I am having Gastric Bypass Surgery...

I am having Gastric Bypass Surgery on Aug 6th and I am a nervous wreck. I am 5'2" and 338# if I don't do this surgery I won't be here for my kids. I have 2 boys ages 11 & almost 10 year old. I have a couple of questions such as how long is the recovery period. What can I eat the first couple of weeks? What do I need to do the week before to prepare for the surgery?

Every single surgeon has different requirements both pre and post op, so definitely check with them for specifics. I was on a pre-op diet for two weeks prior to surgery which was mainly liquid protein with a lean protein/veggie dinner. A had to do a bowel prep the day before surgery and just drink liquids, and I had to clean with special cloths that night. 

I am now 13 days out. My only really rough day was the day of my surgery. But you're a mom, and everyone says it's much easier than childbirth! I was in a moderate amount of pain up until night time, and the next day, I was ready to walk and go. Recovery happened very quickly to me. I was originally told to take 6 weeks off of work, but my surgeon released me to go back after only 3 off. My only issues now are still sleeping on my back (I'm a side sleeper), and slight nausea when driving. I have kind of a bumpy car though. I still feel like I did a bunch of sit ups if I use my abdominals too much or if I reach down to pick something off the ground, but honestly, it's not bad. I would gladly trade the one bad day I had for my recent success over and over again :)

Whatever your surgeon says to eat and do are the most important.  As was said, they all have different plans and reasons for those plans.

I had no pre-op diet and just the bowel prep of protein and liquids two days prior to surgery, clear liquids on day prior and nothing the day of.

I had some slight pain the day of surgery, I took no pain meds after the next morning.  I was out of work for 1.5 weeks (I have a desk job) and I was really only out for a few days as I worked from home the full week I was off (had surgery on Tuesday, worked from home that Friday after I got home and the next week).  I could drive after the first couple of days (I took no pain meds and was in no pain).

As for what I could eat, my surgeon allowed liquids and drippy puree (it had to flow out of a cup with a pencil sized hole in it), so thin apple sauce, thin grits, etc. for the first three weeks.  Then I got to move to soft foods (baked sweet potatoes, etc) for three weeks.

Did the surgeon NOT give you any instructions?  If they didn't, ask them.  

• Some want you on a liquid diet, while others don't care.  
• Expect recovery to be somewhere between 2-6 weeks.  
  Some bounce back faster and others prefer to wait at home until they can be rockstars upon their return to work.
• Be very casual about your surgery to the boys so you won't have them worried.  My son was the same age and I told him I would go in Monday and come home on Thursday.  As for what was happening, I simply said they were fixing something inside of me that's not working correctly and everything should be fine.  I specifically asked that he NOT come to the hospital to see me, for I didn't want him scared to see me in such a weakened state.  I did explain that when I came home, that I would be very tired while my body was healing and that he would need to step up and help some more.  It wasn't until I came home that I showed him all that was done and he was fascinated, thinking my DS was the coolest thing ever.  He also impressed me at how self-sufficient he could be.  He was making his own lunch and even doing laundry (with my direction, of course) and brought it up to me to help with folding.  Hopefully, you'll get the same pleasant surprises from your boys, too.