I will be exactly 4wk post op at Thanksgiving. I am not telling anyone except my husband and parents that I'm having surgery. My dad's family holds a huge Thanksgiving get together. Should I plan not to attend the holiday get together this year or will I be able to get away with eating a very small amount of something? My hospital guide isnt really too thorough as far as diet progression it just says 1/4-1/2 cup portions and gives a few examples. I would love to hear from some post op people.

I was 4 months post-op at Thanksgiving last year. I made dinner for 20 people. Only my wife and kids knew I had the surgery.

Basically, I put REALLY small portions of everything on my plate. Less than a bite each. When asked about it, I just said that so often I get full before I get a chance to taste everything, so this year I am taking small portions of everything so I can try everyting and still have seconds. They agreed and actually took smaller portions themselves.

I ate a bit, pushed food around the plate, went to the bathroom and hung out for a bit, refilled mashed potatoes, rolls ...

Nobody noticed how much I actually ate.

It really wasn't a big deal, so don't overthink it.

Wonderful! Thanks for commenting, that helps a lot. Fortunately my family likes to talk a lot so hopefully no one will notice what's on my plate. I definitely will not miss that nasty stuffed feeling this year!

That is EXACTLY what I told my wife after everyone left.

I wasn't stuffed or sleepy. I was actually a functional human being, which was a nice change.

Yeah, with the crowd of people and all the action and conversation, people really don't notice. When the potatos pass, give them a stir. Comment on how tasty the gravy is. Participate in all the hoopla and nobody will notice. TRY to go un-noticed, and you will stick out.

I was just transitioning from creamy/purees to mushy food at 4 weeks. Its hard to say what you can or cannot eat because everyone's diet is so different post op.

I would stick with mashed potatoes, soft vegetables etc. I'm not sure at 4 weeks u will be able to handle turkey.

Best of luck!!!