Pre-Op Liquid Diet Pointers?????

Sorry if this is a repost. I officially start my lquid diet tomorrow.  I am on a 2 week liquid only, high protein diet.  I am supposed to drink 64 oz. of water, plus 3 protein shakes and 2 bars a day.   Here are some questions: 1.   What is your favorite add in to the vanilla protien shakes? 2.  What "other" liquids did you have during the pre-op phase that you would recommend? 3.  Did the rest of your family survive this phase?  LOL I have seen not to premake any shakes, but I will have to premix my lunchtime shake since I have no access to a kitchen.  Any suggestions for how you handles this?  Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!   Thanks!  

Welcome to the hardest part of this whole process.  LOL!  Actually the first 4 days are the hardest, then you kind of enter a Zen phase and you just come to a realization that everything is going to be alright.  If you can make it through the first 4 days, you're home free! So to answer your questions... 1. since you're on liquids only, you'll have to experiment with flavors rather than actual ingredients.  Can't do fruit, so maybe mix your powder with crystal light instead of milk and drink it over ice.  (I do this often and it's refreshing.)  You could also try flavored coffee syrups.  I buy mine at Wal-mart or Starbucks - they make sugar-free versions in raspberry, vanilla, hazelnut, and any other flavor you can imagine.  2. I was allowed any non-calorie, non-carbonated, decaf beverages as "free food".  I also did a lot of diet beverages like diet snapple, flavored teas and waters, etc.  You can also do chicken broth (or any flavored broth) and often did strained soups instead of just plain broth. 3.  I'm single and live alone, so no meals to cook for the family.  However I was helping my mom with craft shows during my liquid phase and after craft shows we always go out to a big dinner in whatever local restaurant we can find.  Kind of tough to sit at the dinner table with everyone pigging out while I have a bowl of strained soup/broth.  But I survived and it was worth it to be faithful to my diet plan. When I had to do a shake for lunch, I'd bring along a serving of milk and put it in the fridge during the day -- then 30 minutes before lunch I'd transfer it to the freezer so it just starts to develop ice crystals.  Then at lunch I'd mix the protein powder mix with the icy milk and shake it like crazy in my shaker.  It was delicious that way!  No blender needed.  Good luck Pam