Orchids&Dragons

Thanks! It'll be more fun if you're there

I know, I really only wanted to do this once! Thanks!

I absolutely do think this can be done. But if you do, tell no-one else except the one person you plan on for support afterwards. You can cover your pre-op dieting with "I'm just eating healthy" since he seems to be on board with that. No one called my husband with any questions, but I'd be really up-front with the doctor, dietician, etc. to make sure they understand. Do not give them any number except your cell. Does your husband go into your phone for anything?

You were hot stuff!

I dreamed the other night that I was married to a werewolf. Then I woke up to my hubby's energetic snores and it all made sense! LOL! But, really, if you are still on any pain meds, that could be it.

Some places won't allow more than X number of people out at a time. If that's not a problem where you work, take the first available and don't look back. If it is a problem, you'll just have to deal with it if she's already claimed the time on the department calendar. Sounds like she's an a$$hat, but there's not really anything you can do about it. Hope it all works out for you, but I wouldn't say another #$@% word to her!

Congratulations! Hope all goes smoothly!

Along the same vein, I tend to think about all the possibilities I've missed in the last 25 years because I was too fat to participate in them

Congratulations on getting your date! Good luck!

I'm so sorry your husband isn't on board with this. Was he supportive when his mother had surgery? If so, it's not the surgery that has him paralyzed, it's the terror of losing you, too. Maybe you can seek couples therapy or even counseling with your pastor if you have one. He needs to be able to process his fear and get it to "manageable" levels, and be able to discuss the pros/cons of this surgery objectively. This surgery will affect both of you, whether he likes it or not.

Best wishes for an uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery!

So he basically gave you more time to get the pre-op diet right. That's great, good luck!

Best wishes for a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery!

The biggest "problem" with your taco salad will be the lettuce and tomatoes. Once you can handle them, the rest is fine.

I hate to say it, but any drinks with that many calories are likely to cause dumping. I do hope that your stress level goes down soon. ((hugs))

I'm so sorry to hear that. Please don't give up on someday improving enough to get off pain meds. My brother had been on morphine for 8 years for chronic pain and, like you, he hated it. He often "slept" standing in the hallway leaning his head against the wall because of the agony. Just in the last 3-4 months he started with a new pain-management doctor who has gotten him completely off morphine and he's feeling so much better. I'm not saying that your cases are the same, just not to give up hope for relief. Exercise-wise, our nutrionist/physiologist had us in a class where we were doing chair exercises. I was sweating my butt off. She teaches that because so many of the patients getting surgery weren't sufficiently mobile to walk for exercise yet. So maybe that's a possibility? Can you swim or exercise in a pool? Love the fun avatar!

Thank heavens for that! He proved your case for you. Hope all goes well!

My best tips: 1-Sip sip sip sip some more! 2-Stay off the scale for the first couple of weeks. The numbers can be very disheartening. It takes a while to lose all the fluids they put into you in the hospital and it can take a month for the swelling to go down. 3-Try not to compare your results to others. There are so many variables to weight loss: starting weight, metabolism, muscle mass, hormones, gender, etc. You will lose at your own pace and that is the only one that really matters. 4-Take some good "before" pics. You don't need to show them to anyone, but your brain will play tricks on you. You'll need something objective for comparison. 5-If you like to cook now, google bariatric-friendly recipes and try some out so that you've got some go-to meals that you know you'll probably enjoy. If you don't cook, try out various blended soups available in the grocery store or at local restaurants. Liquids is generally the most difficult phase. 6-If you don't plan to tell people about your surgery (entirely up to you) then start laying the ground work now. Let others see you working on your portion sizes/food choices. Let them know you're starting to exercise. Then when the pounds really start to fall off, they won't be shocked and get all concerned that you've got cancer or something! Good luck and best wishes!

Holy WOW! You look amazing! Congrats on your awesome success as you transformed into the "cool" dad! Good luck with that last little bit you've got to go! p.s. she's a cutie-patootie!

I decided to just do the whole month on soups and try solids again in July. My husband, bless his heart, keeps trying to tempt me with things he cooks. He just doesn't understand that it's not worth being miserable for 2 hours. I've been making a couple of different soups a week and it's been going ok and my stomach is soooo much better. I see the surgeon for another follow-up tomorrow so I'll see if he has any other suggestions. Thanks for asking!

I'm so glad that you've decided to take charge of your health. If that picture was the catalyst, then blessings to the photographer! Congrats on your progress so far. You have so much to offer the world, it would have been a shame to have your time cut short!

I agree with Matt. Looks like a good alternative. It may also be easier to tolerate that chicken or beef because it's likely less fibrous.

Me, too. I really only wanted to do this once. I'm having such trouble adjusting. I always had the proverbial "cast-iron" stomach. Now it's made of tin foil (and not the good stuff!)

Sorry, not nearly as interesting as all that! My sister (we're about the same size) and I always joked that we weren't really fat, we just had rotten parts that had swollen up to 80 lbs or so and once they were gone, we'd be normal sized. Well, turns out neither one of us had an 80# uterus or 80# tonsils. In addition, she didn't have an 80# gall bladder, and apparently the portion of my stomach they removed wasn't 80#s either. We're starting to run out of easily-disposed-of organs and still haven't determined the source of that extra 80#s. Curious, huh?

Ouch, that sounds awful. I chose my goal weight because 1-I've been there before and 2-it's just inside the normal range for my height. Don't know if I'll get there, but I think I've got a good shot. I've got a lot less muscle now than I did then, plus I've lost a couple of organs along the way