Update

Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate it. I'm feeling ok. I still need very mushy & bland foods, but I can eat more. Whoop!! But, the thing is that I've lost a substantial amount of weight (@ 10 pounds in a week, so my scale reads 199...the doc would probably say 204). I wasn't trying...it just really, really hurts to eat anything remotely salty or substantial. I have been taking my multivitamine (thank goodness for liquid vitamines) so I know I'm ok that way. It's been mashed potatoes, canned peaches (without sugar added), and low sodium chicken (used loosely since I can't eat the chicken yet...tried and OUCH) noodle soup or cheesy broccoli soup. OH, and a ton of cold water. I tried smoothies and the acid from the fruit kills. Even pea soup hurts because of the salty ham that's sitting in it. Ugh. I miss fruit so much right now too...but I should be able to start again since I can see healthy tissue starting to peak through.

It may seem stupid, but a concern of mine is gaining all the weight back. I know it's not healthy to lose it this way (my stomach definately was a little pissed), but I figure that I could take the sucky situation and turn it to my advantage. I got off of my really bad foods (popcorn with extra butter and fast food) again and can start incorporating better foods in. The thing is...I know my metabolism is going to be slower now (a week or two or three is enough to do that, right?) so I'll probably need to exercise, which I can't do for a little while because most of it would strain too much (situps strain the neck and any aerobics won't do since I'd be breathing heavier...drying out the mouth and straining as well). Do you have suggestions also to slowly kick start my metabolism back and not baloon up again? Thanks!