Balancing Act

I think most people reach a point in their lives where they find themselves highly adept at balancing the huge array of things going on in their lives. Work, school, kids, friends, bills, cars, yardwork, neighbors, etc. And when something new comes in, they simply put the other items on pause, assimilate the new thing, and rebalance everything and get back on track. I'm the same way, and humbly consider myself quite good at it.

That is, until I got this surgery.

My diet is changing about every 7 to 14 days, new foods are being added while the ones from the previous weeks still remain, but are augmented in some way to help me further along my recovery. The goal of each stage in my recovery diet is to continue to allow my new 4oz stomach to heal, while getting ready for the next stage in foods which slowly inch their way towards solid foods.

The nurses told me several times that post-operative eating would be similar to a baby's diet: at first, just liquids, then blenderized foods, then soft foods with chunks, then less soft, and finally solid foods. This transision may take a baby a few years. I will be back to solid foods in about 4 months.

At this stage in my recovery, I'm supposed to be consuming three meals a day, consisting of 2oz of protein rich yogurt, pudding, or jello. This may not seem like alot, but believe me when I tell you, that 2oz is totally satisfying. I'm quite full when I'm done eating it.

Yeah, that surprises the hell outta me too!  ;-)

Like a good card game, though, the diet has two seemingly simple, and basic rules: 

1. Must drink 64 oz of clear liquids a day.
2. Must eat three 2 oz meals a day.

Here's the rub: Additional rules clarify HOW I am allowed to achieve those rules. 

1. Cannot drink more than 1 oz of clear liquid in 15 minutes.
2. Each 2 oz meal must take 30 to 45 minutes to eat.
3. Cannot drink 30 minutes before, during, or 30 minutes after a meal.

I think you're beginning to see the issue. Let's do a little math: 

• I must drink 64 ounces of water a day, but I can only drink it at a rate of 1oz per 15 minutes, or 4oz an hour, max, which means 16 hours to consume 64 oz.
• Each meal takes 1 1/2 hours to complete, or 4 1/2 hours a day, during which time I can't drink

16 hours drinking clear liquids + 4 1/2 hours of eating (and not drinking) = 20 1/2 hours

I feel like I'm missing something important in that equation. Meh. I'll sleep on it and see what my subconscious can come up with.

-Steve