Fluids, tick. 'Purée' in progress.

Typical lunch box this week

So I started to update on my stories how I was going with Day 1 and 2 of the purée stage, but I fell asleep half way through the sharing and haven’t had time to continue since. It’s now Day 6. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Sooo, a quick summary instead:

Day 1
I shared that I had the yoghurt and 'squashed' strawberries for breakfast.

Cruskit, avocado dip & feta

I then had this: 1 Cruskit with avocado dip (as the avocados I bought were too unripe) and feta. And as I said it went down extremely easily and didn’t fill me up at all.
 
So I continued with a Salada (1 Salada that breaks into 4 squares), with avo dip on it.
 
I think I had some crackers and dip in the arvo.

Anyway, dinner was the thing that ‘concerned’ me the most. I had salmon and feta. (There’s many foods I’m not allowed to eat yet hence these non balanced meals btw).
 
This was on a side plate, not a dinner plate. I think the salmon was about 120g (I’d cut a larger piece in half and didn’t even think I should be able to manage all of this.
 

'The' salmon

But I did; and I didn’t even feel full afterwards. I felt satisfied enough though. My dietician said I probably wouldn’t feel restriction until the soft food stage; but I was really starting to worry. I know I was just Day 1 of purée, but surely I shouldn’t be able to eat a piece of salmon that big and not even feel full? 
 
Reminder: 
Day of APC: clear fluids 
2 weeks: fluids
2 weeks: purée
2 weeks: soft food 
After that, food of any texture.

Salmon patties dinner before

Completely coincidentally, the following morning (Day 2 of purée), I had a check in Telehealth appointment with my WLS surgeon. Ie. the surgeon who did my gastric bypass 18 months ago (I just realised, it’s 18 months tomorrow!!)
 
He referred me to my APC surgeon (they work closely together) but it was still very separate. I did my gastric bypass privately (using my Super), and the APC was done publicly. So he wasn’t really across me having had the APC when he rang.
 
He seemed to have some concern also about the salmon, so he asked to speak to me again in a fortnight.
 
Day 2 was pretty similar. I’ve been eating mostly crackers, dip, yoghurts, squashed strawberries, smoothies, salmon and cheese.
 

Salmon patties dinner after

I made salmon patties for dinner and had them with sour cream. They gave me a little bit of hope, in that I put two on my plate, and could only eat one.🤞🏼

Days 3-5 were pretty similar. There was possibly some small amount of restriction but overall not much. I had salmon a couple of those nights and was able to leave a little bit on my plate each time.

I am trying to trust the process, and although it doesn’t sound like it, these foods are ‘purée’ (consistency when swallowed) so I really shouldn’t judge the success of the procedure until I’m eating completely solid food.

The wedges

But that first night of salmon……. 😕

On Saturday night, Day 4, I went out to a very last minute dinner to celebrate my brother's birthday. It was at as pub and I ordered wedges. It seemed (even to me) strange that I was allowed to eat that. But other than chips, it was actually the only thing on the menu that I could have. They did have steamed vegetables but I thought they might be too tough. I sort of need to have very soft veggies that I can mush in my mouth. Purée stage is so weird. And the available choices don’t even seem overly healthy, either. Crackers and dip aren’t amazing choices. And at dinner others appeared a bit confused that I could eat the wedges. 😬

Dinner tonight before

Anyway, I shared the wedges with my niece; we didn't finish the bowl; not even close, but I managed many more than I thought I should be able to at the moment. 

Today was similar, however tonight (Day 6), has ended up being amazing. Literally a few hours ago I was lamenting to a friend about the restriction concern and wondering how long it might be that I have to wait to get another APC (it’s not unusual to need more than one). I even had a fleeting thought that I wish I had that ‘full’ feeling where you actually feel sick and uncomfortable when you eat. I had that a few times early on after the bypass. No one should wish to feel unwell, but I was just craving to have some hint of hope or proof that the APC has tightened me up. And feeling uncomfortable and/or sick is a big sign of that!
 
And then I ate dinner.
 
I ate salmon and roasted potato and sweet potato. (For reference of these photos, all of these meals have been eaten on small side plates). Tonight's piece of salmon was a lot smaller than that first night.
 
Anyway, I was so full about halfway (?) through the meal and then felt that discomfort feeling, in a HUGE way. I even thought I might bring it all up again and looked around for something to grab if I did get sick. (I didn't).

Dinner tonight after

Physically it didn’t feel good, but mentally it’s excited me! Maybe it has worked better than I thought?
 
We will see.🫠  Patience and hope, Kate, patience and hope...
 
So far I’ve lost 5.3kg since the APC; (2.5 weeks).