ReneK

As I sit here patiently (NOT!) waiting for my insurance approval, i'm trying to prepare for the two week liquid diet. I have the Protein drinks that I need. And I stocked up on store bought broth. The other day, i was making stuffing for my son and tasted the swanson's chicken broth. I could swear I've drank it before but I thought it tasted horrible! So, I've made the decision to make my own. ATM, i have leftover turkey and bones on the stove simmering with veggies and spices. It smells amazing. And it tastes SO MUCH BETTER than store bought.
I'm going to let it sit in the cold garage and skim off all of the fat after it cools and then store it in serving size containers in the freezer.
Does that sound nuts? Are there any pitfalls that I'm not thinking of? Does anyone else have recipes for broth (any kind but seafood?)

As I've posted on a number of occasions, I've not been one to 'weigh in' on a regular basis.
In fact, up until about a week ago, I'd only checked on my numerical progress on three or four occasions in the nine months since my sleeving.
Each time I checked, I was pleased with my progress.
At no time did I ever feel that I'd failed or that I was doing poorly.
Even now, I'm more than happy with my progress and am in no way regretting the choice I made.
However...
Something happened last week that I can't explain.
For some reason, I became someone I thought I'd never become.
Someone I'd not been able to understand..
Someone completely foreign to me...
Last week, I became a scale watcher!!!
There, I've said it...
It's out there now and I can't take it back..
Won't take it back!!
Ladies and gentleman, my name is Jason and I now weigh myself EVERY DAY!!!
Now, I'm hoping that it's just a passing phase..
I'm hoping that once I pass the milestone that I'm fast coming up on (it's a pretty major milestone), I'll go back to the cool, calm, rational quarterly weigh in kinda guy that I was up until last week.
I'm hoping that the insatiable desire to know my weight (or at least the weight I've lost) will be quenched upon the passing of this mark..
Alas, that's all yet to be decided..
For now it seems I must resign myself to the daily (or twice daily) check ins to which I've recently become accustomed.
Here endeth my rant...
Thanx for your time...
KindaFamiliar

Haven't heard yet. Aetna wasn't very helpful but I'll try again in a couple of days.. After all, it was the holiday

I was told that the body couldn't use more than 25G of protein at a time. Is that not accurate? @@winklie, how long does it take you to drink your protein?

According to the information from my nutritionist, it should be perfectly ok to add the unflavored protein to your Crystal Light.

after a rocky start this morning, little sleep, battling an annoyingly lingering cough, i decided to step on the scale for a pick-me-up...she did not disappoint. i am now 100 (!!!) pounds down from my oct 22nd starting weight of 284 and a mere 9 pounds away from being 100 pounds down from my june 9th surgery. 91 pounds in (almost) 6 months is frickin awesome!!

I have been driving my surgeon's office crazy. It has been two full weeks since I finished my 90-day pre op diet visits. They had told me it would be a week or less before they sent my info in. I have emailed them every other day! Finally, today, they sent the info to Aetna.
It is really important that I get my surgery before the end of the year because my company has been sold and I don't know if my new company will cover bariatric surgery! I sure hope the insurance answers soon!

I think it is natural to be scared. I have just finished my 3-month pre op and my file should get submitted to the insurance today. I'm excited and terrified. I seem to be dwelling on what it will be like to come out of anesthesia and have my whole life be different. It's a bit overwhelming. But I've done the research. I will follow my doctors orders to the letter.
The bottom line for me is that my odds of dying early due to morbid obesity and diabetes far outweigh the odds of complications from the surgery.
Good luck!

I completed my 90-day supervised visits yesterday! My file is with the surgeon's insurance person and will, hopefully, be submitted within the week. My insurance is Aetna and I have heard that they respond pretty quickly when you have co-morbidities like my diabetes. So, fingers and toes crossed!

I'm crossing my extremities too. Even my legs because I can do that now! ????
Best of wishes and luck!

I completed my 90-day supervised visits yesterday! My file is with the surgeon's insurance person and will, hopefully, be submitted within the week. My insurance is Aetna and I have heard that they respond pretty quickly when you have co-morbidities like my diabetes. So, fingers and toes crossed!

I completed my 90-day supervised visits yesterday! My file is with the surgeon's insurance person and will, hopefully, be submitted within the week. My insurance is Aetna and I have heard that they respond pretty quickly when you have co-morbidities like my diabetes. So, fingers and toes crossed!

Happy Birthday and Congratulations! You look amazing and the dress is WAY cute!

Happy Birthday and Congratulations! You look amazing and the dress is WAY cute!

Before surgery I bought a dress for my sons wedding. Size 24. I beat myself up over my weight. I was embarrassed.
I went shopping for my birthday today. Brought me to tears. Here is my new sweater dress. I love the photos everyone has posted of styles they are wearing. I know this is a girly thing..Sorry men..... @@Babbs @Elode. Can I steal your style...I love the cute clothing you both find.

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

WLS is a really serious subject and we all worry, fret a lot! Personally, I welcome a little humor!

For my last meal my family went out to the Outback restaurant and I had a 20oz porterhouse steak with sauteed mushrooms, loaded mashed potatoes, a Caesar salad, garlic green Beans, and for dessert a chocolate chocolate Tower with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream, and a Cadillac margarita. I was so stuffed I could hardly move. That was about nine weeks ago. At that time, I always had to ask for the "half-booth" (one side with a booth, the other side with chairs) because I didn't fit in a regular booth.
Last Friday I went back to Outback for the first time since my surgery, and I ordered the kids plate with steak medallions, and ate about half of it and just a smidge of broccoli, and that was it. That was the first time having steak since my surgery, and it was great. And I sat in a regular booth with no problems!

I'll begin this by saying, I am not a veteran..... I'm not even post-op.... That being said.....
I don't think your "irrelevant". You still have experiences others have not been through. You can still mentor, guide, and advise. That is still important.....
BUT I have found that most veterans have become judgemental. Not everyone has a BMI of 45.... not everyone has blood pressure problems.... not everyone wants this because it is life saving.... some want it for reasons that aren't founded solely in medical issues. But does that make their journey any less significant?
I think sometimes perspective (on both sides) is needed. Sometimes that person needs tough love, but sometimes vets need to remeber their roots. Once upon a time I'm sure people were harsh about your choice for WLS, and you needed somewhere to go and get support in a judgement free way. Shouldn't that resource be available for someone who is just starting their journey, even if you don't agree with it?
For all you know you or another fellow vet may have just "dogpiled" on a newbie who finally got the gall to stand up for themselves and put themselves first. Now that newbie is hurt and feeling alone and has decided not to do it and his/her BMI could potentially skyrocket to a extremely high number or wait for a reason that is more "acceptable" like diabetes to set in.
Many people on this forum who got up past the 250# mark have mentioned that they wish they would have done it MUCH sooner and taken control of their lives earlier on. Is it fair to judge someone who is doing just that?
Posters still need people like you around. You have more experience with WLS and the after effects than anyone else here. And im sure if you haven't had it happen, you are in touch with someone who has. That is an invaluable resource to have.... but at the same time, this is a SUPPORT forum, we should all support each other, no matter the stage they are in.
Just my two cents.