6 days post op was a turning point for me. I felt very little pain & discomfort in my belly area. I took off my bandages and washed my stomach with dial soap. I drove and was able to get some things done. It felt real nice. I do not have discomfort when I swallow anymore. I guess that was some swelling from surgery. The only thing hard was it was the first day since surgery that I did not take a nap and I felt so run down around 4:00. I know my body is still healing, but my mind is ready to be back to normal.

The post op diet is tough. I didn't even think before surgery how hard it would be to do this diet. After surgery, you still feel hunger. You can still smell your family cooking dinner, while you are drinking broth. It's much harder than I imagined. I went to Craker Barrel to do some holiday shopping in the store, and the smell of country cooking was almost unbearable. Gosh, to just have some country veggies and a bisket.

Then, I get home and think "what have I done".? This thought does go through my head. It's a normal thought because I ask people that I know if they thought this when they were 6 days post op and..............YES. It is normal to think that so close after a life changing surgery. But, I must say that everyone who has had WLS that I know does not regret it one bit. I have yet to find someone who has told me that they wish they would not have done their surgery.

I start Protein shakes this week and I can alrealy say YUCK! Why does everything with protein have to taste horrible? I meet with my NUT today and I hope she can help. This morning I am 7 days post op. Ready for some mushies, but can't have that for 2 weeks.

Doing this surgery the week before Christmas is HARD !! I made my Christmas goodies lastnight and didn't even lick one finger.

With all said. I am going to get through this. I am going to be more healthy, happy, & thinner (of course)

Congrats you are doing so well! It would be hard to have surgery right before Christmas, but you are handling it really well.

I totally know what you mean about food looking good, smelling good and it is sort of torture to watch other eat while you sip broth. Ugh. Hang in there, everything gets better each day that passes. Definitely listen to your body, my mind was rearing to go, but I had to wait for my body to catch up.

And I think your mind is in the right place, I truly believe attitude has such a HUGE part in our recovery process, so I think you are doing great!

Hi Misty,

I know what you mean... I had my surgery the day before you (on the 14th), and there are some tough aspects to this right now. I am still hungry, too, and it's tough to see food everywhere.... but I just keep thinking, THIS STAGE IS TEMPORARY!!! That helps me a lot. I know that next Christmas, I will have lost weight, and I can prepare healthy meals with my family and enjoy them and it will all be worth it! I know, it's hard to get through this stage, but I've been told time and again that the first month is the hardest, so I just focus on getting to the next day and the next.... We can do this, and it will get easier! My body is actually starting to feel much better, too, so maybe just try to focus on the fact that we are recovering incredibly rapidly from what is a major surgery! I mean, I thought I'd still be crawling up off the floor at this point, so I'm pretty thrilled that I feel this good.

Hope some of that helps :-)... It's what's helping me get through!