Last meal mentality

Anyone else having terrible cravings for things that you think you will miss? Tonight I had ice cream...I have never been an ice cream fan...but I had to have it. Had a few spoonfuls and decided I could live without it. Everytime I eat anything these days I think about whether I am going to miss it....most everything I realize that I won't...except for Spicy Flautas from chevys...I think I will miss them a bit, but I know I can have other mexican dishes (eventually) so I will find something else to enjoy. I am going to try and not have fast food between now and surgery...that is very hard for me but I know that I need to start my "better" habits now before surgery. I do think I will miss popcorn a bit...and not just tasting it but smelling hot buttered popcorn. Am I crazy? I know I am ready for surgery and a major lifestyle change....I think the next few weeks are giving me too much time to think. RAE

Hey Rebecca, I understand completely! Tonight I felt a craving for fried cheese. I was unreasonable about it, it was not negotiable, I simply had to have mozz sticks because I knew that it would be a very long time before I had them again. That being said, I got them, I ate them, I enjoyed them. I keep these things in perspective: More than likely I'll be able to eat everything again, it'll just be a matter of how much I'll be willing to pay the price for enjoying my favorites. My surgeon has decided to attempt to nip the "Last Supper" syndrome in the bud by making people who haven't lost any weight go on a liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery. Now, his reasons are justified - when we are indulging in high fat, high sodium, high "insert crap-food word here" type things we are making our livers less than optimal for surgery. Meaning, we have to be conscientious that we are kind to our livers in the days before surgery. If we haven't lost any weight preop the chances are likely that our liver is oversized and fatty, which means it could get in the way of the surgical instruments, and get nicked on accident causing much sickness. (Can you tell I am extremely thankful I have lost 45 lbs prior to surgery and don't have to worry about that Optifast crapola?!?) I have resolved to monitor fat intake, I won't be taking any advil or tylenol for 5 days before surgery (if I get a stress headache the tylenol is the better choice as the advil will interfere with blood coagulation), I will not be imbibing in alcohol, and I'll be reasonable with portions. Nothiing will be gone forever. . .I'll just never enjoy the quantity I currently do, and I'll have to be willing to pay the price. . . I can't wait to start my new life.... Best of luck, ~Lara Lap RNY - Distal on 4/1/04 400/355/Goal of 260

You sure know how to make a person smile!!! My daughter and I are working on a list of last-time foods! I'm trying to write a poem about the foods that I'll miss. However, don't want to go on a total binge before surgery on the 15th. My biggest problem is that I've been undergoing some serious, serious stressors over these last two weeks. Last night, I took out three large boxes of goodies -- 10 oz. container of salted cashews, 16 oz. sugar free fruit jewels and 6.25 oz. of Reception Sticks that I bought for a family day dinner on the 10th. I didn't know how much damage I wanted to inflict on those goodies -- but I had to stop myself!!!! WHAT WOULD I BE ABLE TO EAT POST-SURGERY WHEN STRESSED LIKE THIS? Well, I prayed and took myself to sleep. Goodies for the dinner are untouched!! Whoever said this was the easy way to lose weight?? Once we've committed to do well post-surgery, we have to place some limits on ourselves now. But, I'm telling you, I had one of the two red ribbons off of the Reception Sticks box. Yes, I am going to eat all of the things that I'll miss after surgery. Guess I'll just enjoy one item a day until surgery.

Ok what I have been doing is going out to lunch at my favorite restaurants 1-2 times a week. Lunch is less than dinner usually and I have been sure to hit all the ones I like that way after surgery I will have no feelings of need of wanting to go out to eat (which is one of my favorite things to do) because it will be 6 months or so before I will be to a point where I can comfortably do that. I pretty much have it out of my system now. Kim