Food, Glorious Food

Being at my parents house is very relaxing and I'm healing more each day. There are also lots of challenges including everything under the sun bathroom-related (I am keeping a running bloopers memory list!). I'm not in much pain and there is much more laughter than tears. Thank goodness for help from my parents and my visiting ostomy nurse...and naps, lots of naps!!

One major plus to this stage of the operation is WAY more freedom in my my food options. Many of you know I had been on an extremely limited diet (the Specific Carbohydrate Diet) which helped keep my symptoms in check, but was a lot of work. For the last five years my diet has consisted of primarily eggs, meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. I was not supposed to eat processed foods, even simple ones like organic tomato sauce or chicken broth because they could contain stray spices with "illegal" ingredients or illegals like sugar (did you know companies don't have to list ingredients on the nutrition facts if it is less than 5% of the total product and not considered an allergen!?) Anyway, I got really creative with recipes and opening my mind to new ideas about food and eating, but I always hoped I'd have fewer restrictions in the future. Well, that future is here!

Things could change when I have my second surgery, but for now I'm encouraged to eat lots of small meals including lots of carbs (!!!). I have been trained to "eat to live, not live to eat," but that has all gone out the window for now! I can't think of a good analogy, but maybe it's like taking off that heavy coat and losing the shoulder tension when spring arrives after winter or being able to taste after having a bad head cold or when an old friend from your past reminds you of a funny childhood memory. It is experiencing anything you've been deprived of, and I know I am such a cliche, but I cant help closing my eyes unconsciously when I taste a new food to focus on my taste buds and block out the distracting visual stimuli.  Here's a sampling of long lost food friends I've tried in the last few days (in no particular order):

  • Mac and cheese 
  • Crackers (wheat thins, triskets, saltines)
  • Pretzels
  • White bread
  • Peanut butter
  • Chocolate
  • Pudding
  • Marshmallows 
  • Deli turkey meat
  • Milk
  • Cream cheese
  • Jelly
  • Ketchup
  • Rice
  • Potato chips
  • Sweet potato
  • Cookies (chocolate covered shortbread from Trader Joe's)

Here are some foods I am looking forward to trying (I know, very random and not exactly "eat your rainbow colors" recommended healthy foods, but all in moderation, right?!):
  • PIZZA 
  • JP Licks ice cream (all the flavors)
  • Lasagne
  • Stuffed shells
  • Spaghetti and meatballs
  • Pad Thai
  • Dumplings
  • Gummy peaches and watermelons
  • Hummus
  • French fries
  • Quesadillas
  • Lentil soup
  • Pancakes
Time for dinner. My dad is making latkes for Chanukah! Mmmm my first potatoes!!!

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