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2013 graduate school vs 2023 dirty bar 🤣 2015 Son vs 2024 Son

As someone who started traveling less than 3 weeks post surgery, my biggest advice is to make sure you load up on what you need before the day starts (proteins that you can "safely" eat) - Just keeping enough snacks/food that you know you can tolerate easily during the flight rather than relying on whatever they provide you. For me, an aisle seat was key on long hauls also just so that I could get up and walk if needed. Extra water for the flight was also very helpful. Mostly, enjoy the extra room! That was seriously a game changer for me. Before surgery, I'd panic if I had to fly coach wondering if I'd get a seatbelt that fit or have someone beside me that was just disgusted at my presence.

Thank you for reading 🖤 I like to think I'm an open book, especially when it comes to my more difficult experiences, purely because I believe having an open and non-judgemental platform to talk about things that may otherwise be hidden away, is really important! That's actually a really good idea - I think I'm going to do that!

Your food looks balanced and healthy. I would ask you if you track your food using any tools? (MyFitnessPal, etc.)? My first guess is that this might be more than 1000-1200 calories? I could be wrong of course. Do you do track everything down to the grams? I am not a fan of obsessive tracking nor do I practice it to be very honest, but when you are struggling to lose weight and you're doing everything right, then these tools come in handy and really give you an idea of what your intake is vs your output. I would say - if you already don't - do invest in a food scale and all the measuring cups, spoons and apps. Another thing to note which has been said time and again, is that not everybody reaches their goal weight, as long as you're happy, fit and healthy, it is kind of the whole point, plus muscle mass that will affect the scale and the whole shebang. As for stabilization, I stabilized at 9.5 months which is considered very early out, reached goal at 3 months and continued losing until 9.5 months and my weight has been stable for the past two months. That doesn't worry me nor does it affect the fact that this journey has been a success to me, success is very subjective and it comes down to being able to (mostly) maintain whatever weight you have lost + building good habits. If this means that you have lost 78 pounds + started serious exercise + dropped multiple sizes then it's a win in my opinion. Use every tool out there for your benefit, but also remember that you define what success is to you.

This is the first time I've ever seen your face!!! You're beautiful!!!

I would say bring some compression socks, drink lots of water and luckily they do sell protein drinks in the airport so that's helpful, if you need something. I flew home from surgery 3 days after; it was only a 2-3 hour flight, but it wasn't terrible. Bring a refillable bottle with you because there are usually water fountains/water bottle fill up stations all over. I would think you are in the soft foods phase of eating by now, so I would assume you could eat a few things at Thanksgiving like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. You might even be able to tolerate turkey if you chew it well; just remember small portions.

You have a point here about tracking what I eat. Since my doctor didn’t bring up the GLP-1 I never mentioned it, but I thought of it. I didn’t do any research about it and from seeing some of the stories from YouTube scared me. I do know a few people who are taking it and they are ok with it and have good result in weight lose. I also heard they can have the weight bounce back after they stop. Again I didn’t do any research and not knowledgeable about it. I don’t think it’s something I want to try as of yet, but it’s good to know I have options. The plastic surgery part I know it’s something I will get eventually because of the excess skin. If at 195lbs, it’s already bothering me, it will bother me even more at 175. My goal weight is 160lbs, if I can get to 175 on my own, plastic surgery will get me to 160. I’m going to try the hardest on my own and get to 175 for now. My first goal was to be under 200lbs, then I can rethink my goal, which is where I am now. From 200 to 199lbs it took me months because I would drop to 199 and bounce back to 201. And from there on , my weight is bouncing around. Luckily I am stable at 195. Finger crossed that it doesn’t go back up.

The surgery went great, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach and hurting, They gave me an anti-nausea shot with Toradol. I slept from the time they woke me up, around 1pm until about 4pm. I was finally able to hold my eyes open for more than a few seconds, I got up and used the restroom, and then they took me for a walk around the nurse station, which went well. Then the nurse sat me up for a little bit in the recliner in the room. Then I started dosing again for another two hours until my sister came back to sit overnight with me. Then they got me up to use the restroom again, we did another walk around the nurse's station, and then they put me back in bed. I worked on sipping as much water as I could. The next morning the PA & Surgeon came in early to check on me, and because I did really well they discharged me very early. So here I am sitting at home in bed, trying to get comfy. Prior to the surgery, before they put me out, they gave me a nerve block on both sides of my spine. which was a whole new experience in itself, hurt like hell. But I was literally out before I knew it, at first the only way I could describe the discomfort I felt was like I had done a billion tummy crunches and overworked myself. But now that the nerve block is wearing off, its more uncomfortable, and the gas situation is next level. LOL 🤣 But not to worry, I'm feeling a little better every day, just have to watch what I do with my mid section. It burns and hurts if I move the wrong direction, especially trying to get comfy on my bed. And getting my 10-year-old stubborn furbaby to understand he can't be in my arms right now is been hard. He won't leave my side, which is so sweet. Big thank you to everyone for the encouragement and support sent my way, it means a great deal and helped with my anxiety over the surgery. 💗💜

In the two weeks before you’ll likely be put on a pre surgical diet. It may be all shakes, or a combination of shakes and a high protein diet or another plan so you can’t really prepare for that. However, nothing stopping you starting to introduce some new habits now. Start tracking your food or begin introducing appropriate portions for meals. Make sure you’re getting in 2L/64ozs of water a day. Reduce your intake of carbonated drinks. Maybe drop a snack or two. Or whatever you could start to do to modify your current eating style and food choices. If you’re not very active, try adding some additional moment or try some classes to see what you may enjoy. Post surgery, you’ll again be on a restricted eating plan which your surgeon will give you. There will be similarities with this but also some differences with what others are given. Be warned though, your taste buds and sometimes sense of smell can go haywire and there may be foods you used to enjoy (flavour or texture) that taste disgusting or smell awful. This does pass in a couple of months but don’t buy certain flavours or foods you like that are allowed on your plan in bulk - you may end up being unable to eat them. Get some small cutlery like baby spoons and forks or some cocktail/buffet forks, small plates & bowls. Your portions will be tiny & you’ll only be allowed small bites so the smaller bowls and cutlery make it easier to adjust. Buy some small containers for freezing leftovers or the small snack size zip lock bags; left overs will be common and freezing appropriate sized portions will come a new habit. If you don’t have any: a set of scales that goes down to small increments (ounces or grams), a blender, stick processor, or similar, measuring spoons and cups. Get some over the counter stool softeners, anti nausea meds & pain meds (can’t take NSAIDs), and a heat pad/wheat pack. I’m sure others will add lots of others. Congratulations on having your surgical date. All the best.

two hours post op!