CrankyMagpie

My team is so weird. Full liquids are their own thing, and then purees and soft foods are thrown in together. I'm on that stage, which starts with cottage cheese and yogurt and ends with ground meat and soup/chili. The most "advanced" thing I've eaten was a couple (1 and 3/4 :)) of Ikea meatballs, which sat really heavy, but besides those, I'd say I'm around the middle of the list. Very moist tuna salad is fine, as are scrambled eggs (I mean, those settled weird, but I digested them, so I guess they're OK). I'm thinking of trying thin-cut lunch meat next; that sounds really good to me.

All I want in this world is the middle of a cheeseburger--I could let the bread and veggies go; I just want some ground beef, and cheese on it would be excellent--but I know not to push things that far, yet. The reward for going slowly is not getting sick, and that is a very compelling reward. :)

Just comparing notes, in case it helps...

I still can't drink plain water. I'm getting 90% of my hydration with hot tea (mostly decaf--I don't count the caffeinated tea toward my total) and protein shakes. And it is close to 64 ounces per day, but it's not ever very much more than that.

Besides hot tea, I can stand to drink protein shakes cold or at room temp. Room temp Powerade Zero is only a little bit harder than a protein shake, but room temp water hurts. Cold beverages also do OK, mostly--it's chilly enough out, now, that I just find myself gravitating toward the hot--and I definitely eat more sugar free popsicles than anyone should (even though it's cold, yes ... they seem to help when I start to feel nauseated from dehydration, though, and also they taste good 😁).

I think not going rollerskating (or ice skating?), this soon, might be better than going, unless you're a lot less likely to fall than I am. (Who isn't, though? 😁) We're still pretty early on in the healing process. I do little walks most days, and since I'm still on blood thinners, I figure I also still need to be up and moving a little bit every hour I'm awake. But none of it is especially epic exercise, and I'm not going to beat myself up about that until after I've been cleared to go in the pool and lift weights and get out of breath. (Those first two happen at the 1 month post-op appointment, and the latter, I don't know? I have in my notes, from somewhere, that we're supposed to exercise only at a "moderate" pace until sometime after the 6 week mark, but that's not from my surgeon.)

I don't know what to say about the food. I feel so bad if I eat too quickly that it's a pretty good policing mechanism. Like you, though, I wish I'd practiced more. The constant gurgling has gone away, and now I feel hungry 3-4 times per day, like you'd expect. It probably helps that very little of what I'm eating now is so appetizing that I feel rushed to eat it, lol.

I think this will all get better with time. I hope you find a way to get your liquids in soon, though! ❤️

I'm not going to make it to 64 ounces today. (They sent me home yesterday.) If I really push, I can make it past half way there before bedtime.

I never believed people who were like "plain water hurts, but I can do [some more interesting thing]," so karma showed up to put me in my place. I do OK with jello! Hot (really, warm) tea seems to do OK, too. Protein water I can do, but I have to go slowly. Plain water HURTS.

I think I'll try my first protein shake (not just protein water) tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm glad we're both back out in the non-hospital world and moving forward! ❤️

I have kind of gone back and forth, sometimes using sugar-free stuff and sometimes avoiding it. I had a bit of a diet soda habit over the past couple of years, so I guess I'm used to aspartame, at least. Though I do notice the flavor--I can tell it from sugary stuff by the aftertaste (or lack thereof, in the case of sugar). I don't notice an aftertaste with sugar-free Jello, the same way I do with a lot of the sf stuff. It just tastes like Jello to me. I hope you're as lucky, there!

I haven't told anyone in my family, besides obviously my husband, who is ... worried, but really supportive, and trying not to burden me with his worry. (That's why I didn't tell my mom. I'd spend all my energy reassuring her, and she'd harass my husband all day on the surgery day.) Well, I told my younger brother, but he lives in another state, and his wife just had the sleeve, plus he's thinking of doing it early next year, so that conversation went well.

It's safer than a gallbladder removal or a joint replacement, statistically speaking, and those are also considered to be safe surgeries! I hope that we are both on the right side of all of the statistics--safe, pretty easy recovery, no complications, etc. ❤️

I look forward to hearing how great you're doing when we both check in on the 4th!

It's weird how the plans are all different. Today's my 6th day on full liquids, and tomorrow is clear liquids only. No bowel prep, which maybe I am grateful for? I don't think I'm allowed to have V8. (I didn't ask, since tomatoes settle badly for me, anyway.)

Sugar free Jello has been the unsung hero of my week, and I think I might actually sing about it tomorrow, when it is the only "thick" thing I'm allowed to have.

Anyway, I hear you about second thoughts. I am really full of them, myself. I'm mostly worried about the near-term, right now--getting through the next month or so--but I share some of your longer-term concerns, too.

Anyway, I hope your surgery is quick and easy and your recovery goes well!

Check in on the October 2018 Sleevers thread when you're able to, after surgery, OK? I'm on the 3rd, too, but I probably won't check in on these forums until I'm home on (fingers crossed) the 4th.