May 12th 2011, Eactly one week before surgery and supposed to start liquid pre-op diet. Unfortunately, I worked the over night and am extremely tired and have several things to do during the day, I can't seem to get this liquid diet off the ground. Instead thinking that this is like "my last supper" I have a bunch of snack cakes and pizza. By the early evening I got myself together and went shopping to buy puddings and yogurts, soup to go along with my protien shakes, and then spent the rest of the evening on liquids.

May 13th is really my first day on liquids. I can't help but think that everytime I eat pudding, I am doing something wrong, because I really love the pudding!!!

May 14th (2 days), I started to focus on drinking my water. I blew the dust off my bicycle and road a mile with my son.

May 15, (3 days on Liquids), I am feeling less anxious. I have lost 4 pounds already, and starting to resign myself to the way its going to be. I have found the support from reading, writing, and recieving posts, on the forums. I think that is best to only listen to those that have been there and done that.

I feel like I am eating much less today. I am not so quick to hit the puddings. I tried cream of broccoli soup. Its a big container, without any chunks. Its surprisingly good, 70 calories and only 1.5 gm fat for one cup. Good for ten days in fridge. Nice find.

I asked Hubby to take before shots of me today. I would never in a million years have asked him to take such pictures. This is sort of a turning point, as I have basically come to the end of the road and the begining of another. So what the hell, Snap away!!!!

May 16 (4 days on liquids) I realized late last night that I am doing my liquid diet wrong. I reread the large folder of info that the nutritionist gave me and well, she said to eat 200 cal at a time, up to 1000 cal per day. Well, I have been eating whenever I wanted really without paying attention. I am sure that I am not eating more than 1000, calories, but I will take care to watch it from here on in.

Today, I recieved my chewable vitamins. I ordered Bariatric Advantage Complete Multi Formula Berry flavored. You are supposed to chew two a day. You need a little water after them, as the berry flavor tastes like eating a sweet tart candy, it made me pucker a bit. Ahh, well, small stuff! I am heading to the pharmacy, to pick up all medicines needed for "cleanse day". This consists of a prescription for potassium and metamucil. While I am there, I will also pick up liquid tylenol and gas strips as a few nice people recommended. Need to be prepared!!!! LOL. Overall I am feeling less nervous, and more excited to get back to the real me. I stayed up late last night and looked at some old pictures where I lost weight before, and started to remember how much fun it was to be that person.

Tonight, I expected to work at the hospital, it will be the last night in at the hospital, because I don't want to work the night before the "cleanse". I will be so tired from being up all night, and then have stay up the day taking frequent trips to bathroom. No Thanks! I opted to take the day!!! I am expected to be out of work for 2 weeks, which is great. It will give me some time to sort myself out if needed. Arangements for the kids were confirmed. None of them know. I will be sad kissing all 5 of them goodbye that day. I just want to be sure that I am coming home to them, as planned. Ahh, well.... enough of that. After this is all done, they are going to have one good looking mom! LOL

May 17 (5th day on liquids) Ok, so today is my last time on regular liquids as tomorrow I start clears and the "cleanse"! So my focus of today was to do all of my Pre-op grooming. I got a mani & pedi and did my waxing. So things are looking good. I am feeling a lot less nervous, focus is more on life after lap band, but in a positive way.

May 18th (6th day- clear liquids today)- So I started the dreaded bowel prep! I started lated then I should. Instructions were to start at 9am, but I didnt start until 10:50. I have to make a few adjustment to suit my schedule today. Its not off too much. Had, some hot peppermint tea, water and green SF jello so far. Everything is good, in the mental department, I really just want to make sure all my house work is done, so things go smooth with the kids, and do a bit of my school assignments and we should be good to go!!!! Will check back later to add more about pre-op night.