dexter

I love my camelback. Has a bite straw so minimizes extra gas. The only 'straw' my surgeon approves. Instead of tipping it back, just bite & sip.

I was sleeved 11/13 & Couldn't escape thanksgiving. Mom required it. There are just 5 of us but she has food out everywhere. I prepped the turkey, made a cranberry dish & caesar salad dressing. That's what I was told to do. She's set me a dish and wanted me to eat mashed potatoes & pie. And she came with me to my diet class! She has my eating list! What gets me is that I'm just realizing how POINTLESS our thanksgiving is! It's all about eating. Nothing but eating all day long! We do nothing else! It's just getting more depressing as we go on and I can't wait for it all to be over.

Before surgery, I had my group of friends tell me if there is anything I need to just ask. After surgery, I let everyone know that I'd love it if someone would come pick me up and take me out for some hot tea. Guess how many came to my aid? Yep! Zero. And this after I'd helped some out of tight spots, helped move, been a shoulder, etc. recently, a strictly online friend of mine made the best statement that I need to remember: " If you can't be my friend when it is inconvenient, you don't deserve to be my friend when it is a benefit." It's time for us to take care of us. Viva la revolution!

I'm constantly cold now. I've had my little space heater on at night to stay warm. It's even forced my cold loving hubby to sleep in the spare room! And my temp stays lower as well. It hovers around 97.5 ish. This is such a crazy journey!

I've found that a strategically placed panty liner is a small insurance policy. Better to have an oops on the liner than have to change the whole bottom half of your outfit.

Yasmine, I wouldn't even count that hospital gain. Everyone gains in the hospital. My nurse said anywhere from 5-10 lbs. just all the stuff they put in you while you're there. And as quickly as it mysteriously is gained, it seems to go away pretty quickly too.

Go ahead and vent away! I'm making my cranberry salad, deviled eggs, ceasar salad, mashed potatoes AND prepping the turkey. Gawd! I want to eat those darned potatoes! Afraid of little pieces. I'm like you and cook by memory and taste. Big changes are in store for us. Hang in there! Friday you can make some killer turkey stock!

Take a look at unsweetened almond milk. I think its just 40 cal. for 8oz and more protein.

I just feel used and very angry. And getting angry hurts my new stomach. Crying hurts my stomach. I guess sad and alone are better than people who let me down.

And the number of true friends I have is ZERO! I have moved people (last one was 4 freaking days after my surgery - had to enlist help of my kids), helped others through problems, taken them out to chase away blues, given rides, etc. I asked one thing of my 'friends'. That during my recovery to just save me and take me out for tea to help stave off getting depressed or stir crazy. And do you know how many have called to see if I want to get out? Yep. Zero. I'm forgotten. At least it feels that way. Kids in school, hubby at work. My car tire has a slow leak that hubby keeps forgetting about so I can't get to gym. No support groups nearby. No meetup groups (unless I want to go to the Ron Paul group or anarchists group). Just me. I'm just done doing anything for people. Next time someone asks for my help, I just may be too busy for them.

I'm so glad I'm not alone! Just last night I was wondering why I can drink so quickly all of the sudden! I'm 6 days out now. I was even trying to 'test' myself and taking big drinks. I'm kind of hoping for puréed restriction a bit. Guess ill see here in another week. What will be hard is not wanting to speed phases up because we feel good.

Tmi- last night I was worried about no poop since the day before surgery (six days). I don't like introducing more chemicals into my body so I did a warm water enema. Not fleet but plain warm water through an enema bag. Works immediately. Doesn't dehydrate you at all. It hydrates and enlarges your colon a little to let things flow easier. I was farting up a storm before hand so I know my bowels were working just fine. But I feel oh so much better this morning with a more squishy belly. Everything is just haywire until it all figures out how to work with its smaller counterpart. We'll get there.

Awww. Thank you guys.

The heparin shots in my belly bruised the worst. And the bruising around my incisions is now turning a terrible shade of yellow. What once incited a 'poor baby, you've been through so much' now is just icky.

I'm on day 4 post-op. I dreamt I made bacon then hid it. Then I'd sneak a piece now and then! No! Bad dream! I feel I'm doing pretty good considering. The roads where I live are terrible and my tummy feels every bump. I am getting in 64 oz plus a day and can drink just fine as long as I am sitting up or even standing. Still pretty swollen. Hadn't had a BM but had plenty of gas so I know my bowels are working. Broke down and had a warm Water enema and feel so much better now. I've actually had some moments where I question if I should feel this good and be able to drink this much! I am messed up in the head! Good to hear we are all in relatively the same place. I know it makes me feel more 'normal'.

Let me know how it works out for you guys.

I see a pamper night/ day coming your way!

This is a nsv and a rave and tooting my own horn. I don't necessarily like bragging about myself so ill do it in a relatively anonymous place such as this. A few months ago, I submitted a proposal to do a workshop at a national convention I go to every year. I had convinced myself I didn't have enough credentials, enough letters after my name, etc and I would not get picked. I wrote my proposal in about an hour, sent it and forgot about it. So yesterday I got a letter stating they had approved me to do my workshop at the convention. I' was so shocked I just started to cry. It's not until April so I thankfully have lots of time to get prepared and be nervous. What an amazing week this has been. First I was sleeved now this! And the best part is I'm going to enjoy going shopping for a new outfit to wear to give the workshop! Yes, I'll be skinny by April! I'm just over the moon. Thank you all for letting me brag a little.

Right now I am one burping farting sexy beast! Every day is getting better. We're all coming out the other side pretty well it seems. Walk walk walk. Sip sip sip!

Amanda, I am a few days post-op but before surgery, I decided that I hated my birth control pills and wanted something more permanent. So I looked into the Essure procedure. Two little nickel springs like the ones they use in heart stints are inserted in the Fallopian tubes the. Over 3 months they scar over and just like that we're 'sterile'. My doctor performed it in his office and I had it done just a week before my sleeve. The only discomfort I had was with the implanting if the springs. Since I too had only had c-sections, they had to dilate my cervix. That cramped a bit. It also triggered a second period for the month but that wasn't bad. I bounced back pretty well afterwards. I found this to be a better alternative to a tubal. So I go back in 3 months for a special x-ray to make sure nothing can get in or out. The best part is that I'm not being pumped full of hormones anymore and can just be me. I wish you luck and kudos for taking more positive steps for your future.

I wanted to cry a few times in the hospital and few here at home. But then my warped logic kicked it. I said to myself "Self, you can't cry. Do you know how hard you worked sipping that bottle of water?! Now you're going to cry it out?! I don't think so!" Heating pad for the gas. I forgot about the heating pad! I wish I could just bounce up and down and giggle it all out. But if I did that, I know I definitely would cry!

Turned down Thanksgiving with my in-laws because driving 5 hours less than 2 weeks out of surgery makes me nervous. Instead we are having a small thanksgiving and since I'll still be on liquids, I plan on turkey broth & cranberry juice. Just couldn't do the huge family thing. Too far and too food centered.

I read them all. Everytime a new one showed up, I read those too. I wanted to know all sides of this surgery "just in case". Rather be informed than blindsided. Now, the week before my surgery I did have to stay away from the boards. I was doing a pretty good job of freaking myself out without external help. You know how many complication stories you can handle. Mix it up with success stories. And if you can read the bad stories (including iggy's) and you still feel confident about the surgery, then go for it. If the complication stories scare the crap out of you and make you doubt this decision, maybe sit down and have a little heart to heart with yourself. Again, it's better to be informed now than blindsided later. But that's just my .02

You'll do great sunflower! I've been having a little bit of trouble with gas (I think). It's a new feeling for me so I don't know how to describe it. Don't make the mistake I made last night. I slept flat in bed. So this morning I've been playing catch up with my medication. Being flat just let the gas build up too much. Let us know how you're doing.

I was sleeved Tuesday as well. I made the mistake of sleeping with only a pillow last night. I've been up since 4. I just can't name my discomfort. It's my stomach but is it gas? Healing? Acid? Nausea? I don't know. I've already used my phenergan cream, protonix and a gasx strip. Oh please tell me again this gets better. I just feel like there is a large gas bubble that my liquids have to fight to get around. I guess misery loves company. Seems lots of us battle a bit when we get home.