Jordien

haha! no, I have dreamed the most bizarre things in the past 5 days!

omg I love this. I have several posts I want to print and hang up in my house. you're an inspiration tiffykins.

How many kiddos do you girls have? Extra challenges recovering from something like this with little dependent kids at home wanting hugs. My little guy is so adorable, he makes a huge deal of kissing my hand!! He's like Mommy I'm going to put a million kisses on your hand so I don't hurt your belly! So then he's attacking my hand, kissing it. So sweet. I didn't have the heart to tell him that was my IV hand and it hurt like hell. lol.... My kids are 7 and 4. Oldest is a girl, youngest a boy. I went through an appendectomy when she was 6 months. Tough. I refused to rest and recover then and insisted on not slowing down. Then I went through having a new baby with a toddler around... tough, but I think you kinda have to adjust and let the older one learn to do some things on their own! lol! Then going through lapband last summer. I think even a year ago I notice a difference in their independence. They are so much able to do more this time around, not so needy of me. I still have the mommy guilt, but I am not letting it bring me down. I think I'll always have it for some reason!! But they are doing okay. My daughter always wants to see my belly and wants me to explain things to her. She's so serious. She'll be my doctor some day. Little guy like I said just is lovable and doesn't want his mommy to hurt. My daughter keeps saying.. mommy you are going to get so healthy and shrink up just like me and then we're going to be able to be healthy as a family and do things together. She GETS IT!!! Check in mommies!

I agree.. not a choice for me to be trying TOO early. Hey pizza really can be a healthy food if we made it ourselves with the thin crust and healthy olive oil, veggies, fresh part skim cheese, right? Like they do in Italy? I wonder how many of the Angelo's "specials" my husband and I have ordered and demolished in our lifetimes. You know the type I'm talking about, right? Man... the thought of it now really makes me shake my head.

So on stage 2.. tomato soup is okay? I love it and would love to have that to look forward to after these clear liquids. Yeah.. biding my time is a good way to put it, I agree! lol... Erica.. I'm sipping on crystal light, healthy shot protein shots or proasis healthy shots diluted a little as like an all day juice to sip on. I have chicken broth for my "meals." About a 1/2c to 1c. Just warmed up in the microwave. I have found Swanson natural goodness chicken my favorite. Hated the Emeril vege. stock. Emeril Beef was okay. Emerail chicken was good, but I liked the good ole swanson my mom always used, so I am getting that in the cardboard type container. It doesn't have much protein in it though. Monday I'm expecting my unjury.com chicken broth protein to arrive, and I used that before for a chicken soup w 20g of protein in it. I've also moved to jello and popsicles today. Crystal Light popsicles.. my hubby found them at walmart. no sugar at all and good. fills me up.. weird. I couldn't finish a popsicle earlier and had to put it in a dish on the counter. lol. I also had some decaf. green tea w/ honey. That was good. Both are clear liquids. what else? I guess that's it. So exciting huh? ANohter WEEK of this stage for me! How about you?

cool you may have been in the same hospital!?! lol.... My nurse said while 60g of Protein is a good daily measure in general, during these first two weeks, just aim for 40g. So I'm averaging 30-40 a day right now. Not sure how many total ounces of liquid. I've also moved to Jello and popsicles. OMG my husband found crystal light popsicles in walmart. Very good and sugar free. Sorry I may have already mentioned this. lol... ALso.. does anyone still have Fluid in their lungs, like a coughing/wheezing kind of sound? I am trying to deep breathe as much as I can and cough strongly to keep my lungs clear, but it's tough. Would an inhaler help too? ANy thoughts?

Good post Mary. I think we all have a little of that feeling. Just curious what really WILL happen if we eat or drink something. I think your scenario is the perfect one though, just proving that you really don't need the soda in your life anyway. And when you really feel like a nice sip.. you can have it, be fine, and then dump the rest. Man, I SO want to get to this feeling in my life with so many foods. If I can have a few bites of birthday cake and dump the rest of the plate, that to me will be the success of my life. I'm always the one at the kids parties trying to get the biggest corner piece and then figuring out how I can sneak another one. Is it really possible that that will change???? Ahhh!!! As for the alcohol, I was thinking I'd be off alcohol for the most part until the holidays maybe? I wonder if the acidity is the reason they say not to start with red wine?

Good Luck to all the September Sleevers out there, recovering or preparing. I haven't worn pants since the day I had to put them on to come home from the hospital. I live in nightgowns. I'm so relieved I have the freedom to do that! LOL!! Still healing here and getting better every day. I agree, sleeping is weird. Between the pain jabs here and there and (for me) the coughing and then the thoughts in my mind... it's not easy. I think pain meds whack out your mind a little too. Weird dreams when I DO sleep!!

Here's a version of the soup. I hope you like it! 1 TB Olive Oil 2 chopped onions 5 or 6 slivered garlic cloves 1 bunch broccoli, chopped up 4 medium all purpose potatoes - peeled and cubed 1/8 tsp nutmeg 5 cups chicken stock (i used swanson natural goodness for lower sodium and fat) 1 cup of 1% milk S&P red pepper flakes 1 handful of 2% shredded cheddar cheese (optional) Heat Oil, add onions, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add broccoli, potatoes, nutmeg & stock. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer gently, covered 20 minutes. In blender (magic bullet) in batches process until pureed. Return puree to pot, stir in milk, S&P, pepper flakes if you'd like. Set over moderate heat for 5 minutes or heated through. (I let mine cool a bit before processing, so I usually have to heat it back up, which takes a little longer) I add a small bit of shredded cheese to my bowl or mug. One note I made at bottom: make sure broccoli is cooked. I guess my broccoli was undercooked a bit the first time I made it? Not sure. ANyway I hope you like it!

I just made my own last week for my husband.. since we had a fresh basil plant. Mmm I used the fresh mozz. too and a little sauce. Really good and thin/crisp. I used a pillsbury pizza dough from the dairy aisle and it was okay. But I'll bet a homemade one is even better. Gonna check it out, thanks!

that's amazing!!! I love those "decades" that we hit. feels good!

Congratulations Coops!! Posts like this give me hope and courage and a lot of positive vibes. I am only 5 days out. I can't wait to write my 3 month post op thread!! GOod for you! You should be proud!

I love this post. I might have to print it and hang it up. Good for you georgie! I especially like the line "sometimes with wings and salad" sounds familiar... this gives me good hope too!

Ooh OKay, that's what I was thinking. I'm def. interested in hearing which ones you like when you start, okay? Thanks! Hmmm, you are 5 days ahead of me. So when you are enjoying your campbells healthy request cream of chicken Soup.. I'll still be sipping swanson natural goodness broth. (lol!) I like the double potassium and lower sodium... that sounds perfect for me. I am on high BP meds, and those are two things I always look for. Thanks again! p.s. I have a cream of broccoli soup recipe if anyone is interested. It's tasty and I THINK it's healthy.. doesn't look like it has too many bad things in it, if any.

I found this... check it out. GOod luck! https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/kpweb/healthency.do?hwid=tc4128spec

I'm not changing my steristrips. I thought tthose were important to keep our incisions closed! All I have to change is the padding over the jp drain. I think you should just give a call to your nurse or something and check in. Plus if you're weak and feeling awful, how can you think straight? Try some Protein. It helped me a lot. I found the proasis protein shots at riteaid and most drugstores have them, even if they're nasty. it helped with the weakness feling and stuff. Feel better!!! (((Hugs))))

Hi Becca. I think we moms of little ones have an extra challenge. I feel very lucky that my kiddos are 7 and 4 now and pretty independent, plus my husband has been SO helpful with them. When they are were so little, I didn't think anyone could take care of them better than me and insisted on doing things. I really think we are smart to put ourselves first (for once.) Rest, let the kids go to grandma's. As long as they are fed and clean and healthy. Hell, even clean.. who cares? They are safe, that's what matters. Just a week or two to really put yourself first and don't go overboard. Then the payoff will come after. They will be better off for it, because we will be healthy and happy! We'll have to find a little band to sleeve moms threads to keep in touch! Good luck!

this doesn't count as a clear liquid, does it?

and you sure titled it right. That was a last-minute-freakout if I ever saw one. lol....

Carrie I am so happy to read your post. Did you see what you wrote? The worst is not getting down on the floor and playing with them??? Good for you!!! Of course you will play with them again, and they will be fine. I'm just so glad you're not in worse pain and a worse state, given your first post. I said to my girlfriend earlier who asked me did is hurt as much as you thought it would. I said.. I don't think that it hurts more or less. I think we FORGET that pain and those first few days. I've had two babies (one with no epidural working) an appendectomy, a lapband.. I mean heavy stuff, and no one can really take away those first two days of pain in the hospital. Ugh!! But we get through. And here we are, recovering. Good for you! I'm so proud of you!

Thanks you guys for thinking of me. Well, it was hell for a few days, I won't lie. But wow can't get over how much better I feel with every passing day. Getting out of that hospital was really important. I had general anxiety just being there. Every time someone came in for SOMETHING.. I was just like ugh.. please, enough. Recovering though. Enjoying my chicken broth and jello, trying to find new variety of things to have, and there isn't much. My husband found crystal light popsicles at walmart. I ordered some unjury chicken soup broth, which I've had before.. not amazing tasting, but gets chicken soup in you along with 20g protein. I think keeping protein up is important. Anyway, I have to continue on with what I'm doing and see my surgeon on Wednesday. He will snip the stitch and take this drain out. (can't wait for that) and hopefully after that I will really start to feel back to normal. I am working on my grocery list for stage two, which doesn't start until October 3rd, yikes! I'd better chill out and be paitent. HOw's everyone doing? My doc gave my husband pictures from the surgery, saw the band, the stomach part removed, really fascinating. I just looked at them today. Can't believe that band is gone!

Mine was 2 hours. I was surprised at that.

Maria... I was just thinking how crazy it is that I feel like cleaning counters, bathrooms, straightening things, organizing.. and I'm only having 1/2 cup of broth here, a jello or two there, a protein drink. I am totally mentally energized. Not sure where that comes from. My husband asked me to please stop talking last night. lol!

Through reading here and doing my own thinking, I have decided I'm going to try to avoid the scale. I don't think I even want to put up a ticker. I just think I want to avoid getting into the battle with the scale, seeing a number I want, etc. Back in the old days, we'd go to WW once a week and get on the scale there, and that was how we did it. I don't know if I can stick to this, but I am going to try. Once a week weigh-ins, that's it. Who's with me? Monday morning seems the obvious choice, or a Friday morning. Hmmm...

Congratulations on it being done! These days seem rough, I was two days before you. I think if we get through this first week, that's saying something! Better and better each day!