I am scheduled for February 18th. I will be first in. Wow, this process takes forever.

On 03/03/2019 at 13:02, AZhiker said:

I agree that every program seems to have a different set of guidelines. My biggest frustration is that I have a big vegetable garden, jam packed full of all kinds of veggies that I can't eat! It makes me depressed. I finally started taking the greens from the garden (turnip, radish, mustard, collards, beet, bok choy, spinach, broccoli, kale, chard) and blending them with Water to make a slurry. I strain out the Fiber and even filter the Fluid through a coffee filter. I then have a clear, non caloric liquid that I add to smoothies, and just drink. Tastes like salad, is rich in phyto-nutrients, and makes me happy. At my follow up appt, the NP saw it and at first said I was cheating. I told her it met the clear liquid criteria and was a heck of a lot healthier than Crystal Lite, Diet Jello, or sugar free popsickles. She couldn't argue with that and said it was OK. Sheesh! I have 6 weeks to go before I can actually eat a real vegetable! Meanwhile, I have to freeze, can, and dehydrate them.

Other programs say you can start on soft mushy veggies in week 3. I'd give anything for some mashed turnip or broccoli!

I too am craving veggies-especially salad. OMG, I would probably trade my first born for a giant wedge salad!
Now that being said, I’m 25 days out and finishing week 2 of purées and there is simply no way I could fit any vegetables in on top of the protein I’m eating.
I’m thinking that the biggest reason they say no veg in the first 6 weeks is because if you eat veg, there won’t be room for anything else

On 03/03/2019 at 19:59, TheMarine79 said:

Back to work tomorrow for me. Let’s see how this goes. Looking forward to this, but a little anxious

Good luck and let us know how it went.
I returned to work last Tuesday and managed to pull three 10 hour shifts in a row.
It was rough because I’m on my feet the whole time and there is quite a bit of bending low and stretching up, but I was so happy that I managed to do it and being back at work has really helped with my mental health.
It’s one step closer to “ normal” and I was feeling like such a slug by not working.
I’ve worked about 50 hours a week for the last 30 years. The last time I took this much time off of work was when I had my daughter in 1997.

How are my February buddies doing with old habits? I'm the cook in our household, and while I got the day after surgery off, I'm back in the groove of preparing meals for the rest of the family each evening.

I really have to watch my old habits though... before if I was slicing veg, anything that wasn't the right shape for the dish went into my mouth. Last night I was trimming green beans and slicing zucchini and twice I caught myself about to throw something in my mouth.

Before surgery I was worried that I would find it hard to watch them eat whatever I prepared while I get 1/3 cup of broth lol. But, I have to say I actually enjoy watching them eat good food.

Anyone else struggling on kitchen duty?

4 days post op. Everything went fine. Little to no gas pains. My larger incision is hurting more than the first few days. It hurts around the incision like a bruise. Also my left upper leg is numb and tingly. Anyone else have these symptoms?

I'm a week post op today and woke up yesterday with my left upper leg swollen and sore. Called my Dr and they told me to go to the ER for an ultrasound to be sure there's no blood clots. Thankfully there wasn't. I have to have another one done in a week. The ER Dr said it's just muscular swelling. I go to my surgeon Wednesday so I'll see what he says.

Sky guy, I am the cook in our home too. Several times I caught myself ready to sample something I was cooking and thinking how good that would taste. There are just two of us and while not healthy we did stock up on several stoffers type frozen dinners so my cooking would be minimal. The biggest problem I have had is our neighbor. She loves to cook and have us over for dinner. I decided from the beginning that the surgery was my private decision, a few days prior to starting the liquid pre op stage I explained to her that for the next month we would not be available for dinners that I was starting a very intense diet. Her answer was that no problem she would cook healthy diet dishes. To make it crystal clear I further added (nicely) that there would be absolutely no changes to my plans. She accepted that but still calls and suggests dinner saying she's going to cook shrimp etc and they are ok for dieting. My other food/friends issue is that every weekend we play cards, rumicube, or movies than eat. Big problem, so far we have made excuses and not attended. Playing that one by ear, don't know the path forward on that problem but I am doing well and determined to continue successfully.

6 minutes ago, Joe P said:

...so far we have made excuses and not attended...

I hear you on this! Like you, I've told very few people about the surgery.

I have had a couple of social events that couldn't be missed - a retirement lunch for a work colleague and a funeral for a friend's dad. Both during the pre-op liquid diet. At the lunch, I found wonton soup on the menu and ordered that without wontons. Other than a weird look from the waitress, that one flew. Funerals around here are big food events though and friends make trays of sandwiches and cookies and everything under the sun. It was hard to make excuses for that, but I just said I was on a crazy shake diet and couldn't eat anything. I'm finding there's enough people on the keto kick in my social circles that there's almost always someone on a restriction of some sort.

Bless your neighbour (and anyone else who loves to entertain) let me know how you make out with that one!

Skyguy - I am the cook in my household and I am not cooking. Yesterday my daughter said “we haven’t had a meal in like two weeks”! She’s 16 years old. My husband has cooked a few meals so that’s not necessarily the truth. My kids are just used to me whipping up lasagna and whatever other casserole I am inclined to make. I make (uh hum MADE) a lot of casserole’s and heavy southern food.

She was saying there’s nothing in the house to eat. I’m including a picture of the pantry and how there is “nothing to eat” (i’m including a picture of the pantry and how there is “nothing to eat “). I think this is actually going to be a good exercise for my family. Number one they can learn to fend for themselves. And number two they can start seeing the food in the pantry that’s right there in their face.. Maybe I am the meanest mom on earth but I am making myself a priority and right now I’m just not ready to submerge myself in a large pot of chicken and dumplings for their comfort. Your a better man than I am a woman for continuing your role as chef!

Edited March 4, 20197 yr by Everythinganna

On 03/04/2019 at 10:42, Everythinganna said:

Skyguy - I am the cook in my household and I am not cooking. Yesterday my daughter said “we haven’t had a meal in like two weeks”! She’s 16 years old. My husband has cooked a few meals so that’s not necessarily the truth. My kids are just used to me whipping up lasagna and whatever other casserole I am inclined to make. I make (uh hum MADE) a lot of casserole’s and heavy southern food.

She was saying there’s nothing in the house to eat. I’m including a picture of the pantry and how there is “nothing to eat” (i’m including a picture of the pantry and how there is “nothing to eat “). I think this is actually going to be a good exercise for my family. Number one they can learn to fend for themselves. And number two they can start seeing the food in the pantry that’s right there in their face.. Maybe I am the meanest mom on earth but I am making myself a priority and right now I’m just not ready to submerge myself in a large pot of chicken and dumplings for their comfort. Your a better man than I am a woman for continuing your role as chef!

Omg this made me laugh so hard! KUDOS to you for sticking to your guns and doing the right thing. Don’t call yourself the meanest mom please.
Instead think of the WONDERFUL gift you’re going to give: a HEALTHY and HAPPY mom who will be there for all of the little and the big moments in life due to this wonderful journey.

My daughter is now 21, but I remember all too well those teenage years— we just can’t do enough for them to make them happy, can we?

Okay guys. Gotta hurry because I’ve got work soon, but I’m so freaking excited because I did a Pilates class this morning! I told the instructor before class what I had done and she was great with helping me modify a few exercises like planks to protect my healing core.

I feel soooooo energized and ready for the day!

Awesome !

I am suffering from a serious case of pantry envy!

Scale confession, I stepped in the scale before my two week check in. I know I should not have done it but the scale was right there just taunting me....

1 hour ago, Goody222 said:

scale confession, I stepped in the scale before my two week check in. I know I should not have done it but the scale was right there just taunting me....

I hope you did well! My daughter seems to wanna throw me on the scaled every day lol

1 hour ago, Goody222 said:

I am suffering from a serious case of pantry envy!

Exactly! What a great setup @Everythinganna! I'm jelly!

2 hours ago, Everythinganna said:

a large pot of chicken and dumplings

...Mmmmmm chicken and dumplings... now i have to have some chicken broth so i can pretend!

Good southern cooking is hard to find up here in the frozen north. In April, we're heading to Disney, and one of the stops has to be Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' in Disney Springs. I sure hope I'm ready for a tiny piece of that chicken.

2 hours ago, Sheribear68 said:

Okay guys. Gotta hurry because I’ve got work soon, but I’m so freaking excited because I did a Pilates class this morning! I told the instructor before class what I had done and she was great with helping me modify a few exercises like planks to protect my healing core.

I feel soooooo energized and ready for the day!

I hope you are inspiration to me! I am thinking of joining Planet Fitness--just to do some treadmill and weights. I broke my arm two years ago and had surgery with plates put in so it's very difficult to hold me weight up with that arm. I'm slowly gathering gumption to get into a fitness regime. I hate exercising (hence one of the reasons I found myself in Obeseville!).