It looks like it’s going to take a little longer to get off of TPN than we had hoped. We were hoping to be off after an additional week but that isn’t looking too realistic.
To get off TPN I need to take in a minimum of 2200 calories per day. The ultimate goal is to add another 200 calories, bringing it up to 2400 calories. So far I’ve managed 2000 calories in a day, but adding that last 200 to 400 is a real bear.
Complicating matters is I’m beginning to get dehydrated. That means I need to drink more liquids, which my already taxed stomach isn’t taking kindly to.
Fortunately, Anne has turned into Super Nutritionist and is charting the way. She has come up with a variety meals that are packed with calories yet small enough for my tiny stomach to tolerate.
The challenge is to crowd as many meals into each day as possible without making me sick. If the meals are spaced too closely together my stomach revolts. If they are spaced too far apart I don’t get the calories I need.
Anne meticulously charts everything I eat, when I ate it, and how my stomach reacted to it. If a particular food doesn’t work she goes back over her notes looking for a pattern. When she finds one she adjusts the food or eating schedule to fix the problem.
Her system is entirely responsible for my increasing my calorie intake so quickly. If it were entirely left up to me I’d be lost.
Though we are encouraged by my increased calorie intake, we’ve concluded I’m not quite ready to go entirely off the TPN.
Even though the TPN only provides 500 calories, cramming that much additional food into my system just isn’t practical yet.
None-the-less, we are making steady progress. We hope I’ll be TPN free after an additional week or so.
Isn’t it great to be married to a nutritionist?! Since I knew Anne as a public school student, I can easily picture the note taking and the going back to refine. How many of your friends and relatives would love to add extra calories to their day? The problem is finding calories that mean something, not just the empty calories! We wish you the best in conquering the calorie intake without feeling yucky in the process. Thanks for the updates! We read them regularly, as you know. 🙂
At this point we aren’t to worried about calories that mean something, that will come later. Now we’re focused any kind of calorie that will prevent weight loss.
.
It will be nice when I can conquer the calorie intake without feeling yucky. That’s still a ways off.
.
We appreciate your loyalty to the blog. We frequently comment that you are almost always the first to respond to a post. It is appreciated.
Gary I think and hope that going off the TPN will coincide with the 1st day of SPRING!!! We continue to be your east coast cheerleaders! There is an article in today USA Today’s travel section – The Portland Science Center I think allows family sleepovers! Hmmm, maybe if you and Anne did that your stomach will cry out for a big glass of, well, mead maybe?
LOVE your St. Pat’s day postings on f/b, you always make me laugh!
Rah, Rah, Rah, go Gary and your SUPER Anne!!!!!
L & D
PS. Article in April issue of Bon Appetit claims it’s great to be thirsty in Portland! It takes a look at various “spiked” and non drink places! Road trip to Stumptown Coffee when we are out your way hopefully in 2012!!!
Portland is definitely a place where you can get heavily and easily caffeinated. There are as many coffee shops as there are microbreweries. While you’re here you should check out the microbrews. Portland has some pretty good beer.
I couldn’t have done the St. Patrick’s day Facebook comment without the help of the Proudledrapper.
Sleeping over at the Portland Science Center must have a certain charm, but I think I’ll stick with the comfy bed at home.
Rooting for you from California as well!