Hungry, Hungry Kiddo

Greetings. Today, I'm going to focus completely on Short-Gut and how I deal with it. First off, my case of SG is not nearly as bad as most. During my initial surgeries, the surgeons were able to salvage a little bit of every section of the small intestine (there are three) and most importantly the ileo-secal valve (that's how it sounds but, in all likelihood, is not how it's spelled) which keeps partially digested food in the small intestine until it's ready to enter the large intestine. Many people who had bowel resections lose this and that is the reason why they require frequent trips to the restroom. My parents and I have always said that as bad as everything was when this all started, from when I first went into surgery to when I finally came out, everything went right.

So on a daily basis, I eat a lot. Very frequent meals. But meals nontheless. They aren't huge meals, but they're definitely more than a snack. And I thought, I know I've said that before on the blog, but I doubt my point has been made. So today I give you A Day in the Menu of the Intestineless Wonder. This particular menu took place on Tuesday, July 21, 2009.

Breakfast: 3 egg omelet with ham, cheese, green onion, white onion, and tomato; two pieces white toast with (I Can't Believe It's Not) butter and (Sugar-Free) strawberry jam; Activia Light Vanilla yogurt; 100 calorie Little Debbie brownie.

Lunch: Taco Salad - ground beef, cheese, tortilla chips, lettuce, tomato, green onion, light sour cream, fat free Catalina dressing, hot sauce.

Second Lunch: 3 pancakes with light syrup.

Dinner: Macaroni and Tuna Salad - Macaroni, tuna, mozzerella cheese, hard-boiled egg, green onion, special sauce (light Miracle Whip, ketchup, and milk); two slice white Italian bread with (I Can't Believe It's Not) butter; three cookies.

Second Dinner: Cheeseburger - homemade hamburger, swiss cheese, light Miracle Whip, ketchup, wheat bun; handful of regular potato chips.

Third Dinner: Pizza flavored Lean Pocket; handful of regular potato chips.

Fourth Dinner: Taco Salad again.

Late-Night Dessert: Rootbeer Float - two scoops sugar-free vanilla ice cream, diet A&W rootbeer.

Beverages: 32 ounces of Powerade Zero (I prefer blue, because we all know blue flavors are the best in all brands of sports drink); 12 ounces of Diet Rite soft drink; 12 ounces of skim milk; 12 ounces of Diet Sunkist Lemonade (it sounds weird but it tasted delicious); 20 ounces of Vitamin Water 10 (they don't have blue).

As you can see, it's an extensive menu. Keep in mind, too, that I am a bum. Which means I wake up at 11:30 and go to sleep at 1:30. Which means I ate all of this in 14 hours. On most days I only have three dinners. I'm not exactly sure why I felt the need for a fourth on Tuesday. But that night I weighed more than I have since May 2008, and ten pounds heavier than my average weight just a month ago. It seems that the good home-cookin' is helping the cause. All of the meals I eat are made with the leanest meat my mom can find at the store and all "light" or "fat-free" ingredients. The most important part of a delicious meal, though, is the fresh vegetables. They turn an egg and cheese omelet into a southwestern omelet, nachos into taco salad, and a hamburger into ... well, a more delicious hamburger.

Keep Eating. -IW