You’d think that 2 years out, there’d be nothing to blog about. But everyday is new and different. Today I was reflecting on my day…all in all quite a pleasant day, but with quite a bit of gastric discomfort, mostly a result of my own poor food choices.

It all started out in the morning. I managed to keep the motivation to get up early and get out the door for a run this morning! Hooray! I’m in a life phase right now where my running needs to happen long before normal people wake up, otherwise it doesn’t happen or gets in the way life and family. And since I’m usually tired, I sleep as long as possible, fall out of bed, throw on some running clothes and get out the door. Of course, one of the dangers of running first thing in the morning is the lack of bathroom stops that are actually open! (I know many runners who have stomachs who have the same dilemma, so maybe this is purely a runner’s issue…)

The night before, I did not eat well. I had a piece of fried chicken with a scoop of potato salad and some fruit. I wasn’t at my house, and my water cup was cleaned up by the time I was ready to drink again. So when I got home later, I tried to catch up on my thirst, but it was a bit too late. When I woke up in the morning I was clearly dehydrated, so much so that I went ahead and drank a half bottle of water quickly. (I know better before an early morning run…)

So I happily get my legs warmed up with the first mile and then my gut just kind of wrenches. It’s the kind of discomfort that actually makes me stop to walk because it’s so uncomfortable. I made the decision to go ahead and turn around and book it home. Good plan!

Then I got to drink some water, felt better and went on with my day. I’ve been a bit obsessed with coffee brewed via a French press. I do believe it might be the best cup of coffee ever! And I’m pretty sure that since cutting my stomach out of my body, I am more obsessed with good, quality foods when I have time and control over it. So my coffee with cream and stevia was unbelievable as usual.

I ate a sausage, egg & cheese kolache at work. Then late morning, I ate some leftover rotisserie chicken and a banana with peanut butter. Late afternoon, I ate a mini turkey and cheese sandwich on a bread roll. I prefer to just eat at my desk all day long, since it’s easier on me to just work and eat at the same time. It’s a stomachless person’s dream.

Here’s a few tips and tricks I’ve learned (and need to remember for myself):

1. Eat oatmeal before bed, but not too much.
   1. It seems to help ward off middle-of-the-night bile and slow your digestive track for your early morning run
2. Don’t drink a lot of water before bed.
   1. This seems to be the main culprit behind the bile that wakes me while sleeping
3. Be hydrated the night before so you don’t have to drink water in the morning before a run.
   1. Your digestion seems to wake up after you wake up
   2. Running seems to wake up digestion even more
   3. and drinking water seems to get it moving even faster
   4. The above is the perfect trifecta for a trip to the restroom
4. Exercise
   1. I feel better when I’ve gotten exercise 3-5x per week.
      1. This might just start out as a simple walk early post total gastrectomy. You can get back to what you want further out from surgery
5. Blood sugar
   1. Your stomach was a buffer between what you put in your mouth and your digestive tract. Once you say goodbye to your stomach, ratably supplying your body with food is up to you to manage.
      1. Your blood sugar can drop low if you haven’t snacked, much the same way your blood sugar can spike when you eat too much sugar.
   2. Always keep a protein-packed snack somewhere nearby for when your blood sugar unexpectedly drops. When I notice my hands start shaking and feel ‘off’, I immediately eat protein. I tell my kids, “Mommy has to eat right now. I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”
6. Start your day with protein
   1. If possible, eat eggs for breakfast
      1. If you eat out for breakfast, watch out for the “fake egg” places that serve what they call eggs but have so much grease it surprises you
      2. I had a lot of trouble keeping down scrambled eggs early on, but now they are a “go-to” food for me.
7. When eating meals with others, use context clues for how long it’s “supposed” to take normal people to eat
   1. At this time, just get a to-go box and finish the rest 30min to an hour later
8. When eating out, prioritize what food on the plate you eat first
   1. Protein first
   2. Fruits and veggies
   3. Simple  carbs last (typically become the leftovers you take home)
9. The further out from surgery, the less you need to snack, but…
   1. Big meals can be uncomfortable
   2. You can have spikes in blood sugar
      1. Up – when your body is digesting that giant mass of food
      2. Down – before you eat again
10. Be positive
    1. When I run marathons, I’ve realized (to quite a big extent), your brain tells your body what it can do. Keep this spirit in post-gastrectomy life. Everyday won’t be rainbows and flowers, but push through and remember the big picture. Mind over matter.
    2. Go and see the world. Travel now. Love on your family. If you want to see or do something, plan it and do it. No more indecision. Don’t put it off any longer.
11. If you drink water near a meal, water before a meal seems easier than water after a meal.
    1. It’s almost as though your digestive tract doesn’t want you to accelerate the food through your gut with water.

Summary list of go-to foods today

• Egg
• Pistachios, almonds, peanuts
• Salmon
• Cheese slice
• Peanut Butter

Have a great day! Can’t believe it’s been almost 2.5 years since my gastrectomy!!