Is it a Stomach or a Pouch?

pouch

pouCH/

noun

1. 1.

   a small bag or other flexible receptacle, typically carried in a pocket or attached to a belt.

My friend gets irritated by me calling my stomach a "pouch." She tells me that no matter the size, it's still my stomach after all.

And, she's right. It still is my stomach. But it is so much smaller now. It's called gastric sleeve because they leave only one-third of your stomach and it does resemble a sleeve. So, yea, it's small.

And, yea, I kind of like calling it a pouch.

In fact, I believe it helps me to think of it as a pouch. My pouch is full. My pouch is hungry. I have to feed my pouch.

Silly, I know.

But my pouch is just a fraction of what my stomach use to be. And, knowing that, I understand how little I need to eat to "fill" it. And, I also know how slowly I need to fill it so it doesn't overflow quickly.

Thinking of it as a pouch makes me think of it as "special." I need to take care of it. Baby it. Make sure it remains a pouch and not a huge carry on bag like it use to be.

When you think of a pouch, you think of a gift. At least I do. A velvet or  small, pretty mesh pouch with something special inside. A piece of jewelry. Some crystals. Something to treasure.

I believe that is what my pouch and it's contents are to me now. Something to treasure.

Keep safe and small. Only place in it healthy, nutritious, treasures that will be sure to have it remain a pouch for a long time to come.

Perhaps one day I will refer to it as my stomach again.

But, for now, it's my treasured pouch.