Here is the email I sent to family and friends yesterday, June 8 after surgery that morning:

Went into surgery at 10:45. Had a little trouble waking up and taking deep breaths but that quickly subsided. Surgery was around an hour. By 3 I was feeling pretty good when a couple of my Arkansas friends came by. At precisely 5:30 I was able to set on the edge of the bed and then got up and walked to the end of the hall and back. At precisely 6:30 I was given one ounce of Water to drink over the next hour, must sip small amounts and carefully swallow. No problem. At 8 I will be given one ounce of Protein drink and two ounces of water for the next hour. Catheter will be removed at 5 am but as an old man that frequents the bathroom, I've decided I like it. Will walk two more times tonight and hopefully have two Protein drinks of one ounce each. Hopefully I will require only one more morphine shot but they do not want me in any significant level of pain. I will sit up or walk until bedtime at 10.

Little if any nausea and pain has been well controlled with morphine. Able to take good deep naps this afternoon and looking forward to two blocks of four hours each of sleep tonight.

The small (really small) hospital is excellent and all the nurses and aids are wonderful and very well trained.

I am at the Roller Weight Loss Clinic in Fayetteville and Dr. Quan is my surgeon. Medical School Johns Hopkins (4 years), surgery training University of Washington (4years) and Batictric Fellowship and head resident 2 and one half years. Been here for five years.

My procedure was a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy which removed about 75 to 80 percent of my stomach.

Anyway, thanks for all the prayers and concerns. Look forward to seeing all of you.

Steve

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Update June 9th:

Slept really good, one two oun block and one five hour block. Catheter removed at five am, given two one ounce powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Proteins and three one ounce waters, finished in thirty minutes. Walked five Lapps around the ward, back in room looking at another round of protein and water. I am learning that slow and consistent sips are way better than fast.

I expect to be discharged today around noon. So far Unjury strawberry/banana and chocolate are good .I have not noticed any taste changes yet. Still have gas pains at area just below my sternum, not bad but uncomfortable and walking makes them go away.

I firmly believe my pre op diet for the weeks before surgery and a strict day before diet were key to my progress. I lost 25 pounds from January, 330lb. down to 305 yesterday.

Will post more as time goes by.

Sent from my iPad

Wow, sounds like you are doing well. They didnt start me on liquids until 1 pm today, just juice, broth and water. I've had no nausea just feeling of fullness and achy. I feel better standing while I drink. They took 80% of my stomach out and I too did pretty good with preop and that helped a lot my doctor said. I will start protein unjury tomorrow. I like the taste of unjury and I also have at home the unflavored so I can mix it in jello, juice etc. I'm currently 252 lbs. Good luck with everything! It's certainly not easy but not as horrible as I thought either.