Day 6 After Surgery & Dietitian Visit

Day 6 After Surgery & Dietitian Visit

Day 6 and everything still doing remarkably well…. Still no pain… Feeling completely normal (except I am not hungry)… Not struggling at all with the liquid diet… and no Diabetes medication since the day of surgery and my Blood Sugar Rocks !!!

I have been doing daily weigh-ins – and have lost 6Kg since the surgery 🙂

Another of my dressing came off in the shower this morning…. the incision is even smaller than the first one…. and I can probably take off the remaining dressings, but figured I would leave them for another day or so.  The original incision (dressing came off day 2) is a little red, and has a little yellow bruising around it…. but appears to be healing very nicely.

Dietitian Consultation

I had the first follow up session with the Dietitian today (was a week early because she is away next week)…. Everything good… I get to stay on my liquid diet (lucky me) but can switch to mush pureed foods next Thursday (14 days after op).

2nd dietitian consult (and first follow up with the surgeon) scheduled for 3 weeks time. These follow up sessions cost no extra because it is included in the original surgery fee.

 

Pre Surgery Consultation – Dietician

Pre Surgery Consultation – Dietician

This session was effectively a Pre Surgery Consultation to make me aware of what I can and can’t eat in the leadup to, and after surgery.

2 weeks before surgery

2 weeks prior to surgery I will need to switch to a meal replacement diet (Optifast).  I need to stop all existing food and switch to 3 Optifast VLCD meal replacement products per day (Shakes, Soups and Desserts)… along with at least 2 litres of fluid daily (NO fruit juice, full cream milk, full sugar drinks or alcohol).

The purpose of this is to reduce the size/volume of the liver, improve surgical access and improve mobility post-surgery.

i understand that this 2 weeks is one of the most challenging parts of the whole procedure.

Surgery

Immediately following surgery – whilst I am in hospital, I will efectively be “nil by mouth” – with all liquids and nutriton recieved via a drip.  This is to ensure minimal pressure on the surgery to allow time for the surgery to start to heal.

Post Surgery

For 2-4 weeks after surgery (once I am out pof hospital) I will be restricted to a liquid diet – to avoid any unnecessary pressure and stress on the stomach until the swelling subsides. The liquid diet significantly reduces discomfort, pain and vomiting and ensures adequate hydration and protein for a good recovery.

Following a couple of weeks of liquids I can start to have blended foods (mush) for a further2 weeks or so… and finaly (a month or so post-surgery) I can start eating real (well chewed) food in small quanitiies.

I am sure after 4 -6 weeks of liquds and mush (especially if I have not got my taste back) even the couch will start to look appetising – if for the texture alone.

This consultation cost me $150