Food

So my Dr has be on what should be all liquids until 2 weeks post-op. I have had some trouble getting my protein down so I decided to try some pureed cottage cheese. I tolerated this just fine, so I have had it a couple of times to get some protein in. Other than that it has been IsoPure Protein Water (it's a clear protein powder and I bought it premixed into flavored water) Unflavored MRM Protein Powder (can mix it into anything and it does give a texture change and some whey flavor but not bad at all considering my pre-sugery chocolate is not tolerated by my pouch) and then I can have jell-o and any other clear liquids. I am supposed to be getting around 60g of protein and 64oz of liquid every day. The Dr. has confirmed that neither of these is going to happen in the first 2 weeks and boy is he right. The reason for the liquids is to make sure that my stomach is not swollen anymore and I can tolerate and keep everything down. Having a bit of pureed items right now, I've been told, is okay as long as I keep it to a minimum and go slow.

So the reason this blog is titled food:

Yesterday I went to Seattle with Tyson & our friend Nick. We ended up at a place in Fremont called Norm's and it was pretty amazing. I loved it there. You can bring your dog with you (on a leash) and the place was just full of them. I'm glad because I needed a distraction. This was my first time being in a regular restaurant. Bars I have been in don't really smell like food. They occasionally smell like grease (gross to me now) when the person at the next table gets their nachos or fries or whatnot, but not like Norm's. As soon as we walked into Norm's I could smell burgers, onion rings, potatoes and chili. I mean, individually, I could smell every single item! The dogs were a good distraction to the smell and I am so glad our bodies eventually adapt to smell and we don't really notice it after a while! I ordered a side of Mashers but only ate like 4-5 bites because they were more like cheese with some potato mixed in lol My mashers are supposed to be 1/2 C potatoes (broth if I want) and 1 tsp light margarine. QUITE A DIFFERENCE!!! (just re-read this and realized you'd think 4-5 bites seems like a lot of potato for someone who isn't supposed to eat very much so I wanted to clarify my bites are the size of 1/2 an infant feeding spoon!)

MY BIG SURPRISE:
The smell was a lot to handle, but honestly I didn't want the burgers and stuff when I was reading the menu. I mean they all sounded delicious, but I was happy to recommend to Tyson what he should get (Three Pepper Burger) and move on. Nick ordered my all-time favorite appetizer (calamari) and it looked good but I never thought to myself, how could I manage to eat that? I did ask Tyson if it was chewy, but when the answer was yes I just moved on.

Realization:
This new life for me is nothing like being on a diet. This is my life. Temptations may come as I get into eating regular foods. I may crave crackers and cookies, just like most of us do every once in a while, but not right now. My brain is used to the fact that this is how it is. Going back to the infant spoon, it's kind of like feeding an infant. They get to a certain age and you can give them rice cereal and then as time goes along you can graduate them to other soft foods, one at a time until they have a wide array of items they can eat. I am essentially retraining my stomach and my brain like I am a baby. Adding small things into my diet, one or two at a time, making sure that my new baby stomach can tolerate them. So on Wednesday when I go to the doctor, I will be graduated. For dinner that night I am having chicken and sweet potatoes lol (pureed of course!)

For years, food owned me. Food controlled my emotions, and my emotions controlled me. X=Y, Y=Z, therefore, X=Z It was a simple life. I have always been able to handle it. I am a happy person. I am a loving and caring person. I love to take care of other people. NOW, Food DOES NOT AND WILL NOT own me. Food DOES NOT AND WILL NOT CONTROL MY EMOTIONS. Most importantly, I will take hold of my emotions and I will control my life.

Best of the Best to you,
Bonnie Rose