9/3/07 – Labor Day

The cottage cheese, eggs and beans have been very, very good to me. However, they don’t provide as much protein as I would like, and I have been forced to gag down a protein drink to supplement. Since I started mushies, I have hovered in the 66-71 gm per day range, instead of 80. Sooo, back to the search for the perfect protein drink. Boy, do I hope Vitamin Shoppe is open today.

I bought Nectar Lemon Tea, and it is officially the worst iced tea I have ever tasted. First of all, what’s with the false advertising on the package? You do NOT get a delicious-looking clear glass of iced tea from this! You get a muddy looking protein drink that vaguely tastes like iced tea. I tried adding Crystal Light iced tea instead of water and it was not quite as repulsive, but one thing I’ve discovered is: If a drink starts out barely tolerable, the more you drink it, the less tolerable it will become. Ugh!! Back to the drawing board.

It has been 85-90+ degrees here in L.A. The heat is killing me! I can’t exercise or I will die from a heat stroke. I had a heat headache yesterday. I have gotten my 64 oz in, but it is not enough. I still feel dehydrated at times. More water, more water, more water. You know what to do, Donna. Just do it!

Today I noticed while I was eating my scrambled eggs, that I went into automated eating mode a couple of times, which means immediately after swallowing I realized I might not have chewed enough. Afterwards, I realized I may be getting away with this with mushies, but if I don’t start being more conscientious about my chewing, I will be in trouble when it is time for solids.

I ran out of cottage cheese yesterday. Drats! So for lunch, I had delicious sardines packed in water (20 gm protein). My first real fish. Just when I’m thinking, “Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Real food!” after my first two bites, I felt a stuck feeling in my chest, and realized that I was so caught up in the delicious taste that I had gone into automated eating mode again, and swallowed without any attention to careful chewing whatsoever (Damn you, Donna!).

I don’t know how long it lasted (maybe 5-15 minutes) but I started burping and salivating constantly. I ran into the bathroom but nothing kept coming out but saliva. I got my bucket ready and sat down. More burping and salivating (are these the slimies?); my nose was running and my eyes were watering. OMG, I am gonna be so embarrassed if I have to go the hospital! Eventually, it did come back up, and I immediately felt better.

I’ve officially had my first (and hopefully last) vomiting episode post RNY! Woohoo! Should I celebrate? Inner voice speaking: No, Donna, that’s sick.

Okay, no puke party, but I’ve definitely won some lovely parting gifts, errr, learned some valuable lessons:

1. Lay off the sardines for maybe a couple days.

2. You must NEVER EVER be in automated eating mode. Don’t ever swallow without thinking, “Did I chew that enough?”. If you’re not sure, chew some more.

3. Keep the bucket handy.

4. Always chew new foods carefully and very slowly…and keep the bucket handy. Oh wait, I said that already.

5. No more 2/3 cups for you. Back to 1/2 a cup per meal. There have been times when partway through my 2/3 cup I felt fullness. I stopped eating for a couple of minutes and then finished the rest. WRONG! Fullness = Back away from the fork! This is the pouch police! Despite what others say about not feeling fullness early postop (due to cut nerves), I do feel it. I just didn’t know what it was since it was a new feeling.

6. Buddha has answered the universal question, “Yes, Donna, you really do have a pouch, and not a normal stomach anymore. So you can stop asking me now.” Up until today, I still wasn’t sure. Now I know! Thank you, Buddha!