Discoveries

I'm starting to discover things about myself that I don't know if everyone post-surgery experiences.  One thing that grosses me out is my teeth always feel dirty, unless I have just brushed them.  Fuzzy, almost.  I guess chewing different foods helps to keep the plaque from building up during the day.  Makes sense, no?  At this point, I'm not "allowed" to chew gum (maybe they think I'll swallow it, who knows) so I'm constantly brushing my teeth.  The good news is my teeth will be healthier than ever!

Something else...I'm always thirsty.  I can't get enough to drink.  Trouble is, I'm very picky about what I drink.  I don't like most juices, and I certainly don't like them diluted.  Our water doesn't taste very good, so to tolerate it I have to add lemon wedges.  I've been brewing iced tea daily, well, on sunny days anyway.  Brushing my teeth constantly just makes me thirstier, and you know that nothing tastes good after brushing!  It's a vicious circle!

The weirdest thing we've noticed so far is my sense of smell.  I've always had a terrible sense of smell.  For my sniffer to work, the odor must be very strong.  Well, since the surgery, I have the nose of a blood hound.  Go figure.  I'm constantly wrinkling up my nose and telling Goob that something stinks.  It's driving him nuts.  He told me he likes it better when I can't smell...I think I do too.

Last night I discovered that I may not be ready for toast.  I made a slice and made it half way through before I decided I didn't like how it was making me feel.  It tasted like heaven, but I felt every bite building up in my little pouch.  And I have to chew chew chew everything up very good, and after a while of masticating, whatever is in your mouth starts to be just a little gross.

So far today nothing tastes good to me.  I had 3 bites of mashed potatoes, and two bites of yogurt.  That's it, and it's 1:15pm.  I'm trying to decide if I should try something else, or just quit for now.  I can't wait for my tea to finish brewing in the sun...

Speaking of eating and drinking, I haven't mentioned this yet...as of this week, I am not to drink any fluids 30 minutes before meals, and for 1 hour after meals.  Forever.  This is because the fluids will push the food through the little pouch faster, and not allow it to build up so I feel full.  The result is eating more than I should be.  Everyone who I have talked to that has had the surgery says this is one of the biggest adjustments, and one of the hardest.  I have to say I must agree!  You're conditioned from childhood to have a drink with meals.

So...I'm supposed to be drinking 64 oz of fluids a day.  You figure 3 meals a day, an hour and a half of not drinking each time (I'm not a mathematician, but I think that's 4 1/2 hours) plus however long is spent sleeping....let's just say it's hard to get that much fluid in.  But like I said before...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!