Thank you to everyone for their support.

I took a 6 hour flight to CA on 3/31 and arrived in San Diego at 11:30 "their time". The driver, Ernesto, was waiting for me at the baggage area and put my luggage in the van and drove me, and another passenger, to Mexacali. This drive was about 2 hours long.

I was taken directly to the hospital where they were waiting for me and had blood work, urinalysis, EKG, chest x-ray, and then an esophagram to evaluate and completely unfil my band. The last stop was meeting with the coordinator to get pre and post-op instructions and to pay the balance for the surgery.

I was told I could have anything I wanted to eat (was on a 30 gram/day carb diet for the week prior to surgery) and driven to the Lucerna Resort which is beautiful. As I worked the night before, I elected to have the sandwich and protein bar I brought with me, showered, and fell asleep. I took the antibiotic they gave me before I went to sleep but did not take the ativan.

At 7 AM on 4/1, I was picked up and taken to my room in the hospital. I was seen by a medical internist who reviewed my tests (all good), an assistant surgeon (who was sleeved the day after me), an anesthesiologist, and finally, by the surgeon, Dr. Aceves. All questions were answered and I was the second sleeve of the day.

I got dramamine and versed to take 30 minutes prior to the OR and that knocked me out. LOL. My IV was inserted in the OR and I had spinal and general anesthesia. The spinal dramatically decreases the amount of general needed. Since I don't do well with general (severe nausea), I elected for the spinal too and had NO problems in the recovery room.

All I remember about the recovery room was being asked if I had pain... nope, and being told I was going back to my room. I got some IV pain medication at @ 4 AM and then had sublingual (under the tongue) toradol @ 1 PM. For me, this surgery was a lot less painful than the band.

At noon, I had to drink small sips of water. An hour after that I drank apple juice with a blue dye in it. This is the second test (first done in OR) for leaks. I have a drain near where the port was and the hope is that no blue color comes through to the bag. I passed. After that, I was brought hot tea, tang OJ, and apple juice. My IV was taken out this evening.

Tomorrow morning, I go for the last leak test and will have to drink a radiograffin substance. If I pass that test (and I have no doubt I will), the drain gets removed at noon. I will leave the hospital at 5:45 AM on Saturday to make my flight in San Diego for home. I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience. As a registered nurse I was very watchful and am impressed with the care, cleanliness, and professionalism I observed.

can you have soft cheese? I really like string cheese!

I

I think people think I am a little nuts walking around outside in my housecoat. Dr. A told me to walk to the fence and that's where the border is and my phone would work. I had to cross a busy street. Maybe the people in the cars are used to seeing crazy Americans walking around the hospital neighborhoods in their bathrobes. Acutally, I could have gotten dressed, but I decided that was a hassle.

:thumbup:

Well I read to buy protein drinks, etc before surgery so you know which ones you like

No, no. Don't find one you like before surgery. You'll may not like it after and then you'll be stuck with tons of it!

My mom has always said you stay heavier in your mind longer than you do your body.

I think we all have a mental image of ourselves and it's at a certain weight. For me, my mental image was around 155-165. So when I was above that, I was always being surprised at how BIG I was and now that I'm below that I'm constantly surprised by how SMALL I am!

I'm the opposite... 5' 2" and petite bone frame... tiny hands and a size 6 shoes.

You end some somewhere between 2 and 6 then depending on how much you lose. I'm at 122 and my 6s are just getting big and I am in 4s in some brands. (Around the same height, frame and shoe size.)

can you have soft cheese? I really like string cheese!

That's a soft, not a mushy.

hi everyone,

i just posted a before picture of myself. I am no long just a pretty name and script. I am still excited about 6/12 and praying that vegas angel gets her financing approved

ruthi

great pic ruthie

thanks for the prayers -- i'll always take all i can get.

I bought GNC unflavored protein mix and I mix it in anything.

I have mixed in apple juice, K Protein water, crystal light, etc

I bought GNC unflavored protein mix and I mix it in anything.

I have mixed in apple juice, K Protein water, crystal light, etc

That is what Nina suggested to me in an email -- that way after you're off the clear stage you can use it in other things like SF pudding, etc. I have some protein powder that I use now - it's got 25 g of protein and no carbs or sugars. I use it for fruit smoothies in the morning and add splenda to it to sweeten (that spelling doesn't look right) a little, a banana and a cup of frozen fruit ... it's VERY filling. Got it at Albertson's in their health food section.

Is it unflavored? Does it taste funny? I have a friend who is getting the sleeve next week and she is a really picky eater. She is really worried about how she is going to get the protein in if unflavored protein powder smells or tastes funny.

I don't have a sense of smell so I think that might be why it just tastes like whatever I put it in.

I had my first "hard" protein today. I made chicken cutlets with ziti and tomato sauce. Knowing I needed protein first, I decided to go for the chicken. After eating 1/3 of the chicken and 2 ziti (yes, only 2), I was stuffed.

I'm noticing that I get the hiccups when I'm full. If I take "one more bite" I feel like I'm going to be sick. This is definitely a learning experience.

I had my first "hard" protein today. I made chicken cutlets with ziti and tomato sauce. Knowing I needed protein first, I decided to go for the chicken. After eating 1/3 of the chicken and 2 ziti (yes, only 2), I was stuffed.

I'm noticing that I get the hiccups when I'm full. If I take "one more bite" I feel like I'm going to be sick. This is definitely a learning experience.

For some of us band to sleeve people true restriction is a kick in the butt, eh? ;o)

Actually, feeling restriction validates for me that the band was useless. I never felt ANYTHING like this with the band. It's so strange "existing" on so little food but I'm not complaining!

I always got the hiccups with the band when I was done.

I can't wait to feel full again. If I didn't trust Dr. A so much, I would really think my sleeve was done wrong.

I always got the hiccups with the band when I was done.

I can't wait to feel full again. If I didn't trust Dr. A so much, I would really think my sleeve was done wrong.

He is one of the best surgeons so nothing was done wrong. They say the true test is when you go to solids. I did that for the first time this evening and boy are they right! Hang in there. If you feel hungry all the time, write to Gaby and maybe they will allow you to advance early.

I really want to follow the rules. I know and trust that

Dr. A has done enough sleeves to do a perfect job on me. I don't want to take any chances of messing anything up by advancing early. I can live through this.

I am not getting carbs, so really it makes no sense to me why I feel this knawing hunger. Usually when you are carb free, the hunger goes away. I only put the protein powder in apple juice once and that was 50% less sugar apple juice. The rest of the time it's been Hawiian sf punch, and crystal light. I used the K20 protien water once too but I don't think that has many carbs. I am at my dd house at the moment or I would go and ck the box.

I had my first "hard" protein today. I made chicken cutlets with ziti and tomato sauce. Knowing I needed protein first, I decided to go for the chicken. After eating 1/3 of the chicken and 2 ziti (yes, only 2), I was stuffed.

I'm noticing that I get the hiccups when I'm full. If I take "one more bite" I feel like I'm going to be sick. This is definitely a learning experience.

I make a very loud, obnoxious kind of hiccup sound when I have, as my family says, "reached capacity". It is quite embarassing.

LOL. I'm glad to know I'm not alone, Susan!

I make a very loud, obnoxious kind of hiccup sound when I have, as my family says, "reached capacity". It is quite embarassing.

When I first started on solids I was burping like a truck driver. It was embarrassing. I was beginning to regret being sleeved. I mean seriously, how feminine is it to burp like that after a meal? Totally unexpected and LOUD!

Dr. Aceves explained that it was esophageal swelling and irritation and it would go away. It did. I never do that anymore.

Maybe you guys have your own version of my burping? ;o)