I am going back to work on Thursday which is the same day I start "mushies." I decided it would be easier if I took my lunch since I can't come home because I commute. I figured I would try tuna salad, chicken salad, and egg salad with a couple of crackers. Can some of you'll tell me what you put in with the tuna, chicken, and egg? Also, what crackers work best when banded.

I was talking to my husband and I decided it is ok for me to drive. I think we figured out that I wasn't suppose to drive for a week because the Dr. had given me pain killers.......duh, but I never took any of them. Anyway, I am going to go to the store tomorrow to by my lunch stuff for Thursday and Friday and realized I don't relly know how to make it, I know you add mayo but what else pickles, or relish? I don't want to call my Mom becasue we haven't told her about the surgery and she will definantly think something is wrong if I am making food at home.

Barbara,

Try the tuna and egg salad. Mix it with low fat mayo (add a little more than you normally would) and some sweet relish, salt and pepper. You can also fix the chicken salad like that too but I had problems in the beginning eating the chicken salad cause it was a little more to consume. I didnt eat crackers at all til I went to the regular food stage. I eat the low sodium Ritz cracker and usually only 4 or 5. Good luck to you.

Hi Barbra,

Good answer Tanya. I still have your bowl of Soup in the freezer. You didn't come to TOPS last night. Maybe next Tuesday. LOL

Barb are you suppose to be doing 2 weeks liquids? I wouldn't do the chicken salad so soon but the egg salad is definately softer and will go down easier. Don't forget to take your drinks with you; Water, gatorade or crystal light.

I bring Breakfast and lunch to work everyday. I bring or keep these things at work; cheese sticks, grapes, soup, yogurt, sf pudding, oatmeal, and always a Protein drink. I never want to get sick at work.

Good Luck chew, chew, chew

I wouldn't use the relish unless you blend it first. You're using my three favorites. I just squished them up really well before eating. I don't know if you have a WAWA near you, but OMG, they have the very best of all three. I just order 2-3 of the 1/4 containers of each, then you know how much you're eating.

My doctor said to use the real mayonnaise, since you're not eating that much of it anyway.

I drove on my 3rd day, I didn't need the pain pills either.

Wish ya luck!

Thanks everyone! I only have 2 work days this week so I will do tuna salad one day and egg salad the other. I did look at the list and canned tuna is on my pureed stage but not chicken so I will hold off on it until my Semi-Solids stage week after next.

I am ready to start this journey. And like Jack says get back down to what I promised myself I would never get up to.

I should get the award for the longest posts in LBT historyJ. I am sure that after tomorrow when I go back to work they will be much shorter. I have spent lots of time on here while I’ve been home recovering.

Barb are you suppose to be doing 2 weeks liquids? I wouldn't do the chicken salad so soon but the egg salad is definately softer and will go down easier. Don't forget to take your drinks with you; Water, Gatorade or crystal light.

No, just one week of liquids (today is my last day), one week of pureed (mushies), and then I move to semi-solids and can begin adding foods of normal consistency slowly from there. And yes, thanks for the reminder on drinks, I have bottled water at work, but need to remember to put some Crystal Light in my bag.

I didnt eat crackers at all til I went to the regular food stage. I eat the low sodium Ritz cracker and usually only 4 or 5. Good luck to you.

Dr. said I could 2-3 crackers with my meals during the pureed stage. But I either forgot to ask or forgot to write down what kind of crackers at this stage. He also said I could add toast or English muffin in on my Semi-Solids stage.

I don't know if you have a WAWA near you, but OMG, they have the very best of all three. I just order 2-3 of the 1/4 containers of each, then you know how much you're eating.

My doctor said to use the real mayonnaise, since you're not eating that much of it anyway.

Don't have a WAWA (actually never even heard of it), but I wish we did. I will probably explore what the different stores have in there deli's because I don't see myself taking my lunch everyday long term. I am usually working out of town (I commute every day but I mean a long distance 90% out of state) every other week to 10 days so I am glad I was able to get 13 days without travel so I had a week for surgery and recovery and a week (nearly) for pureed stage. I have a crazy travel schedule beginning on August 28th when I fly to New Orleans (great place for fish) until the week of Thanksgiving. Bye, bye homeJ. At least I will earn more miles or free tickets I can use to go and get my fills. The closest Dr. I can find from home to do fills for me is ~350 miles away.

My doctor said I did not have to use light or diet things because it generally tastes better and like yours said the calorie difference is insignificant with the small portion sizes. I will watch my calories and use light and diet as/if needed.

I was actually helping to bring in firewood on about my third day.....very gingerly and just a few pieces at a time....

I haven't been doing any real lifting since surgery. I figured I was going to get enough of that starting the 28th when I have to carry my laptop and projector through the airports and conference centers. But, my husband decided he would work extra hard between the time we came back from Mexico and the 28th and he is going with me to help carry my stuff. Isn't he sweet? Or does he just want to go to New Orleans? Probably both but I am also there for our anniversary (15 years) so I am glad he is going with.

Pickles I'm still very wary about....they are hard and IF they get stuck I'm concerned it would take quite a while to dislodge or digest them....so far, I've avoided them pretty much....except whizzed up thoroughly...

Yea, I figured if I added pickles I would have to blend them, but I think for now I will just mix it with mayo and some salt & pepper. I DO NOT want to PB and I certainly don't want to do it at work!

I don't eat many crackers as it leads toward the path I'm trying to get off...but plain soda crackers, a few most days, nibbled slowly, work well for me...

Dr. said I could 2-3 crackers with my meals during the pureed stage. But I either forgot to ask or forgot to write down what kind of crackers at this stage.

...and food from home is the best kind anyway...Mom should know that....

Oh, she knows it well, but she also knows me well and knows that fixing stuff like that at home to take in my lunch is out of character for me. Exactly why I had to ask what to put if tuna to make it tuna salad; I don't do much cooking at home and when we do it is usually outside on the BBQ Grill. Both DH and I work long hours during the week and I commute an hour and a half each day when I am working locally and gone ~ 2 weeks per month. So, without kids at home we aren't real domestic.

I haven't found a need for much relish, as it just takes up space and doesn't contribute much to what I'm after these days.

Going to skip it for a while and just stick with Mayo and some spice. Just to be on the safe side.

When you do eat, focus on that and leave out multitasking. Distractions from chewchewchewing can lead to PB events. Don't ask how I know this. HAR!

Yea, I thought about that. Maybe I will go to the park and eat so I don't have any distractions or feel rushed.