I'm 6 days post-op and thankfully had an amazing recovery. I was able to walk laps from the first day, and finally got all my water/protein/vitamins in today.

...but I've also been on this liquid diet for about 3 weeks now and I'm ready for a JAILBREAK! I feel like a teenager in heat, I can't stop thinking about fewdz. I'm seriously craving the weirdest things!! I can't have dinner with my family because I keep leering at their food. In their sweet attempt to support me, they're all eating healthily...but right now I want to rip the eggplant off my sister's plate and go scarf it down in a dark corner. I almost ravaged a tomato yesterday even though post-op you'd have to wrestle me down to get me to nibble veggies. I've had dreams (nightmares?) about...breaking into ice-cream stores and holding up the employees at gunpoint...for a hot fudge sundae. The only thing that gets me through is reading through the topics discussing all the yummy mushies I'll be having in three weeks O_O

Even as I'm writing this, I'm facing my mom as she's cooking dinner. I feel like a creeper because I keep taking long sips of my Water and salivating over the sight of a hot pan.

...so does anyone else get a weird satisfaction from daydreaming about foods you'll eventually get to have? Sometimes just thinking about my future meals gets me into a giddy mood. I'll always be a lil fatty at heart I guess >.>"

God, yes... I could not WAIT to get to mushies and have the refried Beans with taco sauce and a little cheese. I craved it, and it's not something I'd normally have on a regular basis.

What saved me from all the sweet stuff during the liquid phase were the Soups, particularly tomato. Tomato Soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt was pure heaven for me for those couple of weeks.... are you on clears still, or on full liquids yet?

I could not wait to have something...anything really when all I could have was liquids.

Then, when I could have pureed foods, it wasn't that much fun! It kinda sucked actually. I still could only have about 3 bites and I was done! It tasted o.k, but not like I thought it would.

Then, when I got to go to soft foods the same thing happened! I just am not that excited about food anymore! I don't know if it is because I can not eat much and meal times don't make me happy or that food just doesn't taste the same to me! I use to get so excited to eat and now eating is uneventful to me. I eat because I have to!

Kelly

I dreamt about cheese mostly but did have a dream about eating carrots. It all subsided after a couple of weeks. Now I am pretty much able to eat what ever I want (really whatever sleevie wants).

haha I'm glad I'm not the only one! I think that no matter what, I'll always be a foodie...I just love extravagant meals and really want to start taking cooking seriously, so I can't wait until I can eat solid foods! I've actually never had any prior interest in cooking, but I think refraining from "normal" foods for so long really helps you to appreciate all their individual qualities. I did a 2-week pre-op diet and now I'm starting the second week of my post-op clear liquid diet (I can only have diet, non-caffienated fluids and the protein shakes they provided me). I suppose I'm getting restless because all the pain/nausea from last week is gone and I'm starting to feel more "normal." I never thought I'd be SO excited over the thought of yogurt and vegetable juice haha I'm also looking forward to cheese and refried beans we'll get there somedaayyyy

Wow, the first few weeks after surgery, everything smelled so fantastic, and watching commercials on television was pure torture!! It was HARD, and I actually went through a phase where I felt really sorry for myself (that old "What the &%$ have I done?"). Once I could eat the mushies and then soft foods, and now getting into regular foods, the luster sort of wore off. It's like at first, your body is going, "Woah, we're losing a lot of weight. Doesn't that smell good? Eat something!" Then later, as you have lost some weight and have, through trial and error, learned how to eat again, your body kind of gets a lot less interested--my sense of smell, always really sharp, has intensified since surgery, but it no longer triggers the "eat" reflex. I enjoy the smell of food a LOT, but I don't feel like I have to eat it (which is good, because most of the time I don't think I'd be able to even if I wanted it!). Seems like once your body realizes it can't do what it wants, the entire process sort of calms down and disconnects--that feeling of being ravenous or craving something because you smelled it or saw it just isn't the same, at least it isn't for me. Mostly now I do what Lily does--I eat what sleevie wants and what will make him happy (and don't ask me why my sleeve is a "he," because I don't know).

The first couple of weeks are really hard in lots of ways. You're doing great--just hang onto that sense of humor and you'll be fine!

Meg

haha it's so cute how you refer to him as sleevie, I think I'm going to name mine too So that whole "woeee is me!" overwhelming sense of self-pity after the surgery will go away once I start eating a bigger variety of meals? Because right now I feel so...sad! It's actually really funny, I'm just dramatically moping around because all I have to look forward to is my protein shakes. I need to find something else to entertain me haha

I know my sense of depression and sadness and "I can't believe I have done this to myself" went away after I could begin keeping food down--I had problems with acid, evidently, but as soon as the problem got under control and I could eat even tiny amounts of "real food," the sense of gloom went away. It became kind of cool to get full on 2 boiled shrimp!! At this point, sometimes I wish I could eat a bit more because it tastes so good, but at the same time, I realize that's what got me into this situation in the first place; the difference is that now I'm physically unable to eat more, despite it tasting good, and I'm full and satisfied. Yay sleevie!!

Meg

I was soooo looking forward to being able to have mashed potatoes. The first night I could have them I was so excited. I took about a half of a cereal bowl and started to eat. About 4 bites into it I was stuffed...I literally laughed out loud at how little I had eaten and was full. I think I ate from that same half bowl for the next 3 meals.

I can't wait to start mushy foods on 6/22! I did 2 weeks of liquid pre surgery and 3 weeks of liquids post surgery. After 5 weeks of liquid protein I realize that I may compulsively overeat for OTHER PEOPLE'S PROTECTION!

I hope I don't hurt anyone before I make it to mushy next Wednesday!!!!

Just saw this thread today. Funny thing is, I loved watching (and still do) the food network and all the cooking shows. There is just something so satisfying about watching them. I guess since I can't really eat much, I like watching those type shows. I always did like to watch them, even before surgery, but now, it's even more fun to watch. Weird.

...so does anyone else get a weird satisfaction from daydreaming about foods you'll eventually get to have? Sometimes just thinking about my future meals gets me into a giddy mood. I'll always be a lil fatty at heart I guess >.>"

with a name like chef neil?

I have already practiced in my mind mini muffins and those delicious strawberry cannoli's on Egg face

I watched my family eat deli sammy's yesterday, spicey mustard, turkey, cheese, pickles, peppercinis...

meanwhile my cottage cheese with blueberry yogurt was slippin on down....

and my wife grilled up some chicken last night... I watched her like a dog...

cream of asp. Soup slurp- yum...

I just want to crunch SOMETHING!

Madison, I can totally relate. All I think about is chili cheese dogs, morning noon and night. It has become an obsession. The only thing that takes my mind off chili cheese dogs, is when a commercial comes on tv that shows a different type of food. Or if I watch cupcake wars on the food channel!! (I stayed away from the tv today, maybe because I didn't want anything to interrupt my chili cheese dog fantasies...hahahaha!!)

I start pureed food tomorrow, so maybe I'll snap out of it. Lord help me!!!

I guess my fav. foods are latino flavored...

My wife was making some ground turkey for her taco, I borrowed the spice mix and fixed up my cottage cheese, with a dab of salsa on top- I had the same flavor going as she did-

next i heated up some roasted pepper and tomato soup- bland as all out...

so I mixed them together and got a flavorful soup.

as soon as I am able to eat veggies...

I want to make a pastaless lasagna using either zucchini planks or eggplant slices, turkey meat, cheese and sauce- YUM!

that all sounds sooo good! I was in for the greatest surprise of my life at yesterday's 2-week post-op appointment: I discovered that my dr. actually allows certain mushies instead of a strictly full-liquid diet! I bought every type of refried Beans I could find and wrestled an old lady for the last tub of oikos greek yogurt >.>" I definitely can't watch food commercials, that might push me over the edge lol i was also surprised that my dr. also allows certain Protein chips/cereals so soon. did anyone else have that by their second week?

haha chef neil I already prepared for the mini-cupcakes I'm going to make once I'm able to eat solids I understand the need to crunch something, I almost nibbled on one of my hamsters' chew sticks >.>'