Breaking the rules

Today is my second day after my first fill. I am supposed to be on fluids for three days and then pureed foods for three days before switching back to solids. Yesterday I had lots of drinks and some soup - one my soups was quite thick. I also had a smooth yoghurt. All of this went down without any problem. Up until this evening I have followed that pattern today. But when I got home from work I decided to break the rules!!!! When I had to have fluids following surgery, it was important to stick to the rules because it was to allow my stomach time to heal. However, oin this occasion, if I understand it correctly, the only reason to have fluids and mush for three days each is to make sure you can get them down without any problems. I think I've already proven that so decided to eat some mush this evening.

I ate vegetarian cottage pie with mashed cauliflower and aubergine. I ate this very slowly, in two separate halves actually. It all went down without any problem. I was full by the time I'd finished but no more so than usual. I also ate a yoghurt. I'm now waiting a while before having a drink (while watching "Supersize versus Superskinny" on the TV!). So, as far as mush is concerned, everything is as normal. I won't really know if I have any useful restriction until I start eating solid foods, and I'm not going to do this until Saturday - four more days away.

I must confess it was all slightly scary eating mush for the first time since my fill. I was convinced that any moment I was going to get the 'iron fist' - this is the nickname given by bandits to the hard pain felt in the upper breastbone after eating too much, too quickly, or not chewing. Apparently the 'iron fist' can be really nasty - and since I am allergic to pain (!) I am going to do everything I can to avoid it - ever! The other thing I was a little nervous about was PBing. This is the nickname given to 'productive burping' - where your body involuntarily brings up a little food. It is a little like a small vomit (apparently) and is also caused when your band cannot cope with some food you've given it - because you've eaten too fast or too much. Anyway, despite the nerves, nothing happened - everything went down, nothing came back up and there was no pain!