RebecaSparkles

So, I bought a bunch of Protein shake samples and have been having one a day for Breakfast to see which ones I like. I usually offer/make my dad and hubby taste them just a single sip if they're around. Today, I was offering a sip of the Cherry Synthrax nectar shake to the hubby and he told me it was nice and then he dropped the following bomb: Yeah, I can drink those if you get them for our 2 week liquid pre-op diet. WHAT? "Our" ????? Then he goes on to elaborate that he plans on doing the liquid pre-op diet with me as he figures he helped me get so fat along the way he can help me get skinny too. Too cute! Anyways, I guess I'll have to ask my NUT about him doing it too...

I really like the dansai liquid Water flavors it comes like mio in the little squirt bottles. Another thought try putting mint leaves & a lime for a mojito flavor- all natural! Try cuecumber slices or put berries in ur water bottle & mash w/spoon. I've had rosemary water at a resturant- water w/ a small sprig of rosemary fresh hanging out in the bottom of the pitcher. allons-y

I just discovered the crock pot liners for those of us too tired to wash the huge thing-u can put just what u want in the bag & cook it without having the big crockpot 1chicken breast problem. allons-y

I actually saw a box to check on my nut intake form for previous diets tried & they had jaw wiring as a diet plan. Wtf?!?! Jaw wiring as weight loss while it works is not a viable option. allons-y

Go to weight watchers & have the leader print out the visit records. It'll list all the times you went & your weights. Its considered a medical record do they have to keep them 7 years & they have to give u a copy if u ask. Have the leader sign the print out. That worked for my kaiser. allons-y

I use lactaid milk & my nut said I could continue post op. It serms scary but its got a nice clean milk flavor. We buy it mainly bc I'm lactose intolerant but also bc it lasts forever in the fridge. I really like it. allons-y

Saw this and had to repost. Pretty layers of Jello, some mixed w/vanilla yogurt poured in a bundt pan and then layered to make a jello cake of sorts. Love it. Soo pretty. allons-y

Hey guys, came across the walden farms products while researching Protein drinks. Anybody tried them? They're zero cal , no sugar no fat : wondering if no flavor? They have salad dressings, dips etc. Just though I'd ask around before buying.

I would skip the alcohol. allons-y

Some callousing is good it protects your feet from wear & tear by shoes & does cushion the delicate bony areas. Callousing along the side of your big toe or little toe is of concern & could be caused by over pronation or improper positioning of your foot as it hits the ground. I personally use a thick lotion and lube up my feet and then put socks on & sleep with the lotion being careful about walking when I wake up. It leaves my feet nicely moisturized. I personally get pedicures 1x a month & they do use a paraffin dip and then a callous remover cream with a pumace stone that I bring with me. I warn against them using ped egg or the razor to shave the extra callous off. You will find that if they really go for it then you are more prone to getting blisters and then are benched from the treadmill/ elliptical. If your callous is very thick & or cracking try going to a podiatrist who can assess your skin/feet & make the proper recommendations. allons-y

Awesome job! Keep up the hard work! I'd discourage the biggest looser bc you can google how horridly they treat the contestants. Make them exercise with injuries & they dehydrate themselves before weigh in so they don't get cut. I think that a good personal trainer that is local to you can be of help. They may be persuaded to take you on probono. I also would look into some Of the freebie fitness routines on youtube/ on demand & have your dr say if they're appropriate for you? Good luck! allons-y

Thank you thank you! Very helpful. allons-y

Super jelly & also happy for you! Yay!!!!!!! Scary & exciting right? allons-y

Be careful with that chipotle mexican grill vinaigrette. I used to work there its all soy oil. We calculated 1/4 cup of oil per 2oz serving. So it adds up quick. Also, they use oil in the rice so it doesn't stick together & is spoonable. Even the miranade now has extra oil & honey added into it bc they switched to a flattop grill it will stick & not brown w/o the honey & oil. The chicken is thigh meat, the pork is the shoulder cut, the steak standards have gone down & they now leave the fat on it. The barbacoa is probably your best bet. Just saying use moderation. allons-y

Try one of those gel seat cushions. Like the kind people with wheelchairs use. Or if your office will allow one of those giant balls. Or you can try one of those inflatable donuts. allons-y

I call bs. It sucks and I'm not gonna sugar coat that. Either find another surgeon or stick it out. Maybe present your case to the dr? Agree to do 1 month pre-op & then 2 months post op? allons-y

I had a yummy spread at a fancy resturant that was cottage cheese ( the large curd) with green onion and roasted garlic. It was really good. And I generally dislike cottage cheese. allons-y

Did u try making Syntrax nectars popsicles? I really liked the cherry& lemonade flavors. Tasted like watered down Jello. Or did you try making the Protein balls? Protein hot chocolate? Protein shake & SF torani syrup? Hang in there ! allons-y

I'm with u kat. I too love love love diet coke. But, its gotta go. I just can't stop myself pre-op 6 months out. Maybe when I'm closer like you I'll do better. allons-y

You can also message member services via the message service on kp.org. I did and it was nice bc I got an answer instead of an I don't know. They pulled current pricing from another member & then applies my plan to give me a quote on my responsibilitys ( copay/deductible/coinsurance) allons-y

Hello, So, trying to calculate how much my portion of the bill will be after my insurance's negotiated rates... I have a 30% co-insurance and a $1000 deductible. I suspect I'll be staying overnight and thus not be able to be billed as outpatient services and instead will be billed as inpatient services? I know I'll be paying my deductible and the co-pays are fine. I can handle those. Just worried about getting a $4,800 bill for 30% of a 16K surgery/hospital stay. For that price I can go to Mexico and not have to jump through hoops. So, for those of you with insurance how much did you have to pay?

Okay so I followed y'alls advice and I found a nifty ask member services messaging button on my insurance's website. I emailed them and asked for a quote of what my costs could be. Here's what they wrote. Dear Ms. BANKS, Thank you for your inquiry. The gastrrectomy generally costs around $3000; your benefits would require you to satisfy a deductible of $1000 by paying the first $1000 out-of-pocket, then you would be responsible for just 30% of the remaining charges. if the math and price quote stays consistent, then you can expect to pay about $1600 [worse case]. So... not bad. I did get info that you can sometimes ask the hospital to negotiate your co-pay/co-insurance. I'll totally try that. Worst case, they say no.

So, Today Was Visit 2 which was a 1 on 1 with the LD NUT. I actually liked her, I very rarely like NUT's, but she's leggo McPreggo and about to leave for maternity. I was kinda upset about that so she agreed to go into the computer and make my next 2 visit appointments for me yay! We discussed my Fluid and food records. (thank god for My Fitness Pal) She gave me a goal of eating less lean cuisines and more veggies. I hate veggies. I loathe veggies. I agreed to eat more salads but we'll see how that goes. As long as I don't gain and meet my goal of losing the required 3% I don't see why it much matters what I eat pre-op 6 months out. If I were 2-3 months yea, I get it, make changes make them stick so it's not a shock. Anyways, I'm down a total of 7.6# so I made my 3% in one month!!!! I got the stomach flu going around my office and have been pukey lukey all weekend, not really eating too much. Wasn't easy, really sucked actually. But, I'm a maintainer. I can keep it within 2-3 pounds from now to August. I figure I'll do a unofficial pre-op liquid diet to shave off any remaining pounds when I get closer to the finish line.

Can I cheat and copy your sample menu's?

Some insurances make you lose a certain % of your body weight before you can even submit for approval. Like mine is 3% so 7 lbs for me. Some are 10%. I plan on crash dieting w/ a non official pre-op shakes diet for 2 weeks right before final weigh in. Just to be sure I make the cut. I talked to someone who was delayed a few months until she lost her %. Its more of a good faith effort to show your commited to change. allons-y