What is the 'Bible" you refer to in your May 28 entry, and where do we get it? grandma_beckie 

Welcome! Do you have a surgeon yet?  Where are you planning on having surgery?  Dacono sounds familiar, but I can't recall where it is.  What classes are you referring to? Good luck on you journey, Crystal

J-walker,  I live about 45 minutes from Denver myself so not such a hard ride MAYBE.  Did you get up right away after surgery or did you wait a while?  I would like to get up ASAP to help releive some of that  gas you were talking about.  I have had several stomach surgeries so I know about not being able to get up so well.  Thanks for the input.  I find my classes are invaluable. 

Thanks! I just had to be on clear liquids 2 days before surgery.  I thought that was going to be really hard, but it really wasn't.  I think at that point I was so ready to have the surgery that it wasn't a big deal to be on liquids.  I just carried around a thermos of chicken broth and drank some every hour or two.  Something they will give you in the hospital that I wish I had before surgery was called "Isopure".  You get it at GNC and it is a pre-mixed clear protein drink that has 45 grams of protein in it and is really not bad tasting as far as protein drinks go.  (the purple is my favorite)  I can't tolerate the milk-based protein drinks...they are gross to me!  Definately read through the pre-op stuff in the "bible"...I found that some stuff wasn't told to me, I had just read it in the book.  I read the whole book before surgery, so I felt like I was really ready and knew everything I needed.  But I must say that some things I read weren't told to me again by the staff, so I really think they expect their patients to read it for themselves and be ready.  I live 5 hrs. from Denver, so I stayed the night in the hospital and I really recommend doing this.  It is really hard to get out of bed after surgery and those hospital handrails come in very handy!  I stayed an extra 2 days in Denver just in case there was a problem, but I didn't have any.  My 5 hr. ride home was kind of tough, but I just took pain pills and slept most of the way.  After about a week, I started feeling much better, and by 2 weeks, the terrible gas was gone and I felt like myself again.  Just make sure you keep reading that "bible"...it got me through some tough times after surgery when I was hungry and not able to eat yet.  And make sure you write down what you are drinking on the sheets provided...it will give you a really good idea of what and how much you should be getting in every day. Any more questions I would be happy to answer! Good luck!

thank you all...I feel grateful that you all are there for me.