longer-life

I never lost my hunger so I sipped ALL DAY LONG at your stage and that kept me satisfied. I would switch from pre-made protein drinks (different flavors), to warm Unjury chicken soup, to homemade protein drinks doctored up with Torani sugar free, to homemade strained beef soup, decaffeinated tea etc. (Everything room temperature of warm worked best for me. Still does actually with the exception of the sugar free popsicles.) The key for me was to sip constantly! I hope this helps.

Welcome back and congratulations!!!!!

LOL Insurance companies can be so stupid sometimes! They should be dealing with the hospital about this. It's not like you didn't use anesthesia! ARGH! I would also call the surgeon (or someone on his team) and ask them to help you out.Also perhaps someone in the hospitals billing department. I hope you get this resolved soon.

Don't see it that way. Spin it! Convince your husband to order something yummy AND order the soup, so you eat "two courses". Also look at menus online and pick restaurants that have appetizers that sound yummy and are still good for you or the ones that don't have the "same old" Soups. Also, if an appetizer looks real good, order it and eat a bit of it for a few meals in a row! (Knowing that I can do that, puts me at ease, by the way.) It's not all black or white, there is a gray area too.

Someone posted a few months ago that the first time they felt restriction, they closed their eyes, sat back, smiled and thought to themselves "This is the feeling I have wanted all my life." I have never forgotten this and it has helped me TREMENDOUSLY!!!!!! Hope it helps you. You know what surprises me when eating out? That I don't know what to do with my hands! lol Since I no longer hold a fork and knife constantly (because we eat slow and finish before everyone else), I am fully conscious of my arms and hands and have to actually THINK where I am going to put them! LOL Weird right?

You are not being negative at all. I think most people would be mad. Luckily it is just a week and some home projects will get done. Keep persevering and you will be thin well before you finish your graduate studies! What a way to enter the workforce! Congrats.

It is surprising to have so much energy so soon... right? I was pleasantly surprised as well. Don't push it though, remember you still had major surgery. Pamper yourselves for a few more weeks. Congrats MissMarbe on your upcoming surgery!

BUMP

Congratulations! I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I am enjoying mine. Glad you are now home and everything turned out ok.

Lol! Same here. The cold weather here is gone (70s right now) but I just HAD to buy a new coat because I am traveling overseas next week. It is the same brand and model than last years, but 2 sizes down AND it won't fit next winter! Like you said this losing weight thing sucks and is costly! Congrats on your intolerable NSV. lol

Your post made me weep. I am not kidding. I wept. You are awesome and your kids are awesome. You doctor is also fabulous! You can absolutely do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, same here. I took my regular dosage of Zyrtec at the hospital and every day since. If you haven't tried it yet, neti pot is great in addition to whatever you choose to take.

How exciting!!!!! Congratulations!!!

There are few other options on the thread below : http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/30962-unflavored-protein-powder/page__hl__unflavored__fromsearch__1

YES!!!!! Read old threads on all the forums and you will read the worst and the best scenario over and over again. That helped me SO MUCH! I was prepared for pretty much anything because of posters here. I honestly couldn't think of anything to type on the "I wish someone had told me" thread because I read and read for weeks on this website. In my case, when I woke up I remember a crushing feeling on my chest and thinking "that is gas". lol I immediately went back to sleep and that never happened again. When I tried to walk the first time I dry heaved and had severe acidity and that was hellish for a good 25 minutes or so. After that it was a breeze. I knew the feeling of excess acid (again, thanks to this website) so my meds got readjusted a few times, I was never tired, in pain, depressed etc. I was happy!!! Positivity and preparing for the worst by reading on this website helped me a ton! Best wishes! PS. During the first few weeks staying hydrated was a full time job!