Food Questions...

Ok, I need suggestions from everyone on what they ate the first two weeks after your surgery... Since I am going to be in B'ham with Debbie, I am going to have to buy up everything I will need for the however many days I am going to be down there. She can go get the stuff I will need immediately like the hopefully pain meds the doctor will prescribe, the frozen s/f popsicles, etc. since I can't tote the frozen s/f popsicles around with me until I get out of the hospital. I only have 6 protein drinks bought up, but I have tons of Crystal Light, a few packages of instant potatoes, a big container of protein that's about 4 years old, but it's still sealed. I'm going to have to buy enough bottled water to last for the week or so that I'm down there, so that's gonna be $10-$15. I'm scared to try to put city water on my stomach because right now, pre-op, it will tear it up. I have to drink bottled water. Since I'm having my surgery when I am, my check may not make it here in time for me to deposit it until I get home and geez, my money runs out before the end of the month to begin with. And now I've gotta live for another two weeks without my check. It might make it here in time and it might not, but I have to plan for it NOT making it, just in case. So...just how little food can I live on for the first two weeks after surgery? What are those numbers you can call to get free samples of protein drinks? And will they come quick enough? Since I'm on disability, I wasn't able to save any money for this and I never expected to be in B'ham for 1-2 weeks after the surgery. I thought I was going to have someone drive me home the second I got out of the hospital. So what kind of things did you all eat RIGHT AFTER SURGERY? I need suggestions so I can see if I might possibly have stuff on hand here that I can take with me or that I might possibly sneak away from my parents' house if they have it...they always say, "Do you need anything we might have?" I never take anything, but I used to do a little "FREE SHOPPING" in their cupboards on occasion when I was younger and very poor and I know they don't mind. Anything canned? I know they have a ton of canned goods in their cabinets, but they mostly just eat junk stuff....sandwiches, etc. I hate that Aetna couldn't see fit to approve this surgery when I still had my savings. I went through that in about 9 months on co-pays, medicines, etc. After that ran out, I went off most of my medicines, but still, all these co-pays for every danged doctor under the sun is killing me. I'm finding out that I never really expected Aetna to approve the surgery after they denied me the first time. I heard all these tales of Aetna denying people 5 times, etc. and with my hellacious luck in my life, I never expected them to do anything good for me. So, while I have bought a few little things, I haven't bought too much stuff and it never occurred to me that I could be somewhere where I wouldn't be able to deposit my check the first day I could. I've tried to get them to direct deposit my check, but they keep sending it to me. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see why the hell they aren't direct depositing it. If they do that, I can get Debbie to take my card to the ATM and get some money out. I'm going to have to talk to my apartments and tell them I'm not going to be here on the 1st and see if they will let me pay my rent late. It just never occurred to me that I wasn't going to be coming home after the surgery, so it never occurred to me to prepare to not be here when my check gets here. So if you guys can give me suggestions of things I will be eating the first two weeks after surgery, I can look around and see what in the heck I've got on hand. My bank doesn't have a branch in Birmingham. Aha! I can mail it in though...if it gets here before I leave to go to Birmingham. Still, even after I get home, since I'm on disability, I am going to be having to watch my finances like a hawk, so any suggestions of cheap stuff will be welcome! Once I am feeling better, I can put some crap up on Ebay and get caught up a little bit, I think. All these friggin' medical bills are killing me. I have about $800 for my co-pay for the sleep studies, $80 for the co-pay for the sleep study doctor, $141 from Brookwood that I don't know what the hell it is for...I called them and they didn't know what it was for either, then I finally found some dude who said that was wrong, he would correct it and send me a correct bill. This was about 3 months ago. Yesterday I got a nasty letter saying I was seriously delinquent and to send $141 immediately. And god only knows what kind of bills I am going to get after the surgery. And this ain't countin' the foreclosure dilemma that will not end. I could just send everyone $20 each, but then I wouldn't be able to buy the gas to get to B'ham and my appts. in Decatur the next two weeks OR the s/f popsicles, etc. I have got to get my butt back in some kind of working order where I can get two freakin' jobs to support myself again. Disability ain't cuttin' it because I have to go to the doctors too much and I have to take too much medicine. I know the surgery will make me feel better, but I have always had to work at least two jobs to make ends barely meet, except when I was in Florida. And I can't even go to Wal-Mart without coming back here gasping for air and dying from pain. So how in the hades am I going to work two full time jobs again? Disability pays for the bare basics, but it doesn't pay for medical needs. I do have insurance, but the 10% co-pays are adding up quickly. I was paying over $400 a month in co-pays and medicine co-pays at one time, but I had to cut out the medicines, which I need, but when you have a choice of rent or medicines, you have to choose rent. Yet, you have to go to the doctors to get documentation or they cut off the disability. So it's a never ending cycle. Ok, I'm depressed. I just feel like I am going to get down there the day of surgery and they are not going to do it because I owe Brookwood $141. And hell....I have 17 days to go here. That's 15 more days the mailman can bring me more danged bills. But my immediate need is going to be cheap ideas for eating for two weeks. Help! Love you all, Joni, who needs to win the lottery, but oh yeah, I live in freakin' Alabama where the lottery is illegal... Thanks for listening to me whine.

STOP worrying about bills right now, granted they will not go away but one problem only, one day at a time. Work out the forclosure stuiff, then move on to the next, otherwise you start getting overwhelmed and everything seems impossible, when it really isnt, just have to focus on one thing at a time. You will not need much at all, water, crystal light sugar free carnation instant breakfast with carb countdown milk or protein drinks, should be enough. Trust me, it depends on what your surgeon orders for you. I couldnt touch food until 3 weeks out, actually closer to 4. The first 2 it was liquids or sugar free jello and puddings only. YES, you really will get full fast! Those plastic med cups you get medication in at the hospital are 1 oz size. I did good to get in one of those the hospital, it took me a long time to get in one drink at a sitting. I just felt full FAST. I was suppose to do a few ounces every 2 hours but I finally devised my own plan and if I could tolerate more I got it in, so I didnt feel hungry and in between those 2 hours you need to be sipping water or crystal light. Its not as easy as it sounds so you will probably have to do as I did and devise your own plan to suit your needs. For me it was and still is, alot of trial and error.

RELAX and take DEEP BREATHS......I bet you didn't breathe the whole time you were writing that!!!! Don't worry about the food and Water. Just let me know what BRAND of water you want and I will take care of that. I've already started working on your protein samples and cream of everything soups Have you met with the Nutrionist and received your aftercare instructions? They should give you a menu......but this is what I lived off of for the first couple of weeks: Applesauce Grits Mashed Potatoes (very runny) Cream of everything Soups Oatmeal crackers (I would soak a few in my soups to get kind of soggy and eat it) Jello Pudding Popsicles That's all I can think of right now.......but keep in mind that your tastes could very likely CHANGE after surgery so you don't need to buy a lot of stuff......but I am getting all this stuff together for you anyway, ..... there, problems averted again!!! NO STRESS Don't worry be happy. Kim

Hi Joni, I'm so excited that this is happening for you. I'm sorry you are having such bad luck with finances. Here's my lists: List of liquids that helped me get through the liquid stage: Water Chrystal Light SF Jello SF Pudding Low Sugar Yogurt Apple Juice with no sugar added SF Popsicles Protein Shakes SF Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with milk and 1 tbs of peanut butter Cream of Mushroom Soup, blended Cream of Chicken Soup, blended Bean and Bacon Soup, blended My Soft (Pureed Food) Diet consisted of: All of the above mentioned liquids Gerber Chicken and Gravy baby food - trust me, it smells just like chicken and gravy and if you can get over the fact that it's babyfood, it's actually good! Gerber Turkey and Gravy baby food Gerber Beef Roast and Gravy baby food Soft scrambled eggs no yolk, shredded cheese added String cheese Quaker "Nutrition for Women" oatmeal Ricotta cheese mixed with SF jelly or jam tuna or chicken with boiled egg whites sent through the food processor Anything I cooked for dinner that would survive a trip through the food processor chili (homemade or Wendy's) sent through the food processor