When you are making your trip home post-surgery, be sure to rest frequently while at the airport, take repeated short walks, and sip plenty of clear liquids. Be careful with your luggage – no lifting, pushing, or pulling over 20 pounds for 6 weeks post-surgery. Once you are back home, please sip only clear liquids for the next day or two. Protein-enhanced waters are permitted. Listen to your body!
A good exercise plan will include aerobic or cardio exercise, which gets the heart rate up gradually, resistance or strength training, and flexibility or stretching. Before you start any exercise regimen, make sure to get approval from your doctor at home.
Broth
You may have any type of low-fat broth, including vegetable, beef, chicken, ham, bone, etc.
JELL-O
Sugar-free JELL-O is the best choice, but if it is unavailable while traveling, then you can have regular JELL-O. Once you are back home, you should stick with only sugar-free JELL-O.
The small JELL-O cups have only 10 calories, and you can have as many as you want (they are unlimited). You can have any flavor or color you want. Bypass patients, please use sugar-free JELL-O only, even while traveling.
Protein Water
At this point in your recovery, it is perfectly fine to sip up to three bottles of protein-enhanced water per day.
Juice
You can sip small servings of clear juices, like apple, grape, or cranberry. If you want to, you can continue to dilute the juices with some water. Please sip fluids every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that you are drinking enough liquids to prevent dehydration. One half a cup of fluids per hour will keep you covered. Again, bypass patients will want to be careful with regular juices and opt for the no sugar added juices and sugar-free fluids.
Gatorade & Flavored Water
At this point, you are permitted to have Gatorade Zero, Mio, Powerade Zero, and Crystal Light. No decaffeinated coffee or teas until at least 2 weeks post-surgery, and it is best to wait 4 to 6 weeks for regular coffee and teas. Remember that coffee and teas can be acidic in the stomach, especially for a new tummy trying to heal.
