Tracy46545

"what Norma said....lol" I'm paying a bit more than that because it's a revision surgery....but I wouldn't think of going anywhere else. Tracy

Glad you liked the Spaghetti squash Chancie! That's my supper plan for the weekend...3 meals using spaghetti squash.. lol Tracy

Jenn, force yourself to get up and walk every hour. Baby yourself the rest of the time but keep on sipping...experiment with warm fluids, maybe sipping warm tea will be easier. From what I understand this is the hardest part of recovery but you WILL get through it! I doubt the hair loss this quickly is a result of the surgery...perhaps stress in general? Keep checking in here with us..we want to know how you're doing! Tracy

Chandra, Glad you're home and the surgery went well. I've never heard of having to have injections for blood thinners after surgery. Everyone says drinking is hard, my friend said it was like trying to swallow gravel! ... so just sip...(think in teaspoons) ....decide what works best for you whether it be room temperature, cool, cold or warm drinks. Keep yourself comfortably warm and don't be afraid to use a heating pad on the shoulders or chest to ease that ache. Walk at least every hour even if it's just from the front door of your house to the back door! This will help move that gas they used to inflate your stomach, up and out of your body. (the reason your shoulders and chest will hurt more is because the gas moves UP and out of your body...). I would stick to liquids only...probably too soon to even nibble the Jello. You're on your way now and you can do it! Tracy

roasted (mashed) butternut squash with pureed chicken in it...that's what I'm planning for mushies! Tracy

I'm told you count the day after surgery as day one. And the following is directly copied and pasted from the info Dr. Aceves sent me to prepare for post op. "1) For the first 10 days following surgery, nothing other than Clear liquids and a Protein supplement should be consumed. ABSOLUTELY no solid food!!! Clear liquids consist of Jell-O, sugar-free Crystal light, Water, and broth. A high quality protein supplement such as IsoPure or Whey protein should be used in order to obtain approximately 70 grams of protein per day." Since it specifically mentions whey protein as being acceptable, it should be fine if added to water and not in a milk based shake. You could flavor it up with some Crystal Light if you need to. Enjoy.. (lol) Tracy

Delite... Tell me exactly what your doctor prescribed for a pre-0p diet. Perhaps it can be modified or we can suggest some really appetizing ways to make it workable for you. Wipe your tears and spring into action. This is all about YOU! TRacy

you know...Godiva chocolate is really good in a situation like that. Only buy one piece though.. lol. I know...I'm bad! Tracy

Let's face it .......the "smaller" portions on resturant menus are not all that great. Everyone suggests ordering off the kids menu.....um...no thanks...everything there is high carb and fried! When I go out, I order regular food, but things I know will reheat well. (or even freeze well). Or I order things that I can re-make into a different dish. I live alone and can't count on anyone else to eat up the leftovers. It rather takes the joy out of eating out. Tracy

Steph, I don't expect a "cure" by having the VSG ....just an ability to get my hands back on the reins! Quantity is a real issue for me. tracy

Just wanted to mention this. You know how when you open a can of pumpkin to use a couple teaspoons and then wonder what to do with the rest before it spoils in your fridge? I spread plastic wrap on a cookie sheet. Spoon out teaspoon or tablespoon dollops of the pumpkin onto the cookie sheet. Freeze When frozen, roll up the dollops, plastic wrap etc and put into a freezer storage bag. Thaw each dollop you need to use on the countertop for 15 minutes or so. No waste, and individual portions! tracy

by the way...doctors sure are different for all these procedures. I can eat the night before (anything I want) and can drink up until 10 p.m. Someone else mentioned having to have a laxative for three days prior to surgery day and only clear fluids for three days prior....not me! (thank goodness, that would totally ruin my vacation prior to surgery!). Tracy

I just ate 3/4 bag of potato chips with french onion chip dip.... Hi, My name is Tracy and I'm a food addict. (sitting back down now) December 14th can't come soon enough to suit me. Tracy

Chandra, I'm not sleeved yet, but you're going to do fine. Anyone from Midland can handle this ....it'll be easy-peasy.....lol. Ok....seriously.. just follow orders and realize you can tolerate anything for a short time. Please post when you get home and let us know how you're doing! tracy

Jenn100, warm socks sweetie...layers, heating pad...whatever it takes. Force yourself to do some walking to stimulate circulation. Many others report highly sensitive sense of smell and intolerance of sweets so you're right on track!!! You can do this! Take short walks, short naps and sips of Water frequently. You've got this...you can do it. Encourage your body to heal, don't be shy.. ask for a back rub from someone that loves you. and last but not least....one day at a time! Tracy

Chancie, Honestly...I used to wonder why I"d be so sleepy after a spaghetti dinner. It was the Pasta..overloading my blood sugar! Now with the spaghetti squash I'm getting in an extra vegetable, a lot less calories and carbs and adding alot more Fiber. I love to cook it, separate the strands and lightly saute it with a bit of olive oil, roasted garlic and grilled onions, then press it into a casserole and top with buffalo mozzerella, Prego meat sauce (or my homemade Bison sauce) and shaved parmesan on top. bake for 30 min at 350. Beats any baked spaghetti I've ever had and I don't get sleepy afterwards! Tracy

the 7.5% of income number is correct. You can claim transportation to and from, and all testing......however, don't bother trying to claim the expense of all those dang Protein supplements we can't tolerate. It's considered nutrition and is not tax deductible even for medical necessity. I sleep with a tax man... lol Tracy

They're not necessarily low-cal, low-carb, or high protein....but we all know how to make substitutions....Once I have an idea of a recipe I can tweak it... lol Tracy

Easy to swallow recipes! Easy to Swallow - Home enjoy! Tracy

Cool Beans...so on the way home if I get woozy I can possibly have a Water based Protein Shake? (surgery on Monday...flying home on Friday...oh crap..that's only 4 days..nevermind) Tracy

The first time I went down (for my band surgery), my sister and I ate in a resturant at the Lucerne....can't remember which one. My sis had mexican type food, I had a steak. Eh...wasn't overly thrilled but I'm pretty picky about my steaks. When I went back down this past January to accompany a friend for her sleeve, we ate lunch in an Italian style resturant at Lucerne resort. Her carppacio was served still frozen. I can't even remember what I had, I think some sort of pizza. For supper, we had Chinese food... Mexicali has a HUGE chinese population and their cuisine supposedly rivals that of China Town in any major US City...My lapband was acting up due to flying and I tolerated very little of it that day. However, the Lucerne staff was kind enough to put my "doggie bag" in the fridge with my room number on it and sent me to one of the resort resturants to warm it up for the next nite's supper. Most of my meals while I was with my friend were eaten at the hospital cafeteria...excellent authentic food, reasonably priced, excellent service. One night that I was down there I asked my driver to stop at Applebees so I could get something easy. They're all truly very accomodating. I may be staying an extra day at the Lucerne (after discharge from the hospital). Nina assures me that the Lucerne has a "clear fluids" menu just for Dr. Aceves's patients.. lol Tracy

Charity....you aren't getting anywhere near 60 grams of protein a day! String cheese averages about 7 gms protein and an egg is about the same...so you only got 14-15 gms of protein the day you listed what you ate. You really have to get the protein in so that your body doesn't start robbing your own muscle tissue to make up the difference! You should order some individual packets of Protein shakes. I'm quite sure they would ship directly from the various companies to Nicaragua. Also you could order dry egg whites (I'm trying to think of "lightweight" protein sources to save you shipping costs). If legumes are available to you...try using those as a protein source. Refried beans are a surprising good source of protein if you don't add alot of fats and cheese to it. I'll look at my protein resource file for more ideas for you. I realize that your location makes getting some of these difficult so I'll look for more natural sources. Do you have a crockpot? You can cook chicken thighs in the crockpot and they stay tender and moist when reheated. Good source of protein...easy to puree, make soups with etc. Tracy

I'd like to see a regional thread. This one will be for Sleevers from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. Great way to relate to people experiencing our own weather, time zone etc. while dealing with pre and post op questions, comments and successes! Tracy

I'm having surgery in Mexico, staying in the hospital 3 nights, a extra night in the hotel (if necessary) and then flying home to Chicago. Is your first day after surgery Day 1 of the post op diet...Or is the day after you're released from the hospital Day 1? Tracy

Chandra I sent a pm to you about how to add a ticker to your signature. Tracy