Pearldrop

This week, my kid took off running across the park area near his after school care... and I ran after him and caught him. He was as delighted as I was. I don't think he had ever seen me run.

Sometimes NSV are the best victories! I've had quite a few in the last year but here are some:
I can fit comfortably in the chairs in our conference room at work, the arms used to dig into my legs and hips so bad.
I can shop in straight size stores only now, no more bouncing between plus and straight
I need new wedding rings, my fingers have gone down so much I can't even have my rings resized!! Yay new wedding set!!
Calf boots, I can wear them all. I also went down a shoe size so I need all new shoes on top of a new wardrobe.
I can see my feet again when I look down instead of just my belly, also my boobs are bigger than my belly again, thank god.
I can do 40-60 minutes on the Elliptical and not need a break. The first time I got on I couldn't even do 5 minutes.
I'm smaller than my husband for the first time ever.
I can cross my legs comfortably and love doing it.

I parked in a tight parking space and was still able to squeeze out of my door, without touching the car next to me. In the past I would not have been able to get out of my car.

I had surgery on 11/29 and I’m trying to not focus too much on the numbers on the scale or on my clothes.
My non scale victories since 11/29
Had to have a spacer put on my wedding ring
I’m wearing a coat I haven’t worn in 2 yrs
I got rid of my pre-surgery work uniforms
I’ve cleaned my closet twice already
What are your non scale victories?!

I’m on day 2 and it isn’t easy. During the day at work is easier than the evenings. My husband cooks all the meals, and to make it easier for me he’s been cooking stuff he knows I don’t like. Bless him, he is being so supportive. The Optifast Soups are so bland, not sure I’ll buy more after this 2 weeks.

I feel like all the clothes I'm wearing are all tired, worn and dated. I may end up dumping all in the trash, no I wasn't raised to be wasteful, but I purposely didn't update my wardrobe because I don't know how much longer I'll be this size. It is hard to be passionate. when this has stopped and started so many times, can I still,believe in it all? it gets rough whe your friends that started later get their surgeries sooner. Oh yes I am happy for each and every one of them, but a. little jealous voice inside mutters " It should have me, yes, me! Isn't it my. turn now?" and most of the time I can stuff "whiney willie-jean" back down in her cave, but she has a habit of bobbing back to the surface. And she is jealous, unbelievably jealous of the whole proceedings. And it's now 1:30 in the morning and perhaps tomorrow will bring something good for me. Nite Nite Everybody!😪👓

Thank you. I’m going to order some now

Tell your boyfriend to go F**K himself.
Get the surgery for you and to extend your life.
Get thin and hot and find a new understanding boyfriend.
Your boyfriend sounds like a real douchebag, VSG is not the easy way out. It is actually very hard.

This should be your clue.
Give him his wish.
Get your surgery.
Get away from men who treat your feelings like an afterthought and emotionally blackmail you to get their way.

I have been out for a couple of hours and feel like death warmed over. Hope you all have a better time of it.

Been out of surgery a few hours now and I feel amazing! I’m happier now than I was when I got approved! My pain is very minimal, I don’t have much gas and what little I do have is not uncomfortable at all. Although I wasn’t able to drink Water earlier I did request it to rinse my mouth and rub it around my gums and surprisingly once the dryness was gone it felt as if I had drank the cup so deff try this. I’m equally excited for all of you guys too and wish you an excellent recovery.


Yo-Yo Girl from New York City

On my way to the hospital right now. Wish me luck all. See you ladies and gentlemen on the other side.

Hey guys!

Been out of surgery a few hours now and I feel amazing! I’m happier now than I was when I got my approval! My pain is very minimal, I don’t have much gas and what little I do have is not uncomfortable at all. Although I wasn’t able to drink Water earlier I did request it to rinse my mouth and rub it around my gums and surprisingly once the dryness was gone it felt as if I had drank the cup.


Yo-Yo Girl from New York City

Had my final pre surgery consultation today. Everything is on track for the 4 June.
it feels really far away and really soon at the same time. Very excited!!

Maybe try writing down your “bariatric schedule”. This could include Water, Vitamins, food, the amount of time you are supposed to take for each thing i.e. 30 minutes for shake etc. then write down the consequences of not following the program, such as dehydration, infections, slower healing, and exhaustion. When he confronts you with demands during your recovery time, you can just show him the list. Maybe post it on the fridge. Sometimes writing something down helps others understand what you need just in case you have not expressed verbally what you need.

This is the reason that the -dirty little secret- of WLS is relationship breakups.
You are in a very different place now than you were before and it happened very fast and offered little to no time for adjustment for either of you.
You cant and don't want to go back to the place you were before so he will have to decide if he is willing to join you in the journey you have started or you will eventually go on with your lives but without each other.
If you give in and go back to the way it was before you will blame him and it will drive you apart. So really it does depend on him. He will adjust or dig in his heels and you will either change back and hate him for doing that to you or you will continue on this journey without him.
It sucks it really does. You can support him all you can but you have to draw the line at giving up your own health and happiness.
Try to find a local support grp and go to a few meetings.
good luck

28 days ago I had my sleeve done. After 1 year of getting ready for it, the day finally arrived. My significant other well lets just say he isnt very emotionally intelligent and over the last 13 years I have been with him through 11 medical procedures he needed some were in hospital some were out patient. I always put him first , and took care of him what ever he needed. I am really getting very frustrated I feel he is just in my way of healing now, not physically but mentally and emotionally. He is not emotionally supportive at all, I really am in this all alone. I try to stay positive, I have made a major life change and rather than him having my back he would rather rant and rave with his emotional outbursts. I try to be patient as I know he struggles with some mental health issues. There are just those days when I want to say Seriously do you have any clue what I have just gone through and what I continue to go through. I am so drained when I wake up in the morning,. I need time to just get my head on right. I immediately take care of our Dog, getting her fresh Water, food and take her out to do her business. I then try to get my Vitamins and meds in me, drink some liquid and take my blood glucose. But then here he comes complaining there is nothing to eat for breakfast...........which translates to he wants his huge hot Breakfast eggs, bacon, toast or grits etc which now just the smell makes me ill. If he doesnt get his way then he is just moody and very short tempered all day. So to avoid the constant emotional rollercoaster, i stop what I am doing and make breakfast, I sometimes then forget to take meds or vitamins, it takes me longer to get ready in the morning, not as quick since the surgery as I was before. Yes I know I should kick him to the curb ( and I only stated a mild case ) but financially I cant afford to do that right now, I am really stuck with him. SORRY just needed to say this "out loud " I am just emotionally exhausted from him. Thank you anyone that reads this. I appreciate the listening ear

Totally not a troll... In fact, why would someone lie about what something like that?? The day I left the hospital I was on Full Liquids (clear only in hosp.) Day 8 I went to soft foods. I just started off with the softest things like yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Then worked my way up to ground meats. I have not once had a bad reaction to anything. I totally agree with @sillykitty, everyone's healing process is different. What works for me may not work for you. Doesn't mean our surgeons don't know what they're doing. My surgeon has a very high success rate so I doubt he'd tell me to do anything that would negatively effect me.

I was given this, I just do not believe surgeons are approving solid foods only 6 days after surgery and I strongly believe that this is another internet troll that has infiltrated this forum or another patient in denial making their own dietary plan up after surgery.
Stage 1: Clear Liquids

Days 1-3 Post-Op
- You can start this diet on DAY 1 in the hospital.
- Clear Liquids only.
- On DAY 3 you may start adding Protein Drinks back into your diet
- AT LEAST 75 grams of Protein daily

Stage 2: Full Liquids

Days 4-14 Post-Op
- All liquids must be pourable from a cup, NO CHUNKS
- 1-2 ounces of Water to be sipped every 15 minutes while awake
- It is important to consume at least 64 ounces of Fluid daily while awake.
- Examples of acceptable foods/liquids:
o Cream of wheat (thinned), cream of rice (thinned), mashed potatoes (thinned).
Must be thinned with fat free milk or broth
o Lactose-free milk, skim milk, sugar-free and low-fat yogurt (NO fruits or seeds)
o LOW sodium vegetable juices
o Unsweetened applesauce (thinned with water)
o Unflavored Protein Powder, flavored low-carb/high-protein shakes
o Blended creamy Soups, broths, bouillon
o Sugar-free Gelatin (liquid state only)
o Sugar-free pudding (thinned)
o Sugar-free custard (thinned)
o Sugar-free popsicles
- Besides what is listed above, nothing else is allowed.
- Start your chewable Multivitamin on DAY 7 after surgery.

Stage 3: pureed Foods

Day 14-35
- You may now have pureed foods.
- During this stage you will learn your new style of eating.
- Listen to your pouch, it will guide you on portion sizes.
- Stop eating when you feel a slight pressure in your chest area.
- Pureed foods should be the consistency of baby food.< br /> - Add foods slowly, one at a time, to test your tolerance of each food.
- You may add protein powder to pureed foods to add more protein.
• Foods allowed on this stage include all full liquids from previous liquid stage, plus:
o Cream of wheat, cream of rice
o Thinned oatmeal and grits
o Mashed potatoes, skinless sweet potatoes (slightly thinned)
o Lactose free milk, skim milk
o Sugar-free & low-fat yogurt (no fruits or seeds)
o Low-fat cottage cheese (pureed)
o Low-fat ricotta cheese
o Soft-cooked pureed vegetables, Stage 1 baby food (no more than ½ cup/day)
o Unsweetened apple sauce, unsweetened or lite canned fruit without seeds
(pureed), Stage 1 baby food
o Pureed chicken, turkey, or fish (Stage 1 baby meats)
o Fat-free refried Beans (thinned)
o Hummus
o Protein powder and drinks
o Blended creamy soups, broths, bouillon soups
o Sugar-free gelatin
o Sugar-free pudding, sugar-free custard
o Sugar-free popsicles
o Herbs and mild spices
• From here on out make sure to chew each bite 20-30 times and avoid liquids 10
minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after meals and Snacks.< br />
Stage 4
Day 35-999
As you transition to solid foods, this is still a time of learning. You will start this phase on DAY
35. Let your pouch be your guide on portion sizes. 1) Take small bites. 2) Chew each bite to
applesauce consistency. 3) Pause 30 seconds between each swallowed bite. Remember,
overeating can lead to nausea, vomiting, and stretching of your pouch.
• This stages includes foods listed in previous stages, plus:
o Lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey (90% lean)
o Fish, egg whites, or egg substitute (Egg Beaters)
o Vegetable patties
o Lean canned chicken or tuna (in water)
o Low fat deli meat, shaved
o Creamy peanut butter
o Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese and ricotta cheese
o 2% or fat free string cheese or cheese slices
o Canned fruit (fruit cocktail—no grapes or cherries) in its own juice, lite, or no
sugar added
o Bananas (remove strings)
o Soft cooked or canned vegetables and vegetable juice
o Toasted breads or crackers
o Low-fat yogurt (without seeds and whole fruit)
o Butter Buds, Fat-free butter spray, low-fat or lite mayo, olive oil, safflower oil
o Herbs and mild spices (most herbs, spices, and low calorie Condiments are okay)
• Remember 1 oz of meat provides 7 grams of protein
• Make sure to choose a protein food FIRST and a fruit or vegetable SECOND. You may
also select a starch/grain LAST if you still have room.

My post op plan (I am 6 days out so no soft foods) allows Greek yogurt 1 oz. /hour and it has been a nice change of pace. I either mix various herbs/seasonings with it or put it in a mug of warm vegetable or chicken broth. About 4 oz. of that and 3 Protein Shakes and I am getting about 100 G Protein. I do thin out the shakes with Decaf or hot Water which makes them easier to take. Enjoy your daughter's graduation, is she a Longhorn?

I actually put something (a napkin, notebook, whatever) over my drink so that I don't accidentally grab it out of habit. Then, I set the timer on my phone. I don't like it, but I do it.

Today I start my two week pre-op diet. I have been worried about being able to be strong for the next two weeks but I saw someone on here posted “My attitude has shifted from “I can’t have that” to “I don’t want that.” Reading that inspired me so much & I think I’m going to be okay. Good luck to all of my fellow Surgery Day Twins & to everyone else on this life changing journey. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. ❤️

Thank you! It went very well [emoji108]


Yo-Yo Girl from New York City

Mine too. Today was an interesting day with lunch, I forgot to take my shaker and the Protein Powder didn’t quite mix as well as it could have. Made for a chewy Soup lols

If you are ready go for it.