Hi Christina!

I will be officially sleeved on Tuesday the 25t6 4/26.
I feel exactly the same as you - it's getting SO close!
-this forum is GREAT, I "lurked around" for a month or so before I joined...
Its gonna be a heck of a ride...

Jason

HOLY MOLY!!!
45 pounds in 16 days? That is AWESOME!
I have yet to go through what you are going through but that sucks.
I am worried about "mushies" as well, I can't imagine eating cream soup all the time.
What about pudding?
I also hear that certain non cream soups can be blended and taste pretty good - like tortilla soup.
I also understand that most protein (meat) is pretty much mushed or pureed if you chew the **** out of it before swallowing.
There's always deviled or scrambled eggs?
Refried beans?

Good luck!

Jason

Congrats on your final pre-op!
As you know i had mine yesterday -
I had to go back in today for another (my 3rd in two days) EKG!!!
Apparantly the dumb-ass pre-op testing Nurse had the leeds wrong on my 1st and 2nd EKG! She is the one who told me my heart was on the right side of my chest.

Well, it is now back on the left side where it should be - and in perfect condition.
****! No wonder I'm still single...My heart has "Happy Feet".

My surgery is scheduled for 10:00am too, the surgeon has one patient before me; this is good cause I want him awake and warmed up.
"I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!!" Me Too!
"I'm about to lose some weight and i think I like it!"

Jason

That reminds me I have to buy myself a baby spoon...
I get my sleeve on Tuesday so I can't comment.
But Barry! I was just on your blog and you have lost 41+ pounds in 2 weeks!
That's F'n outstanding man!
I can't wait to be on the bench with ya..
Peace
Jason

Your very welcome...
The thought just kind of hit me out of the blue...But, its true!
regards,
J

I was thinking the other day how much easier life will be after I lose even 1/2 my EW.
I am one of the "Super Obese" at 6'3 and 440Lbs (I know you are jealous that you are NOT super like me).

Anyway - I tried to visualize what 125 or even 250 lbs would look like (bags of sugar etc).
I equated it to Olympic dumbbells as I used to lift weights all the time.
The amount of fat I am carrying = six 45 pound Olympic weight plates - thats 270 pounds. I started at 460 and my 'ideal' weight would be 185-195 (just a tad under being overweight).
I go through my day getting out of bed, showering, manscaping, getting dressed, up the stairs to my car and off to work. Then I walk 3-400 yards from the parking lot to my building at HP…Then up 4 flights of steep stairs and another few hundred feet to my cubicle. Work 9-12 hours a day, walk back to the car - go to the store/or?  - get home - make dinner - etc etc…I am pretty exhausted after an average day, and don't feel much like exercise or much else.

I then asked myself if a really IN SHAPE person could do this? Take for instance your average nightmare…The guy behind you at the Supermarket with a bottle of $4.00 H2O to buy, he's dressed in his little cyclist spandex, all "lance Armstronged" out, right down to his fat free legs and stupid little biker helmet…You know he/she is looking at you in disgust - and I really could give a ****…But could this menace to cars and traffic everywhere do what I do everyday? Not my job, but just physically making it through MY day?

Take a rope and a wide comfortable neck strap, then attach 3 45LB plates to each side…Ask Mr. Athlete to then dip down, put those weights over his neck and dead lift all 270 pounds. Yay - he got it up! Now ask him to to walk a few hundred yards and then up 4 flights of steps while bearing that weight…Do you think he could do it? Maybe, probably not though…I definitely know that little prissy nightmare could not function carrying that weight around for 24 hours, let alone months and months - years and years.

That's where I came up with the term F-Athlete or "FATHLETE"…No average person could do what we do day in and day out. We have to be in tremendous shape under all our fat-suits to even function in society. The muscles it takes to even rise out of bed or a chair is the equivalent of a dead lift or squat…Yeah we breathe a little heavy and sweat a little more - who can blame us? FATHLETES sweat! FATHLETES work hard….And when we lose this weight - that inner athlete that allowed us to carry this burden around will really shine through.

Next time someone gives you **** about being "Out of Shape" or "Lazy" just remember what a real F-Athlete you are! Most people would crumble, fail and fall in exhaustion doing what we do on a regular basis…I'm not proud to be obese, not at all. But I now realize what tremendous inner and physical strength that we have to have as overweight people just to go through life.

Embrace your inner FATHLETE and be proud!
Next Tuesday I get my sleeve - I can't wait for the burden of this weight to start coming off. I hope someday I will look back at the before pics and be amazed that I even pulled it off at all.

J

I can totally relate, I am always so tired now that I worry that with only 600 or so calories that it won't be enough to haul my butt around post op.

I checked with my dad (he is a primary care physician and had the RNY) - he told me that once the body starts burning fat (in the ketosis stage) for energy instead of food, you have all the high potency energy your body will need. The key to taking in adequate protein is so that your body doesn't turn to your LMM (lean muscle mass) and burn that for energy.

Fat on your body is stored for future use as the bodies fuel - it is designed for that. So the post-op weight loss is a very natural thing for your body to do...It's simply going through the packed away (FAT) energy stores instead of incoming food.

I am pretty sure we will do fine.
I have my surgery next Tuesday and am anxious about it, but more than that - I am looking to turn the page on a new chapter in my life.

Best of luck Bahamas1968
BTW: 1968 was a very good year!

J

It all depends on the shrink...
My eval lasted 3 hours.
1st thing the dude said to me was "I'm gonna eat your old stomach with some fava beans and a nice chianti." Pssffftttssstttfffststtt....



J

I didn't have to do the liquid pre-op either, but i am doing it anyway.

My dr just requires the day b4 surgery all liquids and nothing from midnight before the sleeve.
I feel pretty good on the pre-op after the 1st few days - i am day 10 of my pre-op and have lost 15 pounds...Had the final pre-op meeting w/my surgeon 2day and he was happy I was doing it...

I just wanted to give myself every advantage (shrink the liver) and get a jump on the weight loss.

J

I heard one that guy's rarely ever hear...
It was last Thanksgiving and we are all seated at the table.
Now, my family is not known for their tact...As a matter of fact they are like "the Redneck Klumps" -
So were eating and the game is on...blah  blah

My little brother suddendly shouts out..."Hey! Jason's got the biggest Tits at the Table!!!"
Allright...I am sporting a rather nice pair of MOOBS these days, but did not need to hear that. The worst part is that EVERYONE laughed - mom, step dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, nephew...They all got a good chuckle...And I'll admit - it was a) almost correct and b) pretty funny.

I didn't go to Christmas dinner...But I did finally decide to get WLS
I'm going to pond my "Moobs" into rock hard "Pecs" and it all starts next Tuesday (my sleeve date).

BTW: I do have a pretty face!

J

I hear ya -
Once I finished with the shrink and he faxed his thumbs up to my surgeon , they faxed to Anthem the next day...I called 2-3 times for the next week and my Dr's office had not heard back.
I called Anthem: Never heard of it, knew nothing (this is a week later).
Called surgeons office..."Hmm, lets fax it again..."
---more waiting---
Called the office and then Anthem again - s/a, never heard of it - no claim...
-started to get uber pissed myself-
-called to Surgeons office - the insurance lady is on vacation for a week...WTF!!!
-talked to another office person and the bariatric advocate...They faxed it for the THIRD time
-Called Anthem 3 days later....ditto, same F'n thing
---
So I called my SURGEON and said WTF!
-a day later Anthem had a case/claim # and it was assigned to a nurse "pending review"
-3 days later the girl from Ipanema was back from vacation...Called me with the news I was approved.
--2.5 weeks later Anthem sends me a letter saying I'm approved....Gee Thanks!
-------

Bottom line is to call call call! harass the ever loving **** out of them until you get some answers!
Its just business aqnd numbers to them - they don't realize what have emotionally invested in this decision and the simple "Approved or Denied"....

I just finished my last pre-op meeting with my surgeon, took a EKG and donated more of my blood (and a boatload of $$$)...But I am all green lights for next tuesday at 8:00am!

It took 3 faxes of my info and my surgeon personally chewing asses to get it rolling.
Don't leave it up to them - be a ***** if needed...i was an A-Hole about it...Hell, the Hospital and surgeon are making Uber Dollars on this.
Actually my surgeon and his team are really good - Anthem BC/CA are the ones *****ally screwed the pooch..

Good luck

J

My surgeon doesn't require ANY pre-op diet. He only told me to not gain any weight before surgery.
I am on day 9 of my own voluntary pre-op diet...

Everything I read just say's the pre-op is better for you in the long run. I have lost 14 pounds so far and my sleeve date is next Tuesday. I actually feel really good now, but I was ready to grill the neighbors cat after the 1st day. I live alone so I removed everything "bad" from my house and that made it a lot easier.

Just know that around day 2-3 of the pre-op just kinda settles in and the intense hunger DOES go away....Or at least is managable.

Gah**Cough#Spweet!....Sorry, that was a furball



J