gowalking

so...here come the emotional issues welling up...spoke to someone I'm very close to last night, who loves me, but also has a terrible way of making me feel unworthy. I've gotten much better at letting that stuff roll off my back and even calling him on it (with the help of therapy) but it rears it's ugly head now and then, and I think because I'm feeling particularly vulnerable right now, it's more apparent. This person congratulated me on already losing some 17 lbs or so..but of course mentioned that it was surely mostly water loss...so that's a dig right there. Then last night, same person asked how I was feeling and doing, and then had to mention they were at dinner at an Italian restaurant eating eggplant parm and it was delicious. Would you tell an alcoholic you were at a bar and downing a delicious cold beer? I would hope not. I told this person that his comments were not nice and there was no reason for saying what he did and he realized it was a cruel thing to do because he got embarrassed and tried to make a joke out of it. An apology would have been better. Anyway...just wanted to get that off my chest so I can let it go and move on. Thanks to you all for letting me vent in what feels like a safe place to do so.

I'm six days post-op and I drink slimfast...that helps to fill you up, and I've started to have thicker soups...that helps as well. The worst day was Friday. My sister stopped by and we ordered in chinese food. I had the soup but it was hard watching her eat dumplings and such so I grabbed an ice pop and it helped to be 'eating' something while she was doing same. Hang in there...I understand for sure...I dream of eating an egg again, or tuna or chicken salad..chopped very fine...which I've been told I can have once I go to the mushies stage.

Hi all. Question to those who have graduated to mushies. How is it going, what types of food are you eating, are you pureeing everything? Any insight is appreciated. I'm 5 days banded so I'm curious about the next stage. :

I had my surgery Monday and stayed overnight. It was the right thing for me to do. Having the nurses there to monitor my pain, my vital signs, and just keeping an eye on me was good. It was not comfortable, and you don't sleep well, but there is a feeling of safety just in case when you stay the night.....

thanks for that hint. Not even close yet for a first fill....just got banded on Monday but am appreciative for any advice related to what will come later on.

I had my surgery on Monday. They were very good about pain meds in the hospital...I stayed overnight. I also got a scrip for liquid vicodin for home.

Hi all...thanks for all the good wishes out there. Glad to have heard from you Moses...was getting concerned. Had the surgery yesterday, stayed overnight and got home today. So glad to be on the other side. Not as bad as I had feared. Lots of belly soreness, but no gas pain and the pain killers have worked on my knee so I am waling and moving around much better than I had expected. Some nausea upon awakening in recovery, but got a shot and have been OK since. Have been drinking water and crystal lite...and a little jello. Not very motivated to drink so much but I know I have to. Not truly hungry but am wondering how I'll be in a couple more days once the pain decreases. Have a post op appointment at the doctor next Wednesday. Have to get an esophagram to check that everything is working correctly. Very glad that I am able to work from home so no need to rush back to the office.

good luck R-Sheryl...I have to be at the hospital at 9 tomorrow. I'm presuming a couple of hours of stuff before I'm actually on the table. Staying overnight...will go home Tuesday morning.

great new cofoner. hope you are feeling better tomorrow

thanks to those who provided some comments about post-op experiences. I got the call a little while ago. Have to be at the hospital at 9 Monday morning. Just want to get it over with. Trying not to go on the scale all the time so I just weighed myself at the pre-op testing last week, and again today. Twelve days on the pre-op diet...ten and a half pounds down. I'm not much of a cook and the kids are on their own so my hope for eating once everything settles down is to be able to do as I used to...pick up food pre-made at the grocery store but instead of baked ziti....a piece of salmon, and some mashed potato with it...small portions, and a full belly so I don't graze the rest of the night. That would make me very happy.

question....for those who are on the 'other side', how has it been on the liquid diet? are you tolerating the liquids OK? Are you hungry? my surgery is Monday and I'm keeping an eye on all your comments so I have a better idea of what to possibly expect in terms of all things post-op.

mine is monday also. more nervous than excited. i wish it was over. moses_nyc had hers this past monday at NYU whre I'm having mine done. I haven't seen her post since she got home...i hope she is doing ok.

today is day 9 for me...5 more to go. Some days are better than others, some moments are better than others. It's a struggle but I have no choice. If I don't do this surgery, I won't be able to walk soon because my arthritis is so bad. I am so looking forward to some real food in the future...even if it is pureed. So many people are sick with flu and colds that I'm holed up in my apartment and trying to stay away from everyone so I don't get sick too...not this close to the surgery anyway.

thanks FFP. I found out at my GP yesterday that the blood thinner is a daily injection...which I'm not about to do. So I'm staying overnight for sure...my arthritis makes it very hard for me to walk and all I see everyone say is to walk walk walk post surgery. I do hope that I'll be able to do that....it's my biggest concern about the procedure.

wonderful to hear from you moses. was thinking about you all day. so glad you are done with the surgery. i'm staying overnight when I have the surgery....dr. ren thinks it's better for me because I have so much trouble walking. went to my gp today for final clearance. let me know if you'll be going to the support group at nyu. I was thinking of doing it to hear from others and get support.

a week after you...on the 14th.

yeah..it was a tossup for me..her or him. I went with her because I know someone else who used her and was happy with her. Please keep me posted on the experience and how you are doing once you can come back online. Also...are you staying overnight or going home the same day? I've been told to stay overnight but I haven't cleared it with the office or Nilsa yet.

Hi Moses...good luck to you. you asked who my surgeon was since we are both doing this at NYU and I wrote back Dr. Ren-Fielding. Who is doing your surgery?

Hi Betsy...I'm on a mostly liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery. I'm allowed slimfast and glucerna shakes and have tried all the slimfast and they are pretty good. so is the chocolate glucerna. I'm starting to gag on the low sodium broth with veggies...switched to broccoli to see if that helps. the green beans and cauliflower are making my stomach turn after a week. I wish I only had to do the diet for three days instead of two weeks.

Dr. Ren is doing my surgery as well. are you happy with her? I know she's not particularly warm and fuzzy, which is fine...I'm more concernd with her doctor skills rather than her people skills.

thanks for the feedback. am very concerned about blood clots...lost my husband due to that very thing. surgeon is putting me on blood thinners after surgery to lessen the chance of anything happening because I may not be so mobile. I figured worst case...I walk the hallway of my floor as best I can.

Hi R-Sheryl. I'm also having the surgery on 1/14. Went for my pre-op appointment today and am down 5 lbs. in 5 days. Good luck to you and all of us making this journey!

Hi Moses...Dr. Ren-Fielding. What about you? Who is your surgeon? You are a week ahead of me...wishing you all the best for an easy surgery and recovery.

good luck alicelopes! Visiting your neck of the woods is something I've wanted to do for the longest time. I am a true Anglophile and want to see all the places I've read about....in London mostly...Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, London Bridge, a ride on the Thames, St. Pauls, Westminster...I could go on and on. That is surely one of my goals after losing the weight and getting my knee replaced.

This is day 2 of my pre-op diet and I'm hungry..not gonna lie about that. I'm also dealing with very bad arthritis in my right knee and not allowed to take any more anti-inflammatory meds because they thin the blood. So...I'm hungry and am in pretty bad pain...not a good combo. But...I did this to myself by letting the weight pile on and make my situation that much worse. My primary goal is not to look better, but to be more mobile and in less pain. I will still need a knee replacement but at least after weight loss, I should have a better outcome. My orthopedist told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't do well without losing weight first. I want to be able to walk without a cane again and to make it more than a block before having to stop and sit. I'm only 54 but I feel like I'm 90. I want to travel again, to sit on the floor with my granddaughter and play with her...or to ride a bike with her...all the things people take for granted unless they can't do them. That's what I'm trying to focus on instead of not being able to eat a half a box of pasta at a single sitting.... Anyone on this thread in the NYC area? I'm having my surgery at NYU...I was supposed to do this in November, but Hurricane Sandy closed the hospital for all this time and I wanted to wait until it was back up and running.