Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

We can cope with most things if we get enough sleep. Work challenges, housework, pets and kids, cooking, catching up with friends, even simply replying to texts.

Therein lies the current challenge. With a lack of sleep these things get tougher.

The night routine has changed since being gifted my ileostomy and I’m yet to get used to it.

It starts at lunchtime… Yep!

Lunch really needs to be the main meal of the day now. That way the body is able to process that large meal while I’m still awake, disturbing me and Mr J less at night. (More on making sure this and other meals give me a full and well balanced diet at a later date).

Then I must remember to snack, I have alarms for all the remembering I need to do nowadays.

Snacking helps the small intestine keep working, reducing gas. So with this in mind I am now obsessed with making batches of protein balls which are incredibly tasty! I was struggling to come up with healthy and easy snacks that I can eat now and found recipes for these tasty little fellas.

When it gets to the evening, the snack I had means I try to have a light dinner at about 6/6:30. This still gives me process time before beddy byes and not too much volume to process.

This is the meal I need to be conscious about ingredients with. There are so many “rules” to eating now it’s hard to remember what is what. Evenings though, I want to focus on avoiding any food that creates gas. No trumping for me anymore (light read here), but gas can get you up in the night with ballooning.

That means avoiding eggs, some dairy, cabbage, broccoli, onions, beans, BOOZE. I also need to avoid foods that thickens output, as this increases risk of a night time leak (rice, bread etc)

Yep, it’s taking some thought!

When it comes to bedtime at the moment I’m shattered, and probably already in my pj’s by 7pm…

I started off on nighties in hospital (word up Team REV) as its easy to address the prada if needs tlc. Now I’m chilled a bit, so happy with a tee and shorts, or just shorts. Slight paranoia at naked sleeping as I don’t want to accidentally pull the bag off with a rogue movement (excuse the pun)

One more tiny snack (a cracker), to wake the system up so I can get to sleep half hour later.

I’ve always slept in my front. Bit of a no no! At the moment I have a V pillow on 2 normal pillows and am trying to train myself to a sleeping position on my back. The pillow helps stop me roll, as does that really weird feeling of internal organs sliding around! Once my organs knit into place side sleeping should atleast be an option (starts at about month 3 apparently). I struggle to sleep on my back though, for 42 years I haven’t, so finding it a tad challenging.

Then it’s:

• Put random, non attention requiring telly (ie. Family Guy) on and set the “sleep” button for an hour. Slowly fall asleep.

• Wake up paranoid of a leak.

• Doze then fall off.

• Wake up, bag is big. Get up to empty it of gas or output (having to turn the bathroom light on). Get back into bed, wide awake. Lie there with brain awake for about 30-45mins.

• Fall asleep.

• Repeat.

• Mr J’s alarm goes off at 5am.

• Get up and empty.

• Doze til Mr J brings a cuppa at 6:30.

I then lounge around til I have to get up, thinking how later on I will have a snooze (losing that opportunity soon with going back to work f/t which I think is going to be tough) and try to catch up on some Zzzz.

This may not sound too bad for some who don’t need a lot of sleep, but I always have.

My nickname at uni (well one of them!) was “doormouse” cos I slept so much. At my height of fitness or youth my perfect sleep would be 9pm through til 9am. Aaah to have a straight 12hours again!

And you wonder why I never had kids 😉

So apologies if I am grumpy, don’t call, bail on plans. I’m sure I will get used to it, but right now I’m absolutley shattered.

Nighty night!