Good Luck with your surgery. I too am new to the site and am due to have my surgery this coming wednesday. I have a 17 year old daughter who has struggled with her weight as well and if all goes well with me I anticipate she will be doing the surgery as well. I wish I would have found this site sooner but glad that a friend suggested it to me. Look at the protein shakes and taste them because I hear they are pretty nasty. So you have enough time to find one that you like and check out the recipes because one of the members has a huge recipe log for mixing them with fruits and syrups to mask the taste. From what I have heard and read recovery is not that bad. It's just re-learning everything we have grown accustomed too. Eating/drinking is not the same. good luck