Having consumed small portions for only three days, I've already noticed a difference in my appetite. I'm not as hungry as often, and I feel fuller faster. I had trouble finishing 8 ounces of soup, and I almost forgot to eat an afternoon snack. However, the desire to eat is still there. I want to eat even though I'm not hungry.
I also want to eat something other than liquid or mush. Last night, I had a dream about about a big, beautiful Italian sandwich. Roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and arugula on a giant semolina roll. Apparently, my psyche isn't satisfied with pureed peas. And why should it be? Deep down, I know that I only like mushy peas because I usually eat them with fish and chips drenched in malt vinegar, not mixed in with a pathetic portion of whipped potatoes.
The post-surgery diet, like many others, is not emotionally satisfying. I know what feeds my soul, and it is not protein shakes. The diet also affects social health. While my coworkers enjoyed a few beers after work, I sipped the remainder of my breakfast smoothie from a plastic container. My strange drink initiated many conversations about the diet. And while it helped to have the opportunity to explain myself, I would have preferred a beer and conversation about anything other than food.
Tuesday's menu:
- Breakfast: 8 oz. Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- Lunch: 8 oz. Roasted red pepper and tomato soup
- Snack: 2 oz. Whipped potatoes, 2 oz. Mushy peas
- Dinner: 8 oz. Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Snack: 4 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt
Tomorrow, I can begin introducing soft solid foods, which are characterized as anything that can be easily smushed with a fork. This includes one of my favorite foods, scrambled eggs. Breakfast just got a whole lot better.
Rachel
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