Learning To Chew

Tonight I discovered what happens when you try and progress though the post op phases too fast and do not follow the rules about chewing your food properly.

I made Hubby some spaghetti bolognese and I made sure it was full of veggies so that when I pureed it I would be getting some veg rater than just meat and carbs.
I included zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, capsicum, spinach and eggplant along with onion, garlic, mince and tomatoes.
Once it was cooked I dished up my portion into a Pyrex jug and blended it with a stick blender.

When we sat down to eat I got a few mouthfuls in and discovered a piece of mushroom that was still whole.  I figured that since it was just a piece of mushroom I could just chew it up until it was a puree texture.  But even though I knew what I needed to do my mouth just had a mind of it's own.  All those years of just gulping down food ad taught my mouth to just chew chew swallow and my new stomach was having none of it.
I felt like I had swallowed an entire mushroom whole not just a small piece that had been partly chewed.  It was really uncomfortable and felt like it was sitting on top of the opening of my stomach.  I won't say that I was in pain but it was close.  I walked around a bit pleading with my body to just accept the mushroom but my body was having none of it.  When my mouth started to fill with saliva I knew it was time to rush to the bathroom sink.
I made it in time to promptly bring up the 3 mouthfuls and the offending mushroom.  With such a little stomach there was not much to get rid of so it was over pretty quickly.  It did not however stop the tears that always happen to accompany an episode of vomiting for me.

So if you have had just had your sleeve or are thinking of getting one done then just remember that at this stage you need to make sure your food is well pureed.  Then when you are ready to eat solids again you need to follow the rule your mother used to tell you of "chew each mouthful 20 times" (or was that just my mum?) and then and only then should you swallow your food..

I really appreciate any comments you take the time to leave.  Feel free to ask questions.

If you are on this journey too or any other type of weight loss journey feel free to say hello and share your story.