February 24th was my BIG DAY...(no pun intended)...I was scheduled for a 10:30 surgery, however, after the doc & his asst. took their lunch break they were ready for me by 12. Get this...I even got a 2-for-1! Apparently, I had a Hiatal Hernia, which was fixed! By definition: "A hiatal hernia occurs when part of your stomach pushes upward through your diaphragm. Your diaphragm normally has a small opening (hiatus) that allows your food tube (esophagus) to pass through on its way to connect to your stomach. The stomach can push up through this opening and cause a hiatal hernia."
I was back in my room by 4pm...with Mike, my dad, & good friend Zach being the 1st people I recall seeing. They were so loud I wanted to kick them out! Haha! Typical guys! Mike & Jamie spent the rest of the afternoon with me, getting me up to walk & sip water & ice chips. I never really had much stomache pain. It was mostly in my upper back, shoulders & neck. I even experienced this almost 2 hr irritation in my right eye. It was as if my contact was floating in my eye & I couldn't get it out....but nothing was there, my nurse even checked?!? Another weird one for the books!
So now my journey begins on this week-long liquid-only diet of broth & jello. Oh yay! (note the enthusiasm). By Saturday (3 days in) I had my 1st emotional melt down. I honestly felt like I would rather not eat at all, then have to suck down anymore broth. It's harder than you think to not be able to eat or enjoy tasting something in your mouth. I will never suffer from Anorexia. The family was trying to be very supportive....ok for those of you who remember or know my Dad, know his "supportive methods" are not typical....or nice sometimes. Joining them for dinner was not so bad, it was like "to eat" would be to much work & my stomache wasn't hungary, but I did wish I could at least lick on the steak they were enjoying! It's a mental trip!
Now that I'm home & in week 2, I have been able to advance to some solid-like foods. This has been a morale boost! I've enjoyed refried beans more than you know! Other things I've tried have been applesauce (yum!), pudding (not too good, still too thick), egg salad (better to tolerate without the white part), PEANUT BUTTER SPOONS (my fave snack!), mashed potatos/yams (makes me thirsty, need to watch the salt), & today for the 1st time a 1/2 of banana (fills you up quick). I can only eat about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of any of these items at any given time. My stomach basically went from the size of a football to the size of a large egg! So my little pouch gets full fast! Again, I'm not that hungary...still seems like a lot of work to eat sometimes...but I think my mind is ok with it because I have FLAVOR back in my life! 
It's been 13 days since my surgery and I have already lost 14 lbs since my weigh in just before surgery. A pound a day...and it could be more as long as I continue to walk (which I am!). By Jamie's wedding I could be down 65 lbs...which is amazing...like 2 more dress sizes! Oh and btw my blood sugar level has not been over 100 since my surgery! I just am keeping my eye on the prize & am continuing to change my relationship with food every day. Thanks for everyone's support. I'll keep you posted :)
I was back in my room by 4pm...with Mike, my dad, & good friend Zach being the 1st people I recall seeing. They were so loud I wanted to kick them out! Haha! Typical guys! Mike & Jamie spent the rest of the afternoon with me, getting me up to walk & sip water & ice chips. I never really had much stomache pain. It was mostly in my upper back, shoulders & neck. I even experienced this almost 2 hr irritation in my right eye. It was as if my contact was floating in my eye & I couldn't get it out....but nothing was there, my nurse even checked?!? Another weird one for the books! So now my journey begins on this week-long liquid-only diet of broth & jello. Oh yay! (note the enthusiasm). By Saturday (3 days in) I had my 1st emotional melt down. I honestly felt like I would rather not eat at all, then have to suck down anymore broth. It's harder than you think to not be able to eat or enjoy tasting something in your mouth. I will never suffer from Anorexia. The family was trying to be very supportive....ok for those of you who remember or know my Dad, know his "supportive methods" are not typical....or nice sometimes. Joining them for dinner was not so bad, it was like "to eat" would be to much work & my stomache wasn't hungary, but I did wish I could at least lick on the steak they were enjoying! It's a mental trip! Now that I'm home & in week 2, I have been able to advance to some solid-like foods. This has been a morale boost! I've enjoyed refried beans more than you know! Other things I've tried have been applesauce (yum!), pudding (not too good, still too thick), egg salad (better to tolerate without the white part), PEANUT BUTTER SPOONS (my fave snack!), mashed potatos/yams (makes me thirsty, need to watch the salt), & today for the 1st time a 1/2 of banana (fills you up quick). I can only eat about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of any of these items at any given time. My stomach basically went from the size of a football to the size of a large egg! So my little pouch gets full fast! Again, I'm not that hungary...still seems like a lot of work to eat sometimes...but I think my mind is ok with it because I have FLAVOR back in my life! It's been 13 days since my surgery and I have already lost 14 lbs since my weigh in just before surgery. A pound a day...and it could be more as long as I continue to walk (which I am!). By Jamie's wedding I could be down 65 lbs...which is amazing...like 2 more dress sizes! Oh and btw my blood sugar level has not been over 100 since my surgery! I just am keeping my eye on the prize & am continuing to change my relationship with food every day. Thanks for everyone's support. I'll keep you posted :)
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