Ever since the initial surgery, the doctors have been adamant about my consumption of calories and protein. They have been encouraging me like the Rudolph movie, “Eat, Santa, Eat”, except they don’t call me Santa. I was 165lbs going into the surgery about a month ago, and the team has been trying to maintain that weight and increase my liver size. It’s a real challenge, especially when your entire insides have been reassembled and need to figure out their roles and responsibilities again.
With the variceal bleeding and the EGD the other day, it provided a respite from the feeding tube. The GI docs trumped the Liver docs and don’t want the feeding tube to dislodge any of the bands during healing. The liver doctors hands are tied with feeding me. They are doing it via IV at the moment, and are anxiously watching what I eat over the next few days to see if I can get the necessary daily calories by myself. Today is Day 1. And the doctor suggested The Cheesecake Factory – which is a calorie busting meal and dessert. Here’s the plan of attack to get me 2500 calories today:
120cals – Half a Clif bar
70cals – fig newtowny baby bar
350cals – vanilla ensure
450cals – 2 pieces french toast
375cals – grilled ham and cheese
350cals – vanilla ensure
70cals – cranberry juice
1400cals – Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup fudge Cheesecake (cheesecake factory)
All consumed by 3pm!
I ate half the innards of the chicken avocado club for dinner, and some of the brown bread. Definitely puts me in the black for today.
I don’t remember the last time I tried eating this many calories in a day. Tomorrow I might go for an Uno’s deep dish. That’s also a calorie sink.
The Derek Janiak Hepatobiliary Forum 
This may be the only time in history where a doctor tells a patient, “have you considered a Double Down?”
Yes, he said lots of cheesecakes, frappes,etc. His exact words were “instead of drinking 3 ensures, have 2 and eat 2 cheesecakes.” These doctors do not mess around!
I have a friend whose favorite food is burgers, and says his docs once told him “you should really eat more red meat.” And he was like “I’m way ahead of you”
Excellent!
Go man, go!
Someday soon eating cheesecake will be fun instead of work.
How did it go? Your picture made that slice of cheesecake look HUGE!
Cheesecake is gone. 3000 calorie day and still plan on munching a little on the club sandwich
Like. A. Boss.
When I was a little one I thought that when someone lost weight it would fly through the air and stick to someone else (genius, I know). If that was the case I would send you all my extra to fatten you up, derek. Your cheesecake sounds so tummy. I am trying to cut back these days with carrots and cucumbers and nuts and weight watcher lunches. If only I could eat your cheesecake and send u my fat! Haha
Hey Derek, not sure how you are balancing calories against sugar, carbs or other things, but 2 tablespoons of maple syrup is around 100 calories. If you need some, I can hook you up! 🙂
That’s my favorite type of diet… Frappes AND Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes! That will certainly bulk up the total for the day!
I can come visit and we can have a protein/carb/calorie contest…I know you still have a competitive edge. 🙂
If anyone wants to indulge, I’d be happy to oblige. I am reminded that years ago I conquered what we called the Wendy’s challenge. All 10 items on the dollar menu at the time totaling 2800 calories FOR LUNCH! I think my will to eat is coming on like Rocky 3.
I totally forgot about the Wendy’s challenge! Too funny! What does the team say to a Frosty? or 5? Thinking high-calorie thoughts, and remembering a few Wendy’s outings.