Dub

I can see where that would have worked better. We looked at that option, too. The one he said was his most firm wasn't much different than the one my wife liked (which he also said was the same firmness as the most firm ??). I couldn't tell much of a difference. Going with the split King would have taken the price from around $4k to over $7K. We opted to just go with the regular King in the model he said was their most firm. In other words.....she yielded to go more firm for me.......and she loves it....I've grown to hate it. It's crazy. I do see the wisdom in having two halves set up like you each prefer them. Cool. By adjustable.....you mean being able to raise and lower the head/foot ????

I'll jump all over canned tuna but canned chicken isn't something I can go near. How are you with Greek yogurt ? There are so many flavors of that on the market that it'd offer lots of variety.

Exactly. The "Do Not Disturb" feature on iPhones is killer. So very useful.

A little over a year ago my wife and i bought what we thought at the time was an awesome set of bedding. We went with a Tempurpedic memory foam king sized set. First time in 20 years of marriage we've had a king sized bed. At first is seemed okay. She still loves it. She's a 140 pound side sleeper and I"m an oversized dude who only sleeps flat on my back. We are two vastly different profiles and I now see how foolish it was to think we'd both be supported to our liking by the same bedding type. The salesman did his thing and said everything he needed to sell it. For the first few months is was okay by my standards and great by hers. I herniated a disc in my back and some other damage....but the spine doc said everything he saw on the MRI could heal eventually if I'd lose significant weight and get proper rest. He's the one that finally got me to see the wisdom in weight loss surgery. Well.....the weight is now coming off and will continue to do so but I am convinced that even after I reach goal weight this mattress is a poor fit for me. I slept in it the last three nights.......and have struggled due to that. Back is screaming. I"m done with it. This memory foam mess can go to the spare bedroom and work out great for guests. We never did look around at the sleep Number Store. Their concept sounds great in theory......I was just hoping to gain some insight before I go to the store and have to listen to a bunch of sales hype and BS from them. I need a real world, real deal, no BS recommendation from a fellow large guy. What is working for you ?? This is becoming a big priority for me.

It went pretty well........for a while, at least, thank you !!!! It sure was great getting back and seeing everyone and meeting my new boss. I think we are going to get along great and it is clear just from our initial two conversations that she is right on the money on the big picture in life and work philosophy. I really like her already. I'm very fortunate. My boss prior to her was a tremendous family man, active in his church and very sharp. He had a great attention to detail but I was concerned that we'd lose out with his departure. Man of great moral character. I am encouraged that his replacements has great values and fundamental beliefs as well. Sadly, this isn't a given....even at their level. Again, I'm fortunate. I hung in there from 6-1:30 and had to tag out and head for the house. No issues with the sleeve. Wearing a belt sucks with the hernia. It simply went from mildly uncomfortable to "Okay, Haus....time to jet" in that last hour. No big deal. All is well. Got a couple long days tomorrow and Sunday and big audit coming up next week on top of the normal fast paced fun. My workgroup really made me proud. It is quite evident they've handled things well while I was sidelined. Great people. On another note......I've got a big priority on my mind. Something I aim to resolve in the weeks ahead. This sleeve surgery was initiated based on the strong recommendation of a spine surgeon I've been seeing trying to resolve a disc injury. He assures me that getting the load off around my middle will allow it to heal. I fully believe him. The ongoing problem I'm encountering is the complete and total waste of a few thousand hard earned dollars my wife and I spent on Tempurpedic bedding last year. This freaking mattress is killing me. I slept on it the last 3 nights and it has about done me in. I'm convinced that not only is it not going to offer the support I need at my current weight.....but neither at my goal weight, too. I'm done with it. sleeping in the recliner or an older conventional bed (firm) in a spare bedroom until I solve this riddle. I wish we had have shopped around more and at least gone to the sleep Number store. Didn't even give it try them. Dummy. I was foolish for thinking that thing would be the "perfect fit" for my big arse and my wife who is a third my weight. I'm a back sleeper and want it flat and firm. She is a side sleeper and likes the give and contour. I'm going to the Sleep Number store next weekend. I can move this Tempurpedic Nightmare into the guest bedroom and be done with this crap......assuming they have something works and not just another mousetrap that is ill suited for the purpose. Rant over.

@@Dub

Let me see what I can pull together. A lot of the grilled stuff is done so with commercial meat rubs that I like......various types for the different cuts. I'm scared that I'll have to get past using so many of them, though, and start making my own rubs with a stronger control over the sugar & salt content. The grilled salmon you saw in my pics is often brushed over with olive oil and hit with one of these rubs.....sometimes I'll glaze it during the last few minutes with Frank's Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce. This stuff is awesome in everything: glazes, dips and sauces.

I will gladly do so..........in a few months.

I agree on the unflavored and chicken Soup. chocolate and vanilla were good. The strawberry, though.....worst tasting stuff I've ever encountered. I don't know of any deals at this time.

Hey, you are a dog-lover. We never stay down !!!! Dog-lovers always perk up.

Thank you. Once I hit my goal I would like to paraglide, or jump out of a plane. Maybe a hot air balloon ride will suffice. My challenge is to face my fear of height. Much respect. There is absolutely no way that I'm doing any of those things. My fear of heights will have to remain unchecked.

A massage sounds like a nice reward. I've been mulling over what I'm going to do when I hit goal weight. Not sure yet. I could always do like Mrs Name Change (from the "with a new body comes....." thread) and start romping around with multiple partners and getting my rocks off......never telling my wife, of course, thus exposing her to everything I've been exposing myself to. Sport humping. Being a regular old Dirk Diggler. But then again.......I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror and would no longer have a shred of self-respect. There are better rewards (fun things to spend money on besides doctor's bills....gotta love improved health). My old pickup is going to need replacing at some point......a new ride would be nice. May hang onto to the old truck and use if for hunting and such......and get something sportier and fun to drive. Yeah, that's it....that's the ticket !!!!!!

Identity change ????????

Not sure. Had my sleeve done the day before yours. I've not experienced much in the way of hunger......only mid morning if I forget to have a Protein shake. Even then it's not really a normal hunger.

Very cool !!!!

http://www.blenderbottle.com The blender bottles work fine for me. It's all I've needed.

Cool. Understood. There are three different blood pressure meds. I'm hopeful for cutting them back or out altogether. As far as returning to work.....they are gonna be like, "What's Up?....How's it going?......Never mind that....you aren't going to believe what's been going on here......better get your ass busy". It'll be like I never left....only it'll be piled up. I'm looking forward to it, bigtime.

Following this same exact diet from pre-op through these first weeks of post-op has most of us in ketosis. No complaints from me, because I like knowing the fat burning machine is flipped on and working. It comes with the side effect of ketosis breath. Bad stuff. Brushing 3-4 times and day and using Listerine along with breath steps in between still doesn't kill it. I think I may go to my dog's vet and see if he can give me something............

You nailed it. That's exactly the feeling. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent advice. I appreciate it. Have not had my meds today and will be holding off, too. I got through to the surgeon's assistant. She advised me to contact my primary doctor since he is the prescriber of these meds. I'm waiting on a call back from my primary doc's nurse. She's golden and has been a huge advocate for me getting this sleeve surgery. Supercool gal who is probably going to see this as I now do......a victory. Getting off these meds is going to feel great. I hope I'm at that point. I feel stupid for not checking and confirming my blood pressure prior to this. I used to hate the process........now I'm grinning thinking it's going to read favorably at long last. Here is a bit of irony, too: My final 2 meals yesterday & last night were chicken broth with added powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Soup Protein powder. For the first time since surgery I added salt, too. I was trying to get a different flavor from the meals. Salt. Dumb, I know. Now, the next morning after eating this stuff....my diastolic number is 60. Crazy turn of events. Feeling better about jumping into the work grind already.

Third week here. Running out of gas every freaking single day......mid-afternoon. I'll go out and run errands to get out of the house and get stuff done prior to returning to work this weekend and will have to stop and rest. Made a big, big discovery this morning, though, that may very well explain some of it. It may or may not be applicable to you. After years of being treated for high blood pressure.......things may now be swinging the other way. Last time mine was checked was 6th day post-op. 140's/90's. This is about what it's been running during my last few years. Today.....I checked it again 23rd day post-op.....106/60. I've not had my meds yet this morning and will not be taking them until my doctor calls me back and advises. There is no doubt that some, if not most, of my weakness is from daily periods of low blood pressure. The tides are turning. Not sure if this may be something you are feeling, too.

You are only 3 weeks out. Me, too. I personally don't see the harm in delaying the stages of progression a week or two......but that's just my untrained, unprofessional opinion. The way I look at it is simply allowing your new stomach a little longer to heal. Just make sure you are drinking your Protein and getting down the amounts you are supposed to.

Thanks everyone. I'll tell ya.....I may be onto a revelation of sorts. I just sat down put on the blood pressure cuff. I have not taken my blood pressure meds today and the reading was 106/65. I waited ten minutes and ran it again with similar readings. I haven't had it checked since the last visit with the surgeon.....six days post-op. It was 146/94 then.....which is what it had been running during the months leading up to the surgery. I'm thinking that the aggressive weight loss has brought down my blood pressure overall......and taking the meds for it is dropping it waaaaay low. I've got a call into his office now for advice. I'll not be taking the meds until I get further word. I don't know why in the hell I didn't strap on the cuff sooner. I'd just assumed the weak and puny feeling was from the low calorie intake. Dumbass. I should have been taking daily measurements all along. Idiots will idiot. On the brighter side of things......I may have reached the point where I can toss these bp meds in the trash. Life without side effects from them will be much appreciated.

Yeah.....I'd heard and read all the gas stories, too. I took 8 boxes of Gas-X strips with me to the hospital in hopes of combating the stuff. Had my sleeve and umbilical hernia repair done and woke up with minimal pains. Was up walking 3-4 hours after surgery and every 3-4 hours afterwards throughout the night. The only discernible pain that I ever experienced was resultant from the hernia repair. That was it. Localized to that region only. It also hurt much less than two prior hernia repairs I've had due to not being an open-wound repair. I never experienced a single gas pain event that I'm aware of. I did burp some the next day.

Yup. Sure did. The surgeon that did my sleeve wanted to be the one who did the EGD. It was a breeze. I scheduled for early in the morning. Fasted after 10:30pm. Arrived there at 6:15am. They had me bag in the room in just a few minutes. It was like taking a really nice nap. A non-event. I was instructed to have a driver due to the anesthesia meds. No problems.

You are right. It's frustrating. Especially frustrating when you care for someone's health more than they apparently do. I think there is a great misconception that has been permeated into urban legend that weight loss surgery does the work for you. We all know that it does not and that it takes effort and discipline to be successful post op. Seeing a lack of effort or discipline from folks post-op is sad because you know they are simply prolonging their struggle and if they don't snap out of it they may even be worse off now.