Welcome, Chelle.
I will first say that I did feel pretty good before surgery, although my labwork suggested otherwise. I had been obese for so long that I guess I didn't know better. Once I lost all the weight, I realized how "good" really feels!
In answer to your questions:
Taking meds: I did have to crush them for a couple of months and it is disgusting. Unfortunately, that's part of the process. I found that the quickest and easiest way was to simply put the powder on my tongue and wash it down with water. (I tried them in liquid, in yogurt, etc.--even worse.). After trying various multivitamins, I found that "soft chews" worked best for me. Even the so-called "chewables" in hard form made me gag.
Water: It is indeed very difficult to get the full amount of water at the beginning, but it gets better over time. Bear in mind that protein shakes can count as part of the liquid requirement. Just do the best you can. I had a bottle of water with me all day long and took sips as often as I could.
Liquid and puree stages: Yep, they are boring. I found, however, that I had no appetite whatsoever and had to force myself to get enough protein every day, so I didn't really care what things tasted like. If you mean "bland" as in not spicy, that is probably best in the beginning. I ate lots of non-fat Greek yogurt at the beginning, and I got really sick of protein shakes. Again, it's all part of the process and you will get through it. I've never heard of anyone having to "start over" after eating the wrong things during the puree stage. Some people talk about a "pouch re-set" when they stop losing weight, but that's more psychological than an actual physical issue.
Good luck! I promise that you will look back in six months and wonder why you hadn't done this sooner!