Bethany

You may only need two (maybe three) weeks off from work. Depending on what you do at your nurse job, if there is lifting, etc.
I am a stay at home mom and it's been about 11 days since my surgery and this is my first day without helpers with me. I can't lift my son and really have to rest alot.
I wouldn't be concerned with your bosses negatively. I had family members that weren't supportive until they saw I was going to d it with or without their support. I only know one person that had a bad outcome and it was her own fault. She lost all the weight and then decided to eat the way she used to and re-stretched her stomach out so she is back to her old size. From what it seems, this is actually not very common. It'll stretch out a little over time, which is understandable but it takes you really not caring anymore to go backwards that much.

You need to talk to your doctors office. My surgeon doesn't allow anything (even protein) for the first week post op. just clear sugar free caffeine free liquids. I had a very hard time getting in my liquids the first few days and then I started making myself eat Popsicles all throughout the day, that reallllllly helped!
As for how much you lose and how fast it really depends on your body and how much you have to lose. If someone has 200 lbs to lose they will lose a lot faster then someone like me who has about 60 lbs to lose. I wouldn't worry. Just don't push yourself past the different "phases" too fast. (1. clear liquid, 2. Adding in protein, 3. Adding in some puréed food, 4. Adding in some soft foods, 5. Carefully eating normal.) these each take a certain number of days or weeks depending on your doctor!! Mine does 1. One week, 2. Three weeks, 3. Two weeks, 4. Three weeks. And then if I calculated that all right I get to eat normally NINE weeks post op.
Every doctor is different though, some more cautious then others.

My second phase was soft/mushy foods, hopefully yours is the same. I've stocked up on a bunch of things - FF refried beans, Hormel 98% FF turkey chili, corned beef hash, thin deli sliced low sodium chicken, ultra thin Sargento cheese slices (so I can do little meat/cheese rolls), reduced fat Wheat Thins with Mexi dip (awesome recipe combining 16 oz. of plain greek yogurt with Hidden Valley Ranch and Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch powders), creamy peanut butter, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad ... just a few things off the top of my head.

Today I actually ate food for bfast, lunch and dinner. It's the most I have had so far and the 1st time I have had meat. I'm almost 4 weeks out. For bfast I ate prob 2 1/2 Tbsp of egg beaters with a little bit of chicken broth to keep moist and a little bit of ketchup. Lunch was veggie bushes baked beans prob 2-3 Tbsp with 1 tsp of light sour cream, all quick blended till smooth and 3 Tbsp of applesauce. Dinner I did a pot roast in the crock pot and I quick blended half a piece, small, with some of the cooking sauce, it was like shredded small. And I tell ya everything was good and went down with no problem, I think I'm on my way....now if I can get all my vitamins in everyday...

How many days of liquid diet did you have to do? 2 weeks
How much weight did you lose during it? 6 pounds :-(
How many days (if any) did you have to stay at the hospital? 2
Did you have any complications?)none :-)
How long after surgery did you try to eat normal food? (non-puréed, etc) 1 month
How soon after surgery did you feel mostly or fully back to normal? 2 months
Please share any extra comments about things you weren't expecting or tips: best decision I ever made!!!

How many days of liquid diet did you have to do? No pre-op liquid diet required except 1 day of Clear Liquids the day before surgery. Nothing by mouth the morning before surgery.
How much weight did you lose during it? 4 pounds
How many days (if any) did you have to stay at the hospital? 1 night, left the next afternoon
Did you have any complications? None so far (Knock on wood)
How long after surgery did you try to eat normal food? (non-puréed, etc) At two weeks out I was allowed to start soft foods and I will be on those for the next 3 months.
How soon after surgery did you feel mostly or fully back to normal? Most days I'm feeling about 80% (I'm 2.5 weeks out). Here and there I have a day where I feel beat.
Please share any extra comments about things you weren't expecting or tips: Gas-X strips have been a lifesaver. Heating pads and walking also help break up the gas you have post-op. I guess I also didn't expect with having no hunger it kinda makes it a chore to eat. I hate eating every 2 hours and I have to set an alarm to make myself. I wish I'd gotten myself into a better schedule of that pre-surgery so it was a habit. I am a little worried when I go back to school that I will have trouble making myself fit in Snacks that I need to get through the day.

How many days of liquid diet did you have to do? 14 to start with, then surgery was delayed so I had 7 more
How much weight did you lose during it? 15 pounds--but the last week I cheated--bad--like there was a baconator involved
How many days (if any) did you have to stay at the hospital? Surgery on Monday afternoon--released Wednesday evening
Did you have any complications? Yes--first surgery was canceled because my heart stopped on the table...second surgery was made more difficult by the constant struggle to keep my heart rate up where it needed to be (this was a reaction to the pressure of the gas in my abdomen--rare but happens) and I had a problem with my drain irritating a nerve and causing a lot of pain
How long after surgery did you try to eat normal food? (non-puréed, etc) Not yet--just 2 weeks out
How soon after surgery did you feel mostly or fully back to normal? I feel about 80% now.
Please share any extra comments about things you weren't expecting or tips: Remember this is a MAJOR surgery. You will need help with your child your first week home. Also--the most useful thing I took to the hospital with me was Biotin spray--mouth moisturizer......get some....it helps so much

How many days of liquid diet did you have to do? two weeks
How much weight did you lose during it? 13 pounds
How many days (if any) did you have to stay at the hospital? I was in the hospital for a day and a half
Did you have any complications? No complications at all.
How long after surgery did you try to eat normal food? (non-puréed, etc) My doctor allows soft solids at about 5 weeks out.
How soon after surgery did you feel mostly or fully back to normal? I woke up with tremendous energy. I haven't lost that yet, so I'm still not back to "normal" (lethargic and tired) at almost a year out!
Please share any extra comments about things you weren't expecting or tips: I wasn't expecting to have so much energy. I wasn't expecting the mental journey I've taken...and am still taking. I wasn't expecting the speed of my weight loss, or that I'd feel like such a different person so quickly.

My surgeon said I couldn't have any ready to drink Protein. I have to make it and drink it within 20 minutes because if you wait, or have ready to drink ones the protein has broken down and has less grams than it would if drank right away.
unjury is what my doc office recommended. I haven't tried it yet but I do have three on hand in different flavors.
My liquid diet starts this Saturday... Terrified of how I'll be to live with. Good luck to you!