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Fears about going back to college 2 wks after surgery

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arielleigh213
arielleigh213 Posts: 9 Member
in Social Groups
Hey guys! My surgery is on Dec 30th and I have to go back to college on the Jan 12th. I guess if I am being real I am just scared. I go away to school at a private college with a really bad dining hall and crazy schedule. Honestly I would love nothing more than to be at home with my support system and my doctors office and my family. I'm not sure why I am posting this, but I am reaching out for anything...maybe words of comfort, advice, tips, and personal experience . I don't want anything to go wrong while I am away or fail.

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  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,705 Member
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    Will the dining hall cater to you? You are probably not going to be able eat 75% of what they serve, and if you do eat their stuff, it will fill you up - fast - and you won't be able to eat what you need.

    You won't be able to eat very much and you need to have mostly protein, with a little bit of soft vegies and fruit. That is how I was taught to get the most nutrition into a teeny tiny stomach.

    You are still going to need some serious amounts of liquid or pureed protein when you start school.

    Can you get a blender? Can you shop? Can you get a refrigerator in your room? Maybe your doctor can write you a note saying you need it. You're going to need protein and most proteins need to be refrigerated.

    Find a protein powder you like and keep it in your room. You can mix it with almond milk that doesn't need to be refrigerated (buy small containers, it does curdle with time after it's opened). And there's some kind of protein supplement you can put in drinks.

    Keep things to snack on: jerky, Quest protein bars, cheeses (again small amounts if you don't have your own refrigerator).

    You should discuss this with a nutritionist and have a plan in place before you go back. Best wishes to you.
  • arielleigh213
    arielleigh213 Posts: 9 Member
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    Thank you so much!! I do have a nutrabullet and a dorm fridge :)
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    Get with the dining hall as soon as possible to see what options you have. You are gonna need a lot of soft loose meat in the beginning unless you are gonna live off shakes. Canned salmon is my emergency food. Canned chicken tended to mat up inside me no matter how much I chewed it. I still have 6 cans in the pantry.
  • pawoodhull
    pawoodhull Posts: 1,759 Member
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    This will be challenging, but it is doable. You've got some great suggestions here from Mangopickle and PaulaKro. I like Syntrax Nectar protein shakes. The powder mixes easily with water or milk (cow or almond) with or without a blender. They have flavored and unflavored. The protein bar idea is a good one as well. Remember that in the beginning, once you are past the liquid and pureed stages, you will still do better with moist foods. So meats will need a sauce or gravy for a bit. I'm 2.5 years out and if my meat is too dry, I still get a "stuck" feeling.

    The fact that you have a fridge in your dorm is going to help a lot. Hopefully you also have a microwave. Like I said, this won't be easy, but it is doable. Good luck with the surgery, recovery and school!

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