Question of the Week 3/21/11

By now most of us have either had surgery or are in the pre op phase of surgery. Share with everyone the following information:

1. What "phase" you are in? (pre op, liquid, mushy, soft food, etc...)
2. What do you miss the most about your former lifestyle?
3. What do you enjoy the most about your new lifestyle?
4. Is there anything that has surprised you about your journey so far?

1. Liquid for me (another 2 weeks to go)
2. Just life in general and not being sore...keep in mind, I am still out of work, the weather is crappy and I'm just bored!
3. Not being starving all the time!
4. The fact that things aren't 1/4 as bad as I thought they'd be.  I expected the liquids to be worse, pain to be much worse, just the whole experience to be worse than it has been so I'm pretty pleased about all that!

I'm pre-op, and having surgery on Friday at 9:30. I've been on a low/no carb diet since Monday, 3/8. Starting that far out was my choice, I didn't have to start until Fri, 3/11.

Tomorrow I'll do a day of liquids and the lovely bowel prep...can't wait for my Miralax Gatorade ****tail chased down with Dulcolax!

There haven't been too many surprises yet, but I'm really looking forward to waking up in recovery and getting up and moving Friday afternoon. I'm just so excited and hopeful about my new beginning.

1.  I am in full-liquid stage. I am still having a bit of a problem with protein shakes (they don't want to stay down).
2.  What I miss from my former lifestyle is being able to keep food down. I am having problems with certain foods. My worse time of the day is in the morning and sometimes during the night. I can't sleep in my bed because I vomit sometimes without warning. It really is not pleasant.
3.  Right now I am not enjoying my new lifestyle. I am still working out the kinks. But I know this will all pass and I will enjoy my new life.
4.  The biggest surprise I have experienced is the support from my family. I never told them before hand about my surgery and they have been so great.

1. Liquid
2. Nothing has really changed except the food that I eat.
3. The thing I enjoy the most about my new lifestyle would probably have to be the feeliing of losing as I am and knowing it is not going to be back in a few weeks.
4. The surgery and recovery have been easier than expected.

1. well they do it differently over here so I have been eating mushies since day 2.  it's ok just got to remember to eat really slowly and make sure that it is mushy enough.  lots of gravy.
2. I miss nothing yet about my old lifestyle. especially the pre op plan
3. I like not being a slave to food. as l am never hungry.
4. That I could be satisfied with such a small amount of food as I found the pre op a bit restrictive.
Loving my sleeve and loving life, Loving the weight loss and feeling healthier even though I have so much further to go.  I love the fact that I will NEVER be that big again and to be honest I have Never been able to say that before wiht any diet I have been on.  To say this is the best decision I have ever made is an underestimate of the greatest proportions

1. Solid food (with the exception of beef unless ground and no raw veggies/fruits except bananas)

2. The only thing I've found that I miss is being able to eat more of something when it tastes really good.

3. The only thing I miss is also one of the things I'm really grateful for. I used to eat and eat, not because I was hungry, but because I just LOVE the taste of food. I was a junkie, and this surgery has been my rehab.

4. I am seriously surprised at how not-hungry I am. I know I read a lot of people saying that before, but I don't think the reality of it hit me until I realized that I can actually feel when my stomach is completely empty, but I don't have that panicked "OH-MY-GOD-I-NEED-TO-EAT-RIGHT-THIS-MOMENT" feeling. I used to get headaches when I didn't eat regularly, and that hasn't been a problem either.

I'm also surprised at how hard it is to get all my liquids in each day. I used to drink 64-80 oz of water per day, at least. I always had something to drink with me, and I drank water 99% of the time. Now I find that I dread having to sip, sip, sip. I get so tired of sipping. And water is completely unappetizing to me now. Go figure.

1. Currently in the mushy phase
2. I miss going out to eat and having a really nice meal
3. I'm loving the fact that I'm not totally focused on food all the time
4. I'm surprised that I have absolutely NO appetite!  I have to make myself eat!

Eydie

1. Currently pre-op; tomorrow (Saturday) I begin clear fluids & protein drinks for the next 2 days; on Sunday it's the clear fluids accompanied by the prep for surgery on Monday.
2. I don't think there's anything I miss yet...in a few days, I am sure there will be SOMETHING!
3. I have been making subtle changes to the amount I eat at meals, so that now I do eat less.  I sleep better, so at this point better sleep is what I am enjoying most.
4. I'm surprised that it has taken so long (mostly due to waiting for ins approval), and that I have had the patience to hang on and wait...that has strengthened my conviction that this is the right surgery for me, and I am willing to wait for everything to come together.  Can't wait!!!

Viv 

1. What "phase" you are in? (pre op, liquid, mushy, soft food, etc...)
    I am in the "chunky" mushy / solid stage.

2. What do you miss the most about your former lifestyle?
     I hate to admit it, but I miss chinese food. I think it's because      everytime I talk to my dad he reminds me that I'll never get to enjoy a chinese buffet again. Although, I don't totally agree with that! I think eventually I will have some reasonable Chinese food. Still, being reminded of it makes me miss it.

3. What do you enjoy the most about your new lifestyle?
     Losing weight easily!

4. Is there anything that has surprised you about your journey so far?
       How freaking hard it is to drink the amount of water I am supposed to everyday!

Tracy