After the new chunkers were thrown in my chest, I was out of the ICU and able to eat food, something evil happened.
I was sitting in my hospital room, minding my business (believe it or not) eating my breakfast (I don't think I need to remind you of my enormous appetite at that time), when my nurse walked in. She spotted me drinking milk and her eyes went all googly - nearly popped right out of her face.
I was ready to leap from the bed, scoop them up and shove them back in.
Let me explain something. I was malnourished pre-transplant. Skinny wasn't the word. Thin didn't cover it. I was badly lacking meat - bones, I had that covered.
I had a feeding tube guys. I couldn't gain. I had a craptastic appetite. Food wasn't exciting to me; in fact, it was more of a chore. I spent many meetings with my dietitian trying to figure out how to get more pounds on my body. Fatty foods were more than welcome - they were necessary.
Therefore, homogenized milk and I were tight.
That nurse would have swung her leg in the air and karate-kicked the milk out of my hand if she hadn't been 8 months pregnant.
"You shouldn't be drinking that. You can easily gain weight post-transplant you know. You should be drinking skim".
Then she disappeared and reappeared with...what else? Skim milk, of course.
I've been paranoid every since.
It didn't help that I had 16 lbs of fluid on board after transplant. I was genuinely worried as I was devouring food at every turn. I was gaining.
I shot up to 123 lbs. I know, not a big deal, eh? Except it was. When you started at a whopping 105. I was torn between pride that I was finally at a healthier weight and worry that I'd keep gaining and it would get out of control like scary nurse lady said.
Then my prednisone dose was lowered. Next my weight lowered.
I last weighed in at 117. Still better than 105 yes.
But, come on.
I do not particularly enjoy staring at sticks in the mirror.
I've got to figure this out. Suggestions? Leg botox? A strict cheesie/coca-cola diet? Oh wait, I'm diabetic. #skinnygirlproblems
I am a former transplant nurse. That nurse was ill-informed. First of all, post-transplant (for any organ) there should be no restrictions on calories or fat in the initial post-transplant period. I don't care what the patient eats, just as long as they eat. Of course food should be fully cooked or cleaned properly.
ReplyDeleteNow you still have CF. You know full well that getting calories is very important. Please understand that nurse is probably not as informed about CF as she is about transplants.
Drink the whole milk. Forget the skim.
Oh don't worry! I down the 2%! Thanks for your support :)
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