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Welcome home Carolyn, So glad you found the experience to be a positive one and that you were able to find such an accomodating hotel. I too heard the dogs and wished the beds were a little bigger, but it never occured to me to go elsewhere to recover, as I was alone. I too am curious as to what the extra expenses came to, as I am going back there with my family in January, and if it is not too much, that may be an option for us. Wonder if it cools down there in January? As I understand it, there are only 2 bedrooms on the upper level that share a bathroom, the others have them ensuite, with walk-in closets. Yes, the smell of the cooking was quite poignant, but with the surgery, I really didn't want any, but the food did smell delicious! How far away was that hotel? and did the recovery house staff go there more than to drive you and to take out your pouch? Thanks in advance for answering our inquiring minds questions... so nice to have you on the losing side, once again, welcome back. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

Nice loose street clothes for coming home in as your tummy will be bloated, Your own pjs or gown and robe is nice, a magazine to riffle through, a notepad and pen to jot down things they suggest for you, a camera is nice, hairbrush, wash cloths, lip stuff (chap stick or gloss) Gas X strips, ask for meds there for acid reflux or soreness etc. Extra panties to tuck your tube and pouch into, slippers or socks for walking around the floors with, a change of clothing for getting to the hospital and any outings afterwards. Don't know where you are going or how long your stay will be but these are the basics I found I needed three weeks ago when I had mine done in Tijuana. Relax, and enjoy the experience, you'll be just fine! Cheeers, Donna

Hi Tara, Yes, you are a beautiful woman and you will only get better with weight loss. I, on the other hand, will likely look older ~sigh~ but I am on the other side of the age spectrum. Congrats on getting in with Dr. Almanza, he is fantastic. As to gas, try taking along some GAs-X strips that melt in your mouth. Yes they will give you meds for it if needed. But the best advice is to walk it off as much as you can. Are you going there alone? I did, and it was quite an adventure for me, as I didn't have all the answers for my age, but did have the support of this community. The pouch is left until day 4 if I remember correctly, you will be glad when you see how many times it needs emptying that you have it and that your body is not having to reabsorb all that fluid. For most peolple taking the tube out was uncomfortable but not painful. Mine seemed to be caught up in there so it was not pleasant at all!!! but we managed. After that it was a cinch to dress properly and go sightseeing! they are great there, you are never alone for outings, always a driver and a nurse or doctor along. My daughter is going there in January, and my sister too! They are bringing me along with them, how nice is that! All will go well, I assure you. Donna

Hopefully mine is over too, down 3 lbs this am...thank God!

:tongue2: I sure can't use THAT as an excuse! how long do these stalls last is my question?

Today I had yogurt with my crushed up pill for arthritis pain (shoulders)later 1/2 can Ensure w fiber, later a baby bel with some applesauce. A late lunch of 3 low fat Breton Crackers topped with light smoked salmon cream cheese and a top layer of salmon. Supper was 3/4 cup Wonton soup - I ate three tiny meat balls that were inside the noodles (but not the noodles) and a nice shrimp from my husbands meal. snack was whey protein in 1/3 cup skim milk. total about 670 calories and 60 grams protein. Very satisfying, Cheers, Donna

~sigh~ Now I am going through that 3 week stall. It is frustrating all right! scale doesn't want to budge this week. oh well, at least you guys warned us about that and we too shall get through it. In the meantime, however, it is no fun!

Yea Ange! It is so liberating, I know I felt that right off the bat after the surgery. You have put into words why we are doing this, and it is so true. Wonderful to get such a positive message like yours out there. Thanks so much for sharing your feelings and joy about the results you are experiencing! And only after 2 months! Terrific, girl! Cheers, Donna

Oh yes, we shall meet before long that is for sure. Re the post op recommendations you were asking about, I was remiss about one thing - the Protein supplementation. Missed the page that talked about supplements for the first 3 weeks and then for after that. That is where the Protein shakes etc come in - high in protein and super low in sugar (less than 6 grams per serving) this is where they say 50 - 70 grams protein a day, and approx 550 - 700 calories a day. So far I have been in those parameters. Tonight I steamed some salmon, and feel overfull with 2 1/2 ozs. Bloated me right up, too. That is all I had tho...~sigh~ I was getting tired of soup, ate the last at noon. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

good for you Jenn, almost ready to start your new life! It'll be here before you know it! Let your dr take out your stitches (if any) and give you a once over. Cheers, Donna

Yes, indeed, much less strict. In the recovery house we helped ourselves to cream Soups (watered well down mind you) and even mini puddings. The guidelines they gave us to take home was for Clear liquids, natural strained fruit juices and Gelatin the first week. Second week apple and pear puree, Soup broths added to the liquids. Third week chopped fruit (tiny pieces) and whole vegetable juices added. Fourth - 6th week all kinds of soft foods, tuna, chicken breast, cereals, fruit pieces, crackers, yogurt , peas etc... BUT: they also said we could follow the guidelines form the Cornell Weight Loss Surgery Program given for the sleeve if we wanted. In there, they have bariatric clears for the first 2-4 meals, then progresses to surgery pureed while in the hospital, and they were discharged with a home soft diet, which included benderized meat, poultry, soft poached eggs, low fat cottage cheese, sugar free puddings, unsweetened applesauce, pureed anned peaches not in syrup, mashed ripe bananas, blended soft cooked vegetables, or overcooked an fork mashed. oatmeal, grits and farina. Being that I have aways had a good stomach (no morning sickness or motion sickness, only ever felt nausea was when I really pigged out or drank too much and then it wasn't too bad.) I felt I could see what is was that I could tolerate from both of these. Not one of these talked about whey Protein, but started those early on after I got home. So I have experimented and found the only thing that gave me the runs was when I added a store bought asparagus ready made soup. So went back to my own recipes for soups and still on them. I try out stuff from the Cornell one lots and more (crackers for eg as well as the babybel cheese) So, I am not so strict on myself because I know myself and use my commmon sense a lot! After the four weeks, they say to gradually advance to solids. Hope this answers your question. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

Jenn Actually you will be able to eat crackers and chees a month out from surgery, or shrimp, stuff like that, if it is a dinner, mashed potatoes, soft meat chewed well, soft veggies, Just chew everything well, take your time, no one will even notice. Crackers are far easier to chew to nothing I have discovered. I nivbble on the cheese, I am just over 2 weeks post op and I wouldn't be afraid to go to any function right now even! As to the declarations, just check for destination - thru to MX. Don't need a reason why or anything. These forms get filled out on the plane and the stewardess will help if you need it. Coming home you go thru customs here, easy as pie! Don't sweat the small stuff dear, it is mostly common sense! Cheers, Donna

Today I tried Breton Crackers (low fat low sodium) topped with Kraft light cream cheese with smoked salmon - just two and it was enough til I get around to my Protein shake. I have been eating poached eggs for almost a week now they went down just great, w a little teeny bit of butter and salt and pepper, nummy! I am into week 3 post op and it has been amazing so far! Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

OK here is the soup I am currently eating: Homemade Vegetable Soup: 2 cups diced tomatoes & juice if using canned, peeled if using fresh 1 med. size onion chopped 1 cup carrots chopped 1 cup potato chopped 2 cups of other vegetables (your choice) what you have on hand.. (I went with canned green Beans and corn, should've left out the corn at this stage,) 1 quart chicken broth *optional: cover a chicken breast with Water and cook for 15 minutes - add the chiken chopped and the water. Add salt, pepper, garlic pdr to taste and it may even need a chicken bouillon cube depending on the amount of extra liquids go in from canned veggies & chicken breast. Check for taste. Add parsley and lemon juice at serving. Bring to a full rolling boil, then let simmer til everything is nice and tender. always good leftover. *Tip for future soup making - keep a container in the freezer that you put in the cooking water from any veggies that you cook or steam, and when it is full, time to make soup, just add it to the pot as you go along, great for the flavour and the nutrients.

No not tired of the soup so much as I love my homemade Soups, this one is chicken vegeatable, and I am not blending it up everything is so soft already, just chew on the chicken pieces til tiny! My eyes are bigger than my stomach, I took more in my bowl last night and could only eat 3/4 of it. Wanted so badly to finish it off, (my mother's training - clean off your plate, starving children etc etc) but left it! Had to! John bought pumpkin pie - I took a taste of the filling, not as good as mine but hey I am not eating it either! Don't know the answer to the rows of staples he uses but no definitely NO oversewing. I'll try to find out for sure why and let you know, if I can. We have had unbelievably cold unseasonable weather here, SNOW on the ground can you believe! for Thanksgiving! So NOT fair! Out leaves haven't even turned colours yet - they are on the trees - all green yet. grump grump!

has anyone tried this soup yet? Thanks Dr Pleatman for the ground cumin suggestion, I will add that for sure next time. I don't know about fresh coriander though, have to see if supermarkets here carry it, could I just grind up a touch of dried coriander and sprinkle that on? I am going to make it again as soon as I finish with the chicken vegeatable soup I made - it is very good too, but have had to pick out the corn in it as I realize that may be hard on the tummy this early out. anybody interested in that recipe? can be made without corn! Cheers, Donna

Hey, My fellow Canadians, Hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving day today! No turkey here for us unfortunately, but I asked hubby what he wanted to do special, I suggested going out so that he could have a turkey dinner but he said no. I rhymed off what meats were in the freezer for him to choose, and he picked steak for making swiss steak (you know done in tomato sauce and onions, simmered for hours?) So that is what I will be cooking for him today. Me, Soup again! LOL! once again, Happy Thanksgiving! Donna

I am on the mushie stage less than 2 weeks post op - put myself on it, as it seemed to agree with me. Bill, just know that you don't HAVE to blend all your food, simply mash it somewhat so that the pieces are smaller than what would fit in a straw. I make homemade Soups and find that I can chew the soft chicken and veggies in it without pre mashing them. you can eat eggs cut up small, soft meats same way, not most beef and pork yet tho, ground beef in a meatloaf you could, Baby bel cheese is enjoyable nibbled on, Peanut Butter on a spoon makes a great lolipop! Dr Betancourt gives you lots of ideas for after your surgery. Liquids only are for such a small time, if your new tummy can handle more, go for it I say. They also refer us to the Cornell Weight Loss Center's post op diet for sleeve patients and they are on mushies their last day in the hospital and are sent home with a soft diet to be followed for just three weeks, so if you look that up online you can see what else you can have fairly early on. All the best, Donna:001_cool:

Well-Known Health Tips That No Longer Apply Posted by: eggs In recent decades eggs have been demonized as being loaded with fat and cholesterol to such an extent that doctors were recommending that adults limit consumption to a few per week or else eat those tasteless egg substitutes. But the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to have much effect on blood cholesterol levels. And eggs are high in many essential Vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Aspirin Therapy A daily, low dose of aspirin can help prevent heart attacks for people with coronary heart disease. But it?s a bad idea to be on aspirin when a vessel in your stomach or brain starts to bleed. The latter is called a hemorrhagic stroke. And there?s no evidence that daily aspirin can prevent heart disease in people who are already healthy. So by taking aspirin, you can seriously increase this risk of a hemorrhagic stroke or internal bleeding with absolutely no benefit to compensate for the risk. Sources: Live Science September 18, 2009 Found this article interesting and worth sharing, not that I am a runner (not yet anyway), but I do love eggs and this is good news for me. I always maintained that Margarine was "evil"! My mom became a believer in margarine and foisted it upon us, always hated it! My dad died at age 56 , and I am sure the consumption of hard margarine (all there was back then) contributed somewhat to his hardening of the arteries!

I've only been sleeved 12 days now, but I am noticing the fat going from my face and hands first. Congrats on you 20 kg! Awesome, I think when you are closer to goal weight you may find that tummy fat melting too, My midsection is primarily where I need to lose so am hoping that at goal wieght it will be reduced enough for my good health! Continues success with your weight loss journey.