Today’s my first day back at work full time since surgery. I came back a few half days last week, but this is major. Physically I feel great and mentally I needed to be here and actively engaged in my regular responsibilities.
Last night, I realized that I had to prepare myself for the new normal. This means that I need a good, solid grasp of what I need to have around to fulfill my nutritional needs. I’m still on “full” liquids so there’s no such thing as not bringing stuff with me to work. I can’t just run down to the lunch truck and grab a sandwich or hot dog or chicken tenders. Thankfully, I’d thought ahead and had soup in the house that I could bring with me today.
I’m also staying on top of my fluid intake. I live in the Florida Keys. It’s hot down here most of the year. I am frequently outside with my job. It is extremely easy to dehydrate. Once again, if I let that happen, it’s a big problem. Gone are the days when I can grab a bottle of water and chug it down to replenish my depleted fluids. Frankly, if I take more than a couple of sips at a time, that water wants to come right back up. I need to sip, sip, sip and then put down the bottle and wait a moment for all of the liquid to settle. There’s no room for guzzling.
I filled up the water glass on my desk as soon as I got in this morning. No matter how busy I get, I reach for the glass and sip regularly. When the glass is empty, I go right to the cooler and refill.
When I move to pureed foods, I’ll enjoy a greater variety but will still need to make sure that I have foods I can eat readily available. Pre-planning is the key. I think I’m going to buy a small plastic box that I can fill with some of the foods I can eat — like cottage cheese, fruity yogurt, and some ready-to-drink protein shakes. That way, if I ever do forget to bring something from home, I’ll always have what I need around anyway.
This is my new normal. The sooner I’m accustomed to it, the better.
Weighty Matters 
“Gone are the days when I can grab a bottle of water and chug it down to replenish my depleted fluids. ” – Hadn’t thought of that!!
You should find yourself some cute bento boxes and lunch bags, to make it All Very Exciting!