Jan, Tried to post last night and my internet connection went haywire!! Anyhow, love the idea of baby wipes. Now on my list...thanks!! I don't have to worry about the menstrual bleeding thanks to fibroids I don't have the parts for that anymore. Still get the PMS stuff sometimes cause I kept the ovaries, but otherwise it's been great!! My friend is in surgery right now as I type this. I'm hoping to be able to post later this afternoon that she's in recovery and doing well. Can't believe it's today for her. We've both been at this process since the beginning of this year and have thought about it, talked about it for many years before. Amy

My date is july 7th. I am not yet scared. I haven't done the last meal thing. I don't really feel the urge to eat anything special before surgery. My Clean out day is on sunday. Got the preop on the 3rd. But we will do this together. You have all the support you need right here from those of us who've walked in your shoes for years. This is for us and we must do this for our own quality of life.

Hi Tam -- if you click on the HELP button at the top of the page and scroll down, you will find: "How to add your photo in the before/after section? Photos would need to be e-mailed to our photo team to be added [email protected] We request this area be for those who have lost over 100 pounds, however if you don't have 100 pounds to lose we make those considerations. Be sure when e-mailing to include your username." Good luck

Hi Beth -- I've got a couple weeks before I start mine, and I just hope I can do it. Have you ever done anything like "Optifast" or what they used to call the "liquid protein diet"? I've done them both, over the years, and lost a lot of weight relatively easily (gained it back really easily, too ) They are both very low calorie, high protein plans similar to the pre-op diet -- what I found is that if I could do it for about 4 days, then it was a piece of cake (so to speak ) -- because by then you start going into ketosis -- your body has burned up all the easy fuel (carbs) and begins to switch to using its stored fuel (fat). Then you start being less hungry -- after a while I wasn't ever hungry -- I could just tell it was time for my protein because I started getting tired. Burning carbs is easier, though ---so if you eat carbs you will switch off the ketosis and go right back to burning the easy stuff -- and you'll still be hungry and tired while your body figures out there are no more carbs to burn and starts up the ketosis again. Ketosis takes a while to get started, and it takes time get up to full speed. If you can get it going and keep it burning now, then when you have the surgery your body will be already switched over and ready to boogie -- one less thing to contend with while trying to figure out where the stomach went, you know? You could think of the pre-op diet as sort of a gift from you to your post-op self -- a way to have some of the discomfort now, ease those post-op days a little bit and give post-op-you a head start. On the other hand, Beth -- if we were good at this diet stuff, would we be here? Do the best you can, but be kind to yourself if your best isn't perfect. Blessings, Rachel

Oh baby can't wait to start my new journey. SCARED BUT EXCITED ALL AT ONCE.