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Thanks, as always, to everyone for the well wishes!

Happy birthday to you as well!

This is great news! Glad that you have this support going in to surgery.

I'm doing great! I might be in the 3 week stall, but I lost 2 pounds in the past week, so I don't exactly consider it a stall. I lost 15 pounds the week before that, though, so it's a big difference. I'm just trying to be patient with the process and pay more attention to how I feel and how my clothes fit. I'm down from a tight 22 to a comfortable 20. My birthday is in 2 days and I already feel like I've given myself the best present

I'm so happy for you! What great accomplishments!

You look fantastic! Thanks for sharing your progress--very inspiring.

Welcome back! You're gonna do great--flying is easy.

I'm not sure which doctors you're choosing between, but I just wanted to say that I spent only $4500 for my surgery and I had it done at a hospital in TJ, so it is possible to have it inexpensive AND in a hospital.

I just added a Before pic to the My Photos section, but for some reason, it shows sideways even though it was not taken sideways and shows the right way on my computer (not through VST). I was hoping to find a way to delete it, or even better, a way to rotate it, but these do not seem to be options. Can someone help with this?

I ate it about 10 days post-op with no problems.

I was given antibiotics when I was discharged from the hospital and I took them twice a day for 10 days with no problems.

IV fluids. I bet if you do a search for it, you'll find more threads where people talk about gaining weight in the hospital--that's how I found out about it, so I expected to gain weight in the hospital.

I have used the Unjury unflavored and chicken soup and I like both. I have tried 6 different flavors of Isopure and they're pretty gross.

There was no microwave in either of the rooms I stayed in, but I was informed that the kitchen would warm up food for me if I needed them to.

Recovering nicely--no complaints! I am just transitioning to pureed foods and I'm SO happy for it--was getting a little sick of Soup (and strained soup, at that).

I'm doing great! My surgery was 10 days ago and I've lost 15.5# since getting out of the hospital 8 days ago!

I have lost 15.5# so far, which includes the 9# I put on in the hospital, so I'm just starting to get below my pre-op weight. Like I said, today was the first big jump I saw on the scale and that's 10 days after surgery (8 days out of the hospital and off the IV fluids). I was starting to be scared that I wasn't ever going to lose, but it is my understanding that the weight loss picks up after you lose the hospital weight, so we'll see--so far, so good. As for my daily diet, I'm technically still in the full liquids stage, but I have honestly been adding in a few pureed foods (a few days early) over the past couple of days because 1) I was desperate to chew something, 2) I knew my sleeve could handle it, and 3) I wanted to make sure that I would indeed be able to feel a full feeling (which I didn't on Clear Liquids at all and only sort of did on thicker, creamy liquids--I have since had it explained to me why this is). Yesterday I had a Protein shake for Breakfast, 4 oz. of pureed yellow lentils for lunch, and 3 oz. of pureed shrimp for dinner and the day before, I had a Protein Shake for breakfast, 4 oz. of strained cream of potato Soup with 1/2 scoop of plain unjury powder for lunch, and 3 oz. of pureed Great Northern Beans for dinner. I also usually get in at least 40 oz. of Water (with Crystal Light) and I'm trying to increase it since I am moving to purees and won't have as many other fluids to help get me to 64 oz. of fluids/day.

I feel great, thanks for asking! The cold is pretty much gone and I lost 5.5 pounds since yesterday (according to the scale), which is the first big jump I have noticed on the scale since surgery. Also, I told 3 friends about my surgery on Friday night and they were super supportive, so that felt good.

Turns out I lost 5.5# since yesterday, so make that 15.5# lost since the hospital

I decided to go with Bernice because it means "one who brings victory". So far, Bernice is living up to her name

I'm 10 days post-op, but only 8 days out of the hospital (and therefore off of the IV fluids), and I have lost the 9 pounds I put on in the hospital plus 1 more pound. So, 10# in 8 days isn't bad, IMO, and it's my understanding that I'll start to see more drastic results now that the hospital weight is gone. I'm finally just about over the stupid cold I caught in the hospital and, otherwise, I feel great! Having no trouble getting in my fluids, Protein, and Vitamins. Transitioning to purees in a few days--very happy about that. Thanks for asking, AmandaRae. How are you feeling?

I have never had kids, so I don't know about that comparison, but it really does feel like you've done 1000 sit-ups and it gets better everyday. I had surgery on Thursday and didn't take any pain meds after Sunday. I travelled alone and I flew home Monday with no issues. I do recommend getting wheelchair service at the airports on the way home, though--you may feel a little fatigued or just not feel like walking through a large (or small) airport. Plus, it cuts down on wait time in security check line and boarding the plane.

Hopefully this works...trying to post my MX photos. The first bunch should be of the hotel room, then the hotel lobby, then the hospital room, then Dr. Ortiz, Eduardo (patient coordinator), and Abraham (driver).

Do you have insurance and/or a PCP? I am a grad student in Seattle and I have insurance, but it wouldn't cover surgery, so I went to MX. I am doing follow-up care (including seeing a therapist and a NUT) through the providers at school, which probably isn't helpful to you, but if you have insurance, you should check to see if they will cover your aftercare.

Sounds delicious and healthy!