12 Weeks Post-Op

I have been so humbled and honored at the outpouring of support of my journey after posting this blog a few weeks ago.  I plan to continue to share my journey in hopes that it helps someone else out there!

My pain level is the worst when I wake up each morning, but has been improving throughout the day.  I have also been experiencing some new pain on the left and right sides of my rib cage and will be checking in with my Doctor about that. I am still on the same amount of pain medicine and continue to try and reduce it, but am reminded by my body that it is not time for that step yet.

I am still sleeping with wedge pillows on the bed to prop me up.  I have tried to sleep flat or on my side but that is still causing increased pain and pressure.  I can lift roughly 10 – 12lbs at this point.  My test subject is my dog May, she is 18lbs and is still too heavy to pick up. Also, sneezes are still one of my least favorite actions and my breathing on the incentive spirometer is still maxing out at 3000.

Mentally, I experienced a new flood of emotions this past weekend. There are talks of Jim going back to work soon and since I am healing and am able to take care of myself, we decided this would be the best time for him to take a trip and see his family in Maryland and New York. He left on Saturday night and as I hugged him goodbye, a rush of emotions hit me like a tidal wave. I could barely make it inside before breaking down in tears. I realized at this moment that the last time we had been apart was when we hugged each other goodbye before I was taken back for surgery in April. Going in for surgery was such a traumatic experience. I feel my mind is now letting me work through that emotional pain since the physical pain is getting better. I spoke with some of my girl friends who were very encouraging and I’ll will continue to work through that pain and grow from this experience. Cuddling with the dogs certainly helps too. I am excited for Jim to return this weekend, but this separation has definitely done us both some good and has given us time and space to work through our feelings individually.

Next Steps

In 2017, I took a food sensitivity test and the results concluded that I had food sensitivities to wheat, rye, eggs, milk, mushrooms and peppers.  This January, I was tested again, and the results said I had food sensitivities to eggs, wheat, casein, corn, peanut and soybean.  My primary doctor has encouraged me to try an elimination diet.  Now that I have the time and determination, I am going to start my elimination diet tomorrow (7/22/2020).  I am hoping by sharing my goal with friends that I will be more determined to complete this experiment and can be held accountable if I start to falter.  I plan to share my journey as it goes and hope that eliminating some foods will help with my occasional headaches, joint pain, shortness of breath and trouble sleeping that I am still encountering.  Below are details of a standard elimination diet.

The Elimination Diet

The elimination phase involves removing foods you suspect trigger your symptoms for a short period of time, typically 2–3 weeks.  Eliminate foods that you think your body can’t tolerate, as well as foods that are notorious for causing uncomfortable symptoms.  Some of these foods include nuts, corn, soy, dairy, citrus fruits, nightshade vegetables, wheat, foods containing gluten, pork, eggs and seafood.  During this phase, you can determine if your symptoms are due to foods or something else. If your symptoms still remain after removing the foods for 2–3 weeks, it is best to notify your doctor.

The Reintroduction Phase

The next phase is the reintroduction phase, in which you slowly bring eliminated foods back into your diet.  Each food group should be introduced individually, over 2–3 days, while looking for symptoms. Some symptoms to watch for include:

If you experience no symptoms during the period where you reintroduce a food group, you can assume that it is fine to eat and move on to the next food group.

However, if you experience negative symptoms like those mentioned above, then you have successfully identified a trigger food and should remove it from your diet.

The entire process, including elimination, takes roughly 5–6 weeks.

What can’t you eat on the elimination diet?

The best elimination diets are the most restricting.

The more foods you remove during the elimination phase, the more likely it is that you will discover which foods trigger uncomfortable symptoms.

Foods that are commonly removed during the elimination phase include:

• Citrus fruits: Avoid citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits.
• Nightshade vegetables: Avoid nightshades, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, white potatoes, cayenne pepper and paprika.
• Nuts and seeds: Eliminate all nuts and seeds.
• Legumes: Eliminate all legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas and soy-based products.
• Starchy foods: Avoid wheat, barley, corn, spelt, rye, oats and bread. Also avoid any other gluten-containing foods.
• Meat and fish: Avoid processed meats, cold cuts, beef, chicken, pork, eggs and shellfish.
• Dairy products: Eliminate all dairy, including milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream.
• Fats: Avoid butter, margarine, hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise and spreads.
• Beverages: Avoid alcohol, coffee, black tea, soda and other sources of caffeine.
• Spices and condiments: Avoid sauces, relish and mustard.
• Sugar and sweets: Avoid sugar (white and brown), honey, maple syrup, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, desserts and chocolate.

If you suspect that other foods not on this list make you feel uncomfortable, it is highly recommended to remove them as well.

What can you eat on an elimination diet?

Although an elimination diet is very restricting, there is still enough variety to make healthy and delicious meals.

Some foods you can eat include:

• Fruits: Most fruits, excluding citrus fruits.
• Vegetables: Most vegetables, excluding nightshades.
• Grains: Including rice and buckwheat.
• Meat and fish: Including turkey, lamb, wild game and cold-water fish like salmon.
• Dairy substitutes: Including coconut milk and unsweetened rice milk.
• Fats: Including cold-pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil and coconut oil.
• Beverages: Water and herbal teas.
• Spices, condiments and others: Including black pepper, fresh herbs and spices (excluding cayenne pepper and paprika) and apple cider vinegar.

To stay motivated during this restrictive phase, try designing new recipes and experimenting with herbs and spices to add delicious flavor to your dishes.