Re: Post-Op Travel

[Guest guest]

Hi-

I went on a two week trip from Sacramento to Seattle, Orcas Island,

and BC about two weeks after my surgery. My staples were

removed and the doctor had released me to the stage III diet. It went

fine with a bit of planning. When I made the hotel reservations I

always got a room that either had a mini fridge & microwave, or a

kitchenette. Having a room with a kitchenette was heavenly when we

stayed three nights in the same place! I was comfortable eating hard

boiled eggs (I don't eat the yolks), so those worked great in the

car. Tuna salad, lowfat string cheese, and tofu also kept well in the

ice chest, and I usually had scrambled egg whites w/cheese for

breakfast. Fortunately I can tolerate fresh fruit well so we also kept

some of that.

It was more challenging at restaurants because it was so soon after

surgery. I thought meatloaf would be ok without the gravy but it felt

like a rock in my stomach, and the chinese chicken w/green beans was

an uncomfortable mistake (I think I ate too fast and the beans weren't

tender enough). Soups were generally a safer choice for me, and I was

happy to find that I tolerated tender baby shrimp well (like salad

shrimp). I learned that the veggies at restaurants like Dennys or IHOP

were cooked tender, which was much easier for me to eat, and IHOP let

me order off the senior menu which had smaller portions and was

healthier than the kids menu.

At Kaiser SSF they supposedly have a card that you can show at

restaurants explaining your medical restrictions so you can order off

the senior or kids menus, but I haven't seen it or picked one up yet.

You didn't say how far out you were from your surgery so I don't know

how much of this will apply to you.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

Sherri

date of surgery: 5/25/05 Dr. Umbach, Kaiser SSF

> Has anyone traveled post-op (e.g., Europe, Across the US, etc.) and

if

> so, noting the limitations involving eating, what was the experience

> like?