitamins separately from my protein sources, I'll just save money on this. It was just OK (never yummy****il today, when every sip made my golfball contract and get mad at me. It was the first day since returning home that I almost reached for the barf tray (I brought 3 of them home with me, just in case). Gag me! And my wonderful mom, who has tirelessly been by my side since I had my surgery, tries all kinds of experiments with it, including adding sugar-free syrups, splenda, different portions of milk, etc. It just gets grosser and grosser and I can tolerate less and less of it. And WHAT is with the sweet stuff?? Everything I eat, except for broth, is necessarily sweet. And I just don't want it anymore! Makes me gag just writing about it. Boost, protein powders and drinks, milk, fruit juice, everything-sweet, sweet, sweet. Tonight, I "cheated" and had 2 ounces of my dad's Campbell's Tomato soup, which he prepared with milk. Every spoonful made me groan in ecstasy. It was so refreshing to eat something I actually liked! (Did I cheat with this? I still can't come up with any reason why tomato soup would be bad, just that it is not on my list.) I am going to embark on a shopping spree online to buy better protein, and succumb to the chewable vitamins. Which chewable vitamins are best, for getting the multi-vit, iron, calcium citrate, and B-complex? Meanwhile, I am trying to make it to Friday, when I have my 2-week post-op appointment. My understanding is that that's when I move on to 4 weeks of pureed foods. I don't know any details, but I guess that means mashed potatoes, baby food, pureed tuna (yikes), applesauce, and soups. Anyone else available to tell me more details, so I can expand my mashed potato dreams to more variety? And what are the best-tasting baby foods anyway? Can I eat peanut butter? As for exercise, I am not worried. Yes, I have much less energy, but I sleep tons , then get up and walk . I will start training for the Vancouver Half Marathon in November, and I am no stranger to marathon events. I guess I had a good base going in, and I am so thankful for that. I am exploring all kinds of stores while the rain comes down. Has anyone else experienced "culture shock" at stores? There's just so much food there, how can anyone eat it all?!?? It hit me hard at Target a few days, which was my first real "outing" since surgery. Target doesn't really have any healthy food, so I was bombarded by halloween candy, chips, dips, cookies, candy bars--and it all looked and smelled totally gross!!!! (Does this feeling last?) Now for the very best part: the scale. I bought one at Target when I was there, because prior to the surgery, I wanted a "no-scale zone" in my house. Just for kicks, I got on it the same day, and oh my gosh, there were 10 pounds gone! Then the next day, 5 more, then the next, 1.5 more, and then yesterday, 2 more! 19 pounds and I'm not even 2 weeks out yet?!? Is this for real?!? I keep thinking my scale MUST be broken because I am sure that I could hold the world's record for slowest weight loss. At least pre-op. I guess that's why I had my insides rearranged, huh? Is anyone else's tongue white? Ewe. Nuff said. I just want to make absolutely sure that I am doing all of this right. I don't want to ruin anything, but I hope to make it through the next two days without losing my sanity. Pureed tuna actually sounds good to me right now, and I never even liked tuna. Thank you for reading my novel, and I hoped it enlightened some pre-ops and offered post-ops a chuckle and the desire to post a reply with wisdom that will help all of us through these unending questions. Thank you, and good night. Your losin' friend, Chris 19 lbs gone forever, or at least that's what MY magic scale says

YOU sound great! I am so impressed with how well you are doing!! 19 lbs! That's fabulous! Us new posties really relate to your feelings, worries and comments about food! Every doc/center is different in their postop care and regimine. I have a 8 weeks total of full fluids. I confess that I regularly indulge in "blended" or pureed foods, tho. I was utterly tired of the endless sweet food options, just like you. I crave salty options. My favorite (with decent protein too) was split pea soup. This is a journey, and as you mentioned in your very encouraging reply to me, continue to trust God. I am amazed at how often I forget to turn to Him! Have a FABULOUS day! Nancy

I am so glad you are out of hospital, feeling better and slightly cranky ... believe it or not, this is a good thing!! you have the right to feel this way now and soon will understand that more. I am just starting to feel freerer and freerer every day with the changes I'm going through to "vent" my feelings some too!! Same hospital, same doctor, same wonderful care, same sweet to die taste when I "eat" most things, same foods all smell icky for the most part, same white tongue. I called WISH and got a prescription for "thrush" which is the white stuff on the tongue that some of us get from the surgery, antibiotics, protein powders, etc., used for a couple days post op and feel better. I promise it will get better. Stage 1 "eating" of pure liquids really is important to ensure pouch isn't stretched, made too sore, etc., and I didn't have any appetite. I doubt I got all the proper numbers of meals and snacks and fluids in each day, but I tried just as you are and made it through. Stage 2 "puree" does seem like heaven compared to pure protein liquids because I get good solid soups and puree them, cook them, heat them, and enjoy the variety of flavors in them. No, none of them are hamburgers and french fries and ice cream, but compared to pure liquid without much flavor they are great!! Keep trying and you'll find things you can "eat" on Stage 2. I jumped the gun slighty into Stage 3 "soft" foods yesterday for my birthday and was in major pain from dinner through bedtime. I won't jump ahead like that again. I ate a teeeeeeny piece of chicken and it did not make my pouch happy at all. No throw-ups for me, just major pains in the pouch, chest, back, throat, everywhere my pouch could think of to remind me to be a "good girl" with my food. Remember the part about this surgery being a "tool"? Well, I was hammered by it last night and I learned my lesson for now. It really works!! Glad you are doing so well with your loss - it is creepy sometimes isn't it to lose so much so fast? On the other hand, I love it too!! Let's keep in touch a lot - sounds like we're real similar in our stages and temptations and needs. Karen Thompson WISH 09-15-2004 down 35 pounds

Thank you so much, Karen! I am on to Stage 2 and am so excited! But, at the same time, I am apprehensive about doing it right. This morning I slept really late (have been having insomnia problems), and now I am faced with a decision about what to eat for breakfast. It seems overwhelming, but I'm sure I will get through this delicious decision! Yes, it does sound like we are traveling very similar paths. It would be great to get together! What do you think? Your friend, Chris The Incredible Shrinking Woman down 23 pounds

Hi Chris, My hubby had his surgery at the WISH center on Sept 9, the only way that he has found that he can tolerate the WISH protein is by adding 1/2 to 3/4 of the Yoplait Lo Carb yogurt. It makes it smoother and helps cover the vitamin taste. He has also found that if he tries to eat anything in the morning he has problems all day, so he starts each day out with the protein shake, a different flavor each day.