joon

wonderful wonderful wonderful! I am so happy for you. Congratulations on all the hard work that you have done and I am so excited for you to enjoy your "new" life.

Hi Angel! It feels so cool to be online at the same time as you! Like we are having a real live conversation!!! :-)

Thanks folks, I appreciate everyones support. I needed this push not to be so afraid to get on at all! I think I will try to do once every two weeks after the first month. So! That means waiting until Dec 23rd which is also when I can start to eat normal food. After that I'll do every two weeks. I just read someones post who said they developed a leak after feeling great the first 2-3 wks! That worried me a little as I have been feeling fairly invincible with things as I seemed to be having such an easy recovery time. I havent been eating anything crazy just maybe not being so concerned about COMPLETELY pureed cream soups etc. If there are tiny bits that cause me to have to use my teeth a couple times before swallowing I dont worry about it BUT..now I'm wondering if I should worry. It seems like there are so many diverse opinions by surgeons on how to eat after this surgery. I am almost 14 days out now and I just dont think that if in my full liquids there is a tiny bit of broccoli that isnt completely pureed or a bit of egg in hot and sour soup that that is going to really harm me. Is that naive?

Hey DeeDee, I use a prep kitchen occasionally ( like right before surgery) and I really like it. The only problems I have with it are that we eat mostly organic and local and the food there is not guaranteed to be organic and local. Second, the meals are not always terribly healthy. I do wish she would make the meals a little lower in fat and calories. I just try to choose the things that are going to be lower in calories and healthier. We also split the meals into two because we are just a small family of three ( one is small) and with addition of a salad and vegetable it is usually just the right amount. As far as cost, I think it comes out to 13-15 dollars a meal and I think thats pretty good for the convenience. I also do order prepared foods from local places or people I know who do cooking for families. I really like it because there are so many times when I get home from work and just cant bring myself to go through the motions of making dinner and if I do it ends up being late, my daughter gets to sleep late and we end up eating right before bed. Having these options makes our quality of life better.

Wow! Wonderful. Happy Happy day.

Hey all, this is a recipe my old boss taught me and I think it is just delicious! It just struck me that it would be a good recipe to share for the mushy phase at the very least and maybe more around the thick soup phase. It is reminiscent of pumpkin pie but better in my opinion. One butternut squash ( any size) peeled cubed and boiled to soft ( usually buy it already peeled and cubed at Whole Foods, the peeling and cutting is the hardest part) 4-5 eggs lightly beaten 1 1/2 c milk ( I use soy) 4-5 Tablespoons earth balance ( or butter ) soft or melted dash of vanilla dash of salt 2 Tablespoons flour 1/2 cup Agave nectar 1/2 cup erythritol or splenda or brown sugar Smash up the cooked squash, you can use a food processor or blender if you want it smoother or just fork smash if you like a little more texture. Mix it all together and bake at 350 until the center is slightly firm to the touch. Only word of caution is dont add the eggs directly to the squash when it is hot or you will end up with egg drop squash.

AHHH! Thank goodness you didnt say "my husband said..." yucko! I remember that movie by the way, there were some really disturbing images in it as I recall. Boob on the back...huh! creeps me out!

hehe! I'm glad its not 3 !

yeaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

Lisann, Glad the Trazadone is working for you, I thought it might. I dont know why anyone would suggest Wellbutrin though and I'm not surprised it didnt have a good effect. It is an activating anti depressant which is hardly what you need right now. I have to mention though that the effect of Reglan is usually very short lived and should be well out of your system by now ( unless there is something about when you have been on it for as long as you have that would change that, I dont know) I am just wondering, did you have a history of depression or anxiety before surgery? I think it is really good you are working with professionals. Things will improve, it sounds like they already are. In general,something for us all to keep in mind is the fact that serotonin which is one of our main feel good neurotransmitters, is mainly produced in the stomach not the brain. I never see much literature on it but I am sure that the removal of a major portion of the belly must wreck some havoc on that system of the body until things adjust and the body compensates. Anyone have any further info on this? I just put it out there because I think its important we all recognize that some depression, anxiety, whack feelings in general are going to happen and that it is perfectly normal and expected. It wont make it better in the moment, but at least it can help us get through the moment knowing it will pass.

Thanks Chancie! I think I am deciding not to weigh at all right now. I dont know when I will but I am just too nervous about getting hung up on the scale and any negatives that may cause. I know I have lost, people are noticing and I am too so I will just stay happy with that. Who knows I may make it all the way to the three month check up with Dr. Aceves without weighing! But...probably not. :001_smile:

Carolyn and Vegas, Thanks for the advice, I will have to try that. I usually dont like flavored drinks as both of you mentioned you didnt really eaither but if it is going to satisfy the thirst better, I'll try. I did buy some Propel when I got home from the hospital and I didnt really like that very much. I will revert to really small sips and maybe try the lemonade which sounds pretty good. Have to go shopping tomorrow. Its crazy cause I already feel like I am barely taking anything in my sips but I guess they are still too big. P.S. Havent forgotten to post that carmelized Thai pork recipe for you! working a short day tomorrow so I will be able to do it then.

HeHE, that is so true. I do believe that after time as you are happier and more comfortable, the ache or urge to make more and more changes would start to diminish. Thanks for this reminder. I could have easily been swept away in running out to the PS in March! You know, its funny, even being a therapist, it is usually difficult to analyze your own reactions....at least for me anyway. :-)

I am so There! We can get Meth mouth together!

You are crazy man!!!!!! and I like it! No seriously that is funny. So are you saying that as long as there is fullness, the direction of nipple pointing is not as much of an issue? I mean if your choice is the effects of gravity and age or a few scars and perkiness which would you choose, as a bearded Italian man? I have actually asked a few of my guy friends around here ( in totally hypothetical terms not with reference to myself) what they would prefer and they are unanimously saying natural. I dont know if that is just a crunchy SF kind of attitude or if they think that is what they are supposed to say....husband is of course impossible to trust because he thinks I am beautiful and perfect already....which just goes to show his complete lack of judgement.

oh goodie! I was just going to go on a search for the much mentioned ricotta bake. Thanks Angel. The dessert looks good too. Of course everything in the world looks and sounds good to me right now. The idea of chewing something is just so extraordinary. Meanwhile, I really miss being able to drink water in gulps. That may sound strange but I just love water and I cant seem to get enough this way and am feeling thirsty even though I am sure I am getting a total of at least 50-60 ounces of liquid a day. I think I am taking small sips but I get the same pain you described right between the sha shans and then feel like I have to burp. any ideas? THank you!

Hurray! Congratulations and keep us posted. Yes, Helen I was thinking the same thing. any morphine based painkiller gives me dreadful headaches. I suppose that means you and I are very unlikely to become addicted to opiates! :-)

hmmmm, Thanks for the weigh in guys. It is kind of a hard decision...

OK, so knock on wood, other than feeling burpy when I try to drink and that pain it causes between the sha shans, so far I think I am doing fairly well. I did start wondering though, in the event of a leak or some kind of complication, does anyone know if kaiser would deny coverage for the care? I did not qualify for their WLS program but isnt just like another elcetive surgery? If I had complications from a breast lift they would pay for that right?

Carolyn, yeaaaa! I'm so glad you liked it! I wish I could have some right this moment. Yesterday I was reading my huge full color photographs on every page Thai cookbook and vowing to make regular use of the huge Asian Market right next to my place as soon as possible. I'm going to make chicken Satay and massaman curry, and carmelized pork and crispy beef with basil and.....aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!

Good luck! IT isnt all that bad. To be honest, I am finding the hungry part now worse than any part during post-op! To deal with that...maybe a 24 hour massage therapist, personal hypnotist, male strippers...

Hey all! newmom and I arrived this morning and had a brief scare because we couldnt find the driver! Well, he was just running late so we were relieved to see him about 11:40 or so. We went to the hospital after a scenic drive though newmom expected it to be much closer, I had googled it to see the distance so I knew we were in for a couple hours. So after hospital tests and wierd ekg's involving suction cups around the sha shans, we were sent off to the hotel. We were starving so decided to ask for some good close restaurants. We got directions to someplace but in following them found ourselves in a spot that was...shall we say less than savory. besides for the fact that everything was closed anyway so even if we had wanted to go into the sex boutique, we couldnt have. Ended up eating at an italian restaurant in the hotel. Now though I popped the ativan they gave me for sleep I cant sleep! It is only 9pm for me....so ......whats new? Fun and exciting news?

ohhh, can I have some of those recipes?

Oh yes and to Mountain and Dalite, hugs and much love! you will be well taken care of and fine. We will be thinking of you!