Starting to feel better ~~ FINALLY!!!

Good Saturday morning to all.  Well, yesterday was a good day for me as far as feeling better.  I didn't do to well with my eating and I didn't get in all my water but I finally realized that this is going to take some time and I have decided not to dwell on what I cannot do just yet and to only focus on doing the best that I can.  I do feel better physically than I did at 3 days out.  I seem to have a bit more energy and I am not as sore thru my belly as I was.  So every day is getting better and better.  Yay!!!!    I weighed 292 on Tuesday morning (surgery day), came home on Thursday weighing 298 and this morning the scale said 289.  So at least we are moving in the right direction!!!!    I had my first "bad" episode with food last night.  I was wanting some chicken salad so I blended some canned chicken with some low fat mayo and a small bit of pickle relish.  I put everything into my handy little food chopper thingy so it was all basically mush.  I had been sipping on a protein drink most of the afternoon and guess I just forgot to wait 30 minutes or so before trying to eat.  Well, I took 2 teeny tiny bites of the chicken salad, I'm saying not even enough to really taste, and bam, that mess sat on my chest like a ton of bricks!!!  I thought I was going to but nothing would come up.  I felt absolutely miserable for a couple of hours.  I finally went and laid down and ended up falling asleep.  I awoke at about 11 p.m. and I didn't feel like a ton of bricks was on my chest any more.  That was not fun!!!  So no more chicken salad for me for a while!!!!  My surgeon sent me home on a pureed/soft diet and I think I have been trying to make myself eat new things before I am ready so I have decided to basically stick with the protein drinks for breakfast and probably dinner and maybe try something soft for lunch.  That way I will be able to definitely get all my protein in and still get enough water in too.  I definitely don't want to get dehydrated!!! Well, I'm sorry this is so long.  Just wanted to give everyone an update.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! Hugs, Donna

Hi Donna, I happy to read you are doing better. Please write to the group about all of it ,ithelps me to read what to expect. This leg and hip thing is driving me nuts ! I can hardly make it to point A and B without having to bend over or sit down.                                                                 Annie

(((((((Annie))))))  I am sorry your leg and hip are giving you such a fit.  I hope you can find some relief for that real soon.  Hang in there sweetie! Hugs, Donna

I'm glad you're beginning to feel better Donna!  I would say for the first month, your first priority is to get in your water, second only slightly is protein.  Keep sipping all the time!  I was dehydrated for some time and it wasn't fun.  I got tired of nearly passing out and scaring everyone, not to mention looking like I was hammered. It sounds like you got something stuck at the opening to your stomach.  It was chopped, but something must not have been chopped enough.  I would stick to cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, whatever the doc has you on for the time being.  Chicken has been very hard for me to eat, I have thrown up on it almost every time I've eaten it.  So I stopped for a bit.  I can take it if it's drowned in gravy, but that's not very healthy, is it? A tip if something gets stuck:  Get some papaya enzyme.  It's chewable and Walmart sells it in the vitamin aisle.  It helps your body break down food, particularly helpful for protein.  I know several long term post-ops that don't go anywhere without some in their purses.  You can make yourself throw up if you have to, but I wouldn't advise that, particularly this soon post-op.  I know that your doctor would frown on me saying that, but most of us have gotten something stuck at one point or another and felt like we had no choice. The first time I tried chicken, I didn't chew it well enough and got the foamies before I threw up.  The foamies are something that my doctor didn't tell me about, and had I not been on this website, I would have wondered what the heck was going on.  Before I actually upchucked the chicken, I had a bunch of foamy saliva come up.  For a minute, Ellen looked a bit rabid. Anyway, I am sorry for the er...... graphic nature of this post.  I just know how helpful I found it when someone described all this in a post when I was pre-op.  I'm sure some of the other longer term post-oppers will have great advice on this as well.  The important part is taking this slowly.  You have a long time to reintroduce foods, you can take your time.  I did the same thing, so I totally relate.  It does get easier. Take care. Ellen

Thanks for the advice about the papaya enzyme Ellen.  Seems like I have read something about that on here before.  I will definitely get some just in case this happens again.  I have decided to stick with the more liquidy things for right now even though the list of things I can supposedly have right now does include the chicken salad and other things like that as long as they are moist and mushy.  You cracked me up with your comment on looking a bit rabid!!!!   I didn't get the foamies or anything but I would have almost relished having them if I could have gotten it to come back up!!  Please don't be sorry for being graphic.   I love the fact that we can all come on here and share our experiences ~ both good and bad ~ with one another.  It really does help to know that you aren't alone in this process. 

Hugs, Donna

Hi Donna ~ So glad to hear that you're feeling better, little by little. I am sure it will take some time and there's alot of new things to learn. It must be like having a completely different body already - having to learn what to eat/drink all over. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. Have a good weekend and rest rest rest! :O) Mary Ann

Hey Mary Ann, It is totally like having a completely different body!!!!  I feel like an alien has taken over my insides!!!  LOL!!!! Hugs, Donna

Hi Donna,      Yes, this is all a process here and we will all learn as we go. I am surprised that each doctor is so different. I went in for my visit Thursday and am now on soft foods but don't even get to add meats and cheeses until next week. Right now they said soups with soft stuff, runny oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt and the like. I wouldn't ru**** I am really adding slow and my first bout with grits wasn't the greatest. I guess I have to learn how much or rather little I need to eat. The protein is the important thing and of course the liquids. It will all come with time. Take Care and congratulations on the weight loss. That is a great start!

Lisa 

Hey Lisa, It is funny how different each doctor's program is.  I can actually have soups, cottage cheese, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad and even Wendy's chili right now if I want to.  How weird is that??  I know I'm not ready for the salads or the chili (even though that sounds so good right now!)  They pretty much told us to take it easy on that stuff and only try things a bit at a time.  I really don't know how anyone could tolerate that stuff at less than a week out.  I know I'm extremely leery about trying anything but soup at this point after my episode last night!  I guess it really is trial and error!!  Sorry you had a hard time with the grits.  I didn't care for grits pre-op so I haven't even thought about trying them post-op.

You are doing great with your weight loss too!!!   Keep up the good work!

Hugs, Donna

 

Hi Donna! So glad to know that you are feeling better.  I knew it wold come, but of course that was easy for me to say!  Remind me when I am in your shoes in about a week and a half!  (YIKES!) And thanks to everyone for sharing their experience on this topic as it is helping me be better prepared. Hugs, Suzanne