Will we always...forever.....have to chew so our food is totally mush like???

That's what my surgeon and nut keep telling me. The reason we have to chew everything to 'mush' is because the opening to the new stomach is not much bigger around than a pencil, so any pieces/chunks of food cannot pass through. If you don't chew thoroughly, food will back up on you. I hear that is a painful process and will cause you to throw up the stuck food. I don't ever want to experience that, so I'm very careful to chew, chew, chew.

After awhile it becomes second nature. And believe me, you learn to accept it after a few swallows of food that hasn't been chewed enough.

This is a lesson I learn over and over and over. There's nothing worse than having food stuck trying to get into your pouch.