Krista C.

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Before my menu, lemme tell you I had a poor day with respect to "food". My brother, Dad and I went to Fredericton and while we were at the mall, I thought I would get a shake. It was mint chocolate and I asked her to make it not as thick. She asked me to check the consistency and it seemed fine but I don't think I was able to get even 1/8th of it down because it was too thick. I should have just taken the $4 and tossed it into the garbage. That's where the shake went :)

Then I was on a hunt for raspberries. The first two produce stands we went to, they were $3.99 a pint. A little too rich for me! We stopped at a 3rd place and they were $3.50 but I noticed I had to swat a bunch of flies off them. When I got into the car, I looked in the bag and there were at LEAST 8 little bugs crawling around. As we drove along, it started to freak me out - the thought of these bugs - so I rolled down the window and tossed them out. Again, might as well have thrown the money out the window eh? :)

What a day!

Anyway, day 12 of liquids and I've only got 2 more to go. One more digression first -- I don't get, I just cannot comprehend why people break their post-op instructions. I can't relate at all. I know I am not perfect but these rules are here for a reason -- your personal safety! Why on earth would you mess that up? When I see a post on the board like "I ate bread after 7 days ... oops!" or "I CAN eat ABC even though I am only X days out" I just want to rip my hair out. GET A CLUE PEOPLE! I think what frustrates me is that  had to wait 3 years for this surgery and I'm so hell bent on doing it right, that I just judge others harshly. 

Enough said.

• 2 cups coffee
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 4 cups flavoured water
  
• 1 cup Boost Protein Drink with 4 frozen strawberries blended in
  
• 2 cups chocolate milk
  
• 1 cup apple juice
  

Not great with the protein today (about 30 grams) but I'm not going to stress over it. My doc's instructions say drink 12 cups of liquids per day and don't have a written guideline around amount of protein.

PEACE OUT!

• 2 cups coffee with skim and twin
  
• 1 cup tomato soup
  
• 2 cups iced tea (Crystal Light)
  
• 1 cup chocolate milk
  
• 1 cup Carnation Chocolate Instant Breakfast with 1/2 banana blended in
  
• 1 cup apple juice
  
• 1 cup vanilla Boost with 4 frozen strawberries and 1/2 banana blended in
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 2 cups sugar-free hot chocolate
  

• 3 cups coffee with milk and twin (2 in am and 1 tonight)
  
• 1 cup choc milk
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 1 cup jello
  
• 1 cup onion soup (no onions sadly)
  
• 1 cup banana milkshake (before my blender keeled over and died)
  
• 2 cups flavoured water
  
• 1 cup strawberry Carnation Instant Breakfast with 1/2 banana (after the new Magic Bullet came home with me from Canadian Tire)
  
• 1 cup of tomato soup made with skim milk and added powdered milk for more protein
  

Still low on protein but that's life eh? Only about 36 grams.

• 1 cup chocolate Boost
  
• 1 cup chocolate milk
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 4 cups flavoured water
  
• 1 cup sugarfree jello
  
• 2 cups strawberry milk
  
• 1 cup onion soup
• 2 cups strawberry milk shake with added powdered skim milk for more protein
  

I'll probably have a couple of freezies tonight  whilst watching "So You Think You Can Dance".  I am so looking forward to mushies.

I can't say it's really HELL but I'm starting to get more and more hungry. I'll slug it out though.

Here's what I "ate" today:

• 1 cup chocolate Boost
  
• 4 cups flavoured water
  
• 2 cups chocolate milk
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 1 cup apple juice
  
• 2 cups strawberry shake
  
• 2 cups chocolate shake w/added skim milk powder for protein
  
• 2 sugar free freezies
  

Adding up the protein, this was about 59 grams total. The dietician says to shoot for 80 grams / day.
Did 10 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2 mph to get started. I know I need to be walking more every day.

Well, today is the first day that I would officially say I am hungry. I had to stop myself and say "Is this head hunger?" and I really don't think it is. I can feel hunger in my tummy. And another 7 days to go 'til the mushy stage. Lord, help me!

My menu today:

• 1 cup of coffee with skim milk and sugar twin
  
• 6 cups plain boring water (I knew I had to increase on this so today's my first day trying to consciously drink more water)
  
• 1 cup mocha flavoured Boost (which actually was ok; I expected it to be disgusting!)
  
• 1 cup V8
  
• 2 cups Wild Berry flavoured water
  
• 2 cups of tomato soup made with skim milk and added powdered milk for more protein - 1 at lunch time and 1 here at suppertime
  
• 1 cup of apple juice
  
• 2 sugar-free freezies
•  1 cup Carnation Chocolate Instant Breakfast
  
  It is only 6 pm so I've got another 4 hours to slug through. I may have a couple more freezies and I'll have some more plain boring water :)
  
  7 more days 'til mushies. I can and will do this. I can't promise I won't complain about it along the way though :)
  
  PEACE OUT!

Day 5 in Bandyland

Still going well although I am a little sore today as I have dropped back on the pain meds. Decided that sleep is more important to me right now and I haven't slept well since I've been taking them.

Here's what I "ate" today on this 5th day of my journey:

• 2 cups of coffee with skim milk & sugar twin
  
• 1 cup of Strawberry Boost (UGH!)
  
• 2 cups of iced tea (sugar free, Crystal Light)
  
• 2 cups of tomato soup, made with skim milk and 2 TBSP powdered skim milk
  
• 1 cup of chocolate milk
  
• 1 cup of sugarfree cherry jello
  
• 1 cup of sugarfree hot chocolate
  
• 2 cups of ice water
  

Day 6: Krista's Bandtastic Journey

Sharing my journey, realizing that we are all different in our post-op instructions from our docs. I know I wondered what people "ate" in great detail during the early days so I thought I would continue to share.

Today's menu:

• 2 cups of coffee with skim milk and sugar twin (No, I am not willing to give up coffee and trust me this is waaaaaaaaaay cut back!)
  
• 1 cup of chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast
  
• 2 cups of Crystal Light Citrus Iced Tea
  
• 2 cups of flavoured water (citrus Aquafina)
  
• 1 cup of sugar-free cherry jello
  
• 1 cup of V8
  
• 3 cups of homemade strawberry shake (skim milk, 1 scoop vanilla ice cream, 5 frozen unsweetened berries and 2 Tbsp of powdered skim milk for added protein)
  
• 2 sugarfree freezies
  
• 1/2 cup water
  

Painwise, I am still doing very well. Went out in the car today which was bouncy and not all that fun but I'm feeling very minimal pain when I am home. Saving the pain meds for night time only. As I mentioned earlier today, I am finding sleep to be sporadic at best. Going to try Melatonin tonight (approved by pharmacist to ensure no problems taking it alongside the pain meds) and have a body pillow and the heating pad ready to accompany me to bed (Thanks for the suggestions earlier everyone!)

Feeling a little bit of hunger today but still not enough to make me want to do anything silly :) I WILL follow my doc's instructions to a "T". I realize we all have different instructions and I just believe very strongly that we should follow what we are told. I've read several posts as of late with people not knowing what their post op diet is supposed to be or "cheating" on it and I just shake my head. I'm not being hateful - maybe judgemental - but please ask yourself why? This is a major life change for all of us. Aren't we worth doing it "right"? :)

Thanks again for all the support ~ I'd be lost without it!

Day One: I am a Bandit

Again, thanks to everyone for their amazing support!

I am at my Dad's house 'til tonight where Dad and my brother Paul are looking after me. I am sipping and walking, taking the pain meds (although it's precautionary more than anything because I am amazed at how little true pain there is). There is some pain in my port area (or at least at one incision site out of six so I'm guessing that is it) but really nothing major. No gas yet. Have my heating pad on my shoulders. Again, I'm really not in pain -- just spoiling myself to ensure that I take my time.

Timeline yesterday - into day surgery room at 7:45 where I had BP, heart rate, CO2 levels and temp taken. A shot of heparin and then 3 tries to get the IV into my little teeny tiny veins. That was the most pain of the day that I remember :)

Surgery on time -- another IV (good Lord) due to my small veins and I was gone :) Woke up and spent 3 hours in recovery. Woozy feeling so I had nausea meds and I believe the pain meds were via IV.

About 3 1/2 more hours in the day surgery unit where I faded in and out. Didn't get any additional pain meds so I asked for one and a pill for nausea for the drive home. Again, dozed most of the trip home (1.5 hours). I took another pain med at 9 pm, 4 am and one just now at 9 am again.

I can't believe how smoothly it is going ~ I am blessed.

12 cups of clear liquid today - away I go :)

Thanks for the posts and PMs -- you touched my heart.

Day Two in Bandyland

I promised myself I would share my journey so here I am, sharing Day Two in Bandyland.

It was a restful day today ~ I dozed alot in the lazyboy, even layed outside on the hammock for about 1/2 hour. Mostly I just sipped my drinks (took me all day to get the recommended 12 cups in). I am taking the pain meds regularly -- I don't want to feel any pain so I decided not to "tough it out". I find the pain very similar although much less than gall bladder removal which I had done back in 99.

Yesterday was a day of apple juice, flavoured water, plain water, chicken broth and Crystal Light. Just one day of clear liquids from my doc's instructions.

Today, full liquids. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I have chocolate milk here right now, I'll be having some tomato soup later today and another 10 cups of something.

Day 3 - I'm with the band

Today was Day 3 and I'm onto the full liquid stage now 'til Day 14. To get my 12 cups of fluid in today, I had the following:

• 2 cups 1% chocolate milk
  
• 2 cups citrus flavoured water
  
• 2 cups Crystal Light Citrus Iced Tea
  
• 5 cups of egg nog (made with skimmilk, 2 eggs, vanilla and sugar twin). I will 1/2 the recipe next time
  
• 1 cup of plain water
  

Still not hungry which is a good thing. Still just feeling like I had my gall bladder out ~ only pain is getting up / down from bed / chair / hammock but really nothing to complain about at all. Tomorrow, I'll have some tomato soup and Carnation Instant Breakfast. Trying to keep it varied and so far, so good :)

Day 4: Krista's Bandtastic Journey

Another good day here -- still sleeping / resting alot but I've cut back on the pain meds. Doing really well - still very little pain, no hunger and almost no gas.

Today's menu for Day 4 was:

• 1 cup of coffee with skim milk and 1 sugar twin
  
• 2 cups of Carnation Chocolate Instant Breakfast (this was REALLY good!)
  
• 4 cups of citrus-flavoured water
  
• 1 cup of apple juice
  
• 1 cup of V8
  
• 2 cups vanilla milkshake (made with skim milk, 1 scoop of ice cream and 2 TBSP powdered skim milk for added protein)
  
• 1/2 cup of crushed ice
  

All night long, I tossed and turned and looked at the clock. There are NO MORE SLEEPS 'til my surgery. WOO HOO!

Gotta share the dream though as it's really whacked :) I dreamed that my cheapskate hairdresser came with me to Moncton for the surgery and there was a bunch of us staying overnight at a hotel waiting. The hospital called to say that the surgery would not be happening as the OR staff was not available. My hairdresser said it was "ok" and that I could pay back 1/2 their share of the costs and it would be fine. I remember in the dream saying "Yeah, I have money just laying around". 

I also said that it was a "sign from God" and that I probably wouldn't bother having the surgery and just be a fat effer the rest of my life. (Good Lord eh?)

So home we came and I went into the office where of course I had told EVERYONE about the upcoming surgery. I just wanted to get in and out of there and tell one person so I chose one of my friends  who I think is somewhat a nympho. Anyway, she didn't GET how big of a deal this was. I said to her in the dream "Do you know how much this meant to me?" and she said "no" and I said "Think about how YOU would feel if you didn't have a *insert private part* anymore!" Again, where does this stuff come from? :)
 
Finally before I woke up there was a fire alarm and myself and another gal (Ruth) jumped off a moving elevator (doors were open) to safety. She then decided she should jump back on and when she did, she missed and fell into the elevator shaft and died. It wasn't someone I liked from work but that's just weird.

Ok ... you would think I was on drugs now eh? :):):)

I'm off to Moncton .... will check in when I get back. Here's hoping the OR staff makes it!

3 more sleeps!

I'm hanging tough on the diet. There have been a few days that I have gone over but nothing serious. Maybe an extra couple slices of bread with pb but nothing that would be considered a "last supper". I've decided it's just not worth it.  Tomorrow my brother, Dad and I are going out of town to a place called St. Andrews  -- we will be going out for lunch, but I am determined to make healthy choices. I can do this.

I'm all ready for Tuesday and I am just excited for it to finally get here. Surgery day it is just ice chips and water and Dilaudid (sp) - WOOHOO! The second day is clear liquids so I have flavoured water, apple juice, chicken broth, jello and a couple of flavours of Crystal Light on hand. Hell! One day!? Of course, I can do one day. WOOHOO!

Days 3 - 13 are full liquds and again, I just can't seeing this being an issue although my friend and co-bander Cheryl from Nfld tells me after about a week I will want to chew something :) For this time, I've stocked up on V8, chocolate and white milk, Crystal Light again, flavoured water (again), eggs to make egg nog, ice cream to make low-fat / low-sugar shakes (Yes, I know they go down easy and no, I won't overdo on them and yes, my dietician told me to have them), Boost Protein Drinks (I can just imagine how yumy they will be!), tomato soup, jello, and Carnation Instant Breakfast. Now who could get bored with all that variety? Really now!

I wish I could decribe how excited I am.  I am so happy to be taking this step. I have no nervousness and no trepidation whatsoever. Not everyone has been supportive of my decision but that's ok -- this is MY decision. My life.

I am going to do my best to blog often as I haven't found alot of people who share in detail the first ensuing days. Stay tuned!

And thank you all for the amazing support :)