Marcher's still cruising - were on our way

Okay our first formal night dinner. We dress to impress ourselves if no one else. We try foreign foods that we may have only dreamed about or seen on movies. There is an uneasiness to this new experience. We look to our tablemates and ask their advice on food choices. We become daring and try something new, perhaps a chilled soup or a meat or fish we hesitated to try in the past. We find that there are choices that we never considered before. We learn, we adapt, and we grow. We find that we like this new lifestyle and the benefits that go with it. We have progressed to solid foods and we are anxious how our new body will react to these foods that we were accustomed to in the past. Sometimes they work fine and other times it is a learning experience. Again we ask others that have gone before us for their advice. We learn that cottage cheese can be a life saver and can be flavored with different low sugar yogurt flavors or fruits. We appreciate the loss of weight that was once holding us back and now we are learning to soar. Life is becoming so much easier and clothes shopping is no longer dreaded. We love this journey that is before us. We arrive at the ports of call and there are so many opportunities to enjoy the many excursions or short trips that are available. We can choose between site seeing, snorkeling, watching wildlife, horseback riding or maybe riding in a helicopter or many other interesting choices. We can have it all (or at least what we can afford). We are meeting our mini goals and now it's time to treat ourselves for the many "wows" we have discovered about our new bodies and our reduced size. What shall we do? There is always shopping for new clothes in easier to find sizes. Maybe we will start a new physical activity that we would never have considered in the past. We find that we actually enjoy exercising and the many benefits it has for our physical health as well as our mental health. We find on our cruise that in additon to gourmet foods we can enjoy there are also many decadent desserts. The good news is that now with our new body we have come to enjoy not only the quality of our food choices, but we have found new ways to treat ourselves as well. We find that our cruise must come to an end. The good news is that while a cruise may only last a short while, our new body and the tool we have been given is with us for the rest of our lives. It is up to us to choose how we use it and what direction it will take us. We have the ability to choose our vacations and we have made the best choice for us in order to meet the goals we have established for ourselves and what we hope to achieve. We also have control over our lives and we now can lead a much more satisfying and healthier life. Enjoy your cruise and make the most of it. I know I have enjoyed mine. Are there new foods that you enjoy that you didn't before your surgery? How do you treat yourself? Would you take this cruise again? Have you ever been on a real cruise and would you go again? My answers: I like cottage cheese now and despised it before the surgery. I buy more wild shirts now then in the past. I like Hawaiian shirts. I would definately take this cruise again. I have said I would have the surgery every other month if I had to to reach the same results. My wife and I have been on 4 cruises, Alaska, Mexico and the Caribean twice We have been very fortunate and feel blessed. Have a great day. Rick

Again my friend - excellent analogy and article! You have a great gift in making these posts wonderful! Are there new foods that you enjoy that you didn't before your surgery? I can say absolutely blueberries! I never ate them before surgery, but I enjoy them every day in my breakfast cereal...I look forward to my blueberries in the morning. Isn't that a strange food to enjoy post surgery! How do you treat yourself? I treated myself this week by buying a pedometer! I could have ordered it on Amazon and saved $20 but Rebeka had me so fired up for a pedometer - I went out and bought the first one I could find for $39!!! Would you take this cruise again? Absolutely and would recommend it to anyone. This cruise saved my life - I am convinced. Have you ever been on a real cruise and would you go again? Yes we went for a 7-day cruise to Alaska - in my pre-op days. Would love to go again just to fit in the bathrooms!!!! We want to take a Caribbean cruise before long. My surgery buddy STYLZ is leaving this weekend for a cruise...and she has been on a wonderful cruise since our surgery - she looks amazing and is one "hot mamma"!!!! Thanks again Rick for the great analogy and thought prevoking post. Barbara

I would take this cruise again I've been on 3 REAL cruises Alaska, Mexico and West Caribbean. I can't think of any foods that I like now, that I didn't like before surgery. I hated cottage cheese before surgery, and I tried it again several months ago and still hated it Its just the consistency I can't get past... just like tapioca pudding, could never stand the consistency. Too many lumps and bumps, doesn't seem right

Rebecca, I gotta say I like my cottage chese. What about small curd? I like it with low fat low sugar yogurt (strawberry/bannana). I eat it about every morning. Thanks for your reply. Rick

Rick, have you tried adding crystal light to go to your cottage cheese? I haven't, but have heard a lot of people really enjoy it especially with raspberry ice! I can't say theres foods I enjoy that I didn't pre-op but I can say as a pre-op I liked shrimp and as a post-op I LOVE shrimp! I could eat it everyday it just goes down so easy and doesn't feel heavy in my new stomach. I can say theres a lot of foods I tried pre-op that I appreciate more post-op like my favorite food... pizza! During pre-op days I could eat a small pizza in one sitting if I put my mind to it, but didn't enjoy it because I was too busy stuffing my face. Now I take 1 slice, eat it slow and enjoy the flavors of cheese with zesty sauce on warm bread.. mmmmm I've told everyone who has asked me about surgery, if I had to do this again, I'd be there tomorrow morning! Its the best thing I've done for myself. I'm healthier, happier, more confident and more energetic. I could do without the addiction to shopping though, that gets a little costly! Tomorrow starts my first adventure on the open sea!! I love yesterdays post Rick, you made me visualize what I'm going to experience tomorrow getting to the ship, going through the safety drill, unpacking, not seeing land around us, the foods... thanks for the great analogy I'm nervous and excited at the same time, I know the jitters will go away once we get on the ship and relax!! I've heard the Alaskan cruise is breathtaking, maybe once I've got this one under my belt, we'll look into that one!