Aaron in Tulsa

Non-scale victory. E.g. a new clothing size, fitting on a roller coaster or airplane, or...zip-up boots. :-)

Try www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com. Shelly has a TON of great recipes!

I was cleared to drive as soon as I had been off Lortab for 24 hours, so I was driving by the 4th day after surgery.

I have a 2 yr. old and a 4 yr. old. I learned about two weeks out that I can't eat at the same time as them. If I do, I shovel food in between taking care of the kids' meals. So now I just sit with them while they eat and then have my dinner after they go to bed. That's the only way I can keep from making myself sick.

It's good if you add a bit of Crystal Light powder or MIO. Vanilla extract and sugar substitute is good to, as are any of the Torani sugar-free syrups.

Woot!

I have a desk job as well. Had surgery 10/30 and was back at work 11/8. No problems except sitting up made my incisions ache.

Modified from the blog of one of my doctor's dieticians. Check it out! www.foodcoach.me Mix together 8 oz. softened fat-free cream cheese, 1/2 c. canned pumpkin, 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. nutmeg, 1 t. vanilla. I also added 1 T. Torani sugar-free vanilla syrup. Fold in 8 oz. fat-free Cool Whip. Spread out in a pie plate (no crust) and refrigerate overnight.

I took my whole pills starting the day after surgery with no issues. I asked the doctor if I should crush or get liquids compounded, and he said as long as the pills are no bigger than medium-sized, it's okay to take them. I've been told no NSAIDs (like Ibuprofen) for the rest of my life. Then again, I don't have any chronic problems like arthritis. He may think differently for those patients.

Any protein powder will be finicky in hot water. I have a Blender Bottle that I got at Wal-Mart. It's basically a plastic bottle with a metal whisk ball inside. You just put in the powder and water and shake like mad. The ball really gets rid of the lumps.

They stuck a patch behind my ear before I went into the O.R. I had never had anesthesia before so I don't know if it would typically make me nauseous, but I didn't get nauseous at all.

You will not be overwhelmed with the liquid diet after surgery. For several days, or even weeks, liquids will be all you want. I'm 3 weeks out, eating purees, and I still have to make myself eat. Before surgery...yeah...that sucks. :-)

I feel that way about the word "moist." Of course, that's not the matter at hand, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

I don't remember a thing from the recovery room. In fact, I don't remember anything until about 6 hours after surgery! Evidently, I was talking coherently with my wife in my room, but I don't remember it. When I "came to" 6 hours after surgery, I took a walk and then walked every hour through the night because I couldn't sleep in the hospital bed. Went home the following morning.

I had my surgery at Weight Wise in Edmond, OK. Two hour drive from where I live, but the cost was worth it.

$10295 included surgeon, hospital up to 2 nights, anesthesia, supplies, and unlimited doctor, nutritionist, and exercise consults for 2 years after surgery. For pre-op, I had to pay my normal insurance copay for doctor visits (even though my insurance didn't cover them), $20 for monthly nutritionist consults, and $15 for monthly exercise consults. My insurance did cover labs and I had to pay $50 for my EKG.

Oh yeah...and...I have a home food dehydrator that works like a charm. I'm sure Amazon has lots of them. They're not too expensive, either. I make my own beef jerky, raisins (with grapes that are about to VP bad), lots of stuff.

I've never tried them, but a lot of people rave about baked kale chips. Do a Google search and you'll find lots of recipes. Supposedly they have the texture of a Lays potato chip.

Try mixing ranch dressing mix with Greek yogurt and a bit of milk. Tastes remarkably like the real deal!

Got cleared for purees, which for my doc includes string cheese. (Weird?) I ate a piece of string cheese for dinner and I am stuffed! I could get used to this!

I had nothing inserted into Mr. Happy. I must have gotten lucky.

Happy Sleeving!

I don't think it's that bad to have occasionally unless you have high cholesterol or gout. It's full of cholesterol. I'm partial to chicken livers myself. :-)