Our Game Plan

So a lot of you guys are curious about the date of my surgery and if there is anything I have to do to prepare myself for this surgery.  On February 15^th I begin the Pre-Op Liquid Portion of my diet.  This reduces the size of my liver significantly making the actual surgery safer.  I can have full liquids during these two weeks prior to my surgery.  My roommate and dear friend, Leslie, is going to try and undertake this two week venture with me.  Bless her heart if we both survive. 

Two days prior to surgery I have to switch to clear liquids.  At that point I will most likely be at my parents’ house prepping for the big day.  Monday February 27^th I have all of my Pre-Op appointments in Nashville.  I will have an Upper GI, an EKG, and whatever else the anesthesia team sees necessary.  Tuesday February 28^th is the big day.  My surgery is scheduled for 7:30 in the morning (I will detail the actual surgery in a later blog) I will be in the hospital (Centennial in Nashville, TN) for 2-3 days.  At that time, I plan to return to my parent’s house and begin my Two Week Post-Op Clear Liquid Diet.  I am most excited about this stage, because the surgery will be over, and I will be recovering with my mom close by!! We will get to watch trashy TV and be lazy for two whole weeks. 

When I go for my 10 day checkup I expect to be released to go back to work and start my two week full liquid portion of the diet.  At this time, my wonderful friends are going to each volunteer for a day or two to suffer through the liquid diet portion of this process with me.  At this point I will be 6 weeks in on a liquid diet, and I feel I will probably be burnt out.  I think that this idea of having some of my friends stand up and support is amazing.  So kudos to those of you who have decided to do that – and if you are interested in participating, contact my roommate Leslie Bickett for the schedule.  My 27^th birthday falls right smack dab in the middle of this 2 week step – blah.  Maybe we will be able to find a birthday cake flavored protein shake recipe.  After the two weeks of the full liquids I can start having some sort of blended foods.  Where I can puree foods or eat bland, flaky fish.  I am pretty sure I will be excited to have some sort of substance.  At Easter, I am able to add most solid foods back in to my diet.  As far as raw vegetables I can add them in at the first of June.  And can begin drinking alcohol again around Labor Day. 

So that is the plan. J