schel

Well here is my 2 cents. I know someone told me at one time to be careful with rice, but I have had no problems. This recipie was altered to make it low in fat. It's one of my husbands favorites and he doesn't like soup! Schel’s chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe by: Schel 2 cups cooked wild rice (cooked according to pkg. directions) 2 - 3 cups cooked white rice (cooked according to pkg. directions) 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped onion 3 cups cooked cubed chicken 4 cups skim milk 2 cups canned chicken broth 3 - 4 Tbls. chicken granules (or more to taste) 7 Tbls. flour (divided, 3 & 4 Tbls.) 4 Tbls. light margarine or butter, or 3 Tbls. regular butter. Cook chicken. While chicken is cooking, start rice cooking. While rice is cooking, grate carrots up, (enough for one cup.) Chop onion and celery enough for one cup each. Set aside. After chicken is done cooking, (about 45-55 minutes if boiling)cool and then cut up. While chicken is cooling, rice should be done, just set it aside. In large kettle or soup pan, put margarine or butter, carrots, onion, and celery. Saute’ all until soft. After soft, and add 3 Tbls. flour, add slowly while stirring. Add skim milk, and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Add rice and chicken and stir. Measure chicken broth in a glass measuring cup and add remaining 4 Tbls.flour and whisk until lumps are gone. A large bowl may also be used, just be sure to get all lumps out. Add to soup pot and stir. Add chicken granules and stir. * If desired, and a richer taste is desired, instead of 4 cups of milk, use, 3 & 1/2 cups skim milk and 1/2 cup fat free coffee mate. * If wanting to make a easier job of the rice, purchase wild rice and the white rice mix in a bag. Use 4 cups of the cooked mixed rice mixture and one cup of cooked white rice.

That is funny! If you only knew my husband! Now that I am banded, I am so getting even! P.S. my nickname to my husband is "Fart-king!"

Thanks for the input. My 3 week post op appointment is tomorrow. I'll let you all know what happens. Schel

Hope all is ok with you and your band and that you didn't swallow and plastic. I do have to say though,... Another notch in the belt for the frozen dinner saga! I was 4 months pregnant when I was at work and heated up my HEALTHY CHOICE dinner and sat down to eat, the whole breakroom was full. I was told my eyes were like saucers and my face went pale white. Kyle one of the employees was sitting across from me and said "what?" Low and behold... was a COCK ROACH! Antennas and all. Talk about adding to my nausea I already had! And guess what they wanted to send me...... Yep you guessed it more cock roaches. I complained and complained and threatened and still was told "We are sorry mam but all we can send you is a refund and coupons for free Healthy Choice in the future. I told her to send my refund and keep the coupons for herself and that I would let everyone I could know of the little critter I found in their meal. To this day I have done just that every time I am picking out a Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine and someone is next to me at the frozen isle, looking at a Healthy Choice meal, I show them which dinner had a FREE GUEST included in the entree! Sorry to have grossed anyone out, but I just had to share my story with you. Sorry about your misfortune! Schel

Hello! Boy am I new to all of this! My name is Schel and I am 9 days before surgery. I have been on liquids for 7 days now and having a tough time of it today. I'd love to CHEW something but I do not want to risk not having the surgery, because I have waited a LONG time to get where I am today. There now I feel better about that! (not that I could chew anything at this point anyways, I've had 2 root canals in the last 2 weeks, and go for a crown to finish it this week.) I started out three an a half years ago researching Gastric Bypass. I was introduced to the concept of the Lap Band at a informational class I attended while doing my research. Not totally decided on RNY or Lap Band, I had all of my "classes" (Psych, dietary consult, etc...) out of the way. My mother at the time had just had RNY and I became very ill with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Miller Fisher Variant. What is that you ask? A very RARE neurological disorder in which my face became totally paralized and my bowels and nerves in my body pretty much shut down. Anyone wondering what GBS is you can read more at http://www.gbsfi.com/ Anyways, after years of recovery my answer to which surgery was very clear to me. LAP BAND! I don't think a Vitamin defiency with the RNY which I see and hear a lot of people have is a very good choice for me. And after research I feel this is a much healthier version for weight loss surgery. So... My surgery date is November 22nd 2005 at 9:30 AM at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis MN with Dr. Michael Schwartz. I am very excited and look foreward to meeting many new "bandster" friends and improving my life. I also plan on enjoying my 6 year olds "growing up" years. Well that about sums it up in a nut shell. Hope to chat with many of you in the future. Good Luck to all! Schel from Big Lake MN.

Hello! All is going well. I'm 2 and 1/2 weeks post op. The band is in and gallbladder is out. I've progressed to my soft diet without any problems and am very glad I chose lap band. I would recommend it to anyone over and over again. Thanks for everyone's support. It means the world to me. Schel

Hmmmm... We can be very creative when we want to be can't we??? I am 14 days today post op and blended roast dinner the other night. Everything was lipuid consistancy but was it good! Schel

Hello! 13 days post op and down 17 pounds. Totally BORED with the liquid thing looking foreward to "soft diet" on Wednesday per Dr. orders. ( Not that it's much different though!) Clothes feel great and this is the only holiday I've ever lost weight rather than gained weight. How exciting! Schel

Hello! I had my surgery on Nov. 22nd and seems like every night being I am on liquids only, I have these dreams I am gorging myself and swallow a large bite of something and wait for the pain or to vomit, but then I wake up and am thankful I have only had a dream. Anyone else have those kind of happenings after surgery? Schel

I LOVE my coffee and Caribou. I have sugar free coffee syrrups, hazelnut, vanilla, white chocolate, choclate, and almond. Brand name Torani. I also have sugar free vanilla coffee mate and others. For the holidays I occasoinally splerge and have Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice, or Peppermint Mocha, which I have yet to find. I also go to Caribou and get a small or medium Latte with skim milk and bring my own sugar free syrrup with because all they have is SF vanilla and SF Carmel. The Latte is great because it provides protein in the milk. Take away my coffee and mama is no fun to be around!! Schel

That is such a great poem; saying. We recently lost our 6 year old golden and had to put her down in September. The hardest thong I've ever had to do. I cried off and on for a couple weeks. I am doing better now, but every time I see a picture of her I just remember all the love and companionship she gave to our family. When I am ready, my mom who is very gifted in the arts and crafts departent is going to help me make an memory box for my son. I think with her passing on and my having surgery he has been scared that something is going to happen to me. She was a good dog and will be missed every time I think of her, or see a picture of her. Well sorry to bore you with my sob story, but I feel better. Thanks, Schel

Renata, Congratulations on your Dr.'s appointment, I'm glad it went well for you. I'll contact you at your E-mail ok? My E-mail is mamanurse5531@yahoo.com Talk to you soon! Schel

Well today I had to go to the store to get the necessities for my family; bread, milk, fruit, etc... I went down the baby food isle and found stage 2 chicken nookle soup baby food. Came home and had 4 level Tablespoons with 3 Tablespoons of chicken broth pureed in with my hand held blender. I tolerated it well and it tasted ok. Better than the pureed chicken and soup I made the other night. Best of all no gas. I think part of my problem is I need to slow down when I eat. I'm eating with a baby spoon and now have began to watch the clock when I eat and space my bites a minute apart. Thanks for everyones help I'll continue to read, read, read! Schel

Jini, Hello havn't talked in a while! I'm on the liquid phase also, 6 days post op and yes I have had 1/4 cup sherbert as a "I can't take it anymore" snack and it went well. I feel your frustration with soup. I HATE SOUP ALSO! I do like split pea or bean, but am to scared to feel GAS pain after eating it. I had some instant cream of brocolli soup 3 days post op and the GAS was terrible. So I have stayed away from anything which could cause gas. The other night I took chicken, and chicken noodle cup a soup and blended it....YUK!!!! Wont do that again! The garbage disposal got that little treat! YUK!!!! I was wondering, since we can take pills in very small chunks with small sips of water, could we have chicken noodle cup a soup with noodles and chew them well? Probably not but I thought I would ask. Seems like our minds play nasty little games with us as far as how and what we might be able to eat? Not to mention how much we should be able to eat at one time? Well if you have any suggestions for the liquid phase I'm greatful to hear from anyone also! Good Luck, Schel

Renata, I think you are doing GRRREAT! 20 lbs. Think of that as 80 sticks of butter you no longer carry around with you. Thats what my weight watchers leader used to say to us when we lost weight when I used to go. (The many times I used to go join and rejoin.) Guess thats why I am here with a band, a tool the Dr. gave me to help me loose the weight in smaller portions. I do know how to eat healthy, just that when you have a full size stomach with no restrictions its easy to "cheat" with a cup and a half instead of the cup for the serving size I should have. I guess look at it that way you said you can eat about a cup and a half at one time, ask yourself how much you could or would eat without the band, and if your choices would have been as healthy. I bet both of us would be able to eat more than a cup and a half! Take those frozen dinners such as lean cuisine or smart ones, I would eat them and still be able to put another away and then some. Not now though. I think you are doing great. I am anxious to hear how your post op appointment goes because mine is on the 13th of December. What foods are you on now? I am looking foreward to Christmas Eve and being able to have my chicken wild rice Soup that I make every year. It's a weight watchers recipie and my husband raves about it. Do you cook? Let me know if you'd be interested in the recipie Good Luck at your appointment! Talk to you soon. Schel

Rrogalla, Thanks for the info on the port. I don't know if the video will work on my computer because I have dial up and its s-l-o-w! But if I get a chance to visit my aunt who has DSL, I'll see if she'll let me veiw it there. I meant to try to do that at work, but thats a joke! I'm lucky if I get a 5 minute break to choke down something to eat! How much time did you take off from work? I took a full 6 weeks and I've got the time. Of course some people make the comment to me that, "well it's laproscopic surgery you should be back sooner than 6 weeks." One of the reasons is I have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and every time Iv'e had procedures or dental work it seems like it takes me twice as long to recover. This is true of the commen cold also. So, since I had the time, I said not only am I going to take the time to recover, but I need to learn how to take 45 minutes to eat a meal also. Since I don't see any change coming at work to hire any more help and I would have to continue to eat on the "fly" I consider my eating part of my recovery also, and my Dr. supports me in this also. That still has been one of my herdles with recovery this past week. Last night, I was uncomfortable after my 1/4 cup of puree'd cottege cheese and 1/2 cup of Protein shake. My mom had RNY and suggested that I take a timer with me to the table and use it when I eat to learn pacing myself when I eat. So, thats todays plan. Where did you have surgery at? Talk to you soon, Schel

Hello everybody! I am officially banded and minus a gallbladder. I don't seem to feel like they took anything though. I am sore and the gas is s-l-o-w-l-y leaving me. Lets just say I put my husband to shame in the "fart game" Ha ha! I think the worst part is the post op pain. Thanks for all your support and I'll be in touch. Schel

Thanks everyone for your great thoughts. Adman, I didn't know I needed my gallbladder out til I started with my prerequisites for surgery. They did an ultrasound and it said I had polyps. The CT said the same thing. The polyps turned out to be a gallbladder full of gallstones, not polyps. Hopefully insurance will cover that being removed also. Good luck, Schel.

Hello! I have some questions on post op pain medications. I am taking percocet and side effects are constipation. I tried plain tylenol liquid.... YUK!!!! and it did nothing. Has anyone tried childrens ibuprofen? Is this safe? Ibuprofen has always helped me more than tylenol, and does not effect constipation. Any suggestions? Thanks! Schel

Brian, I just had my band placed and gallbladder out 3 days ago and am glad that I did both at the same time, the reason I came to that decision is I only had to recover one time instead of twice. We did talk about doing separate operations, due to a 1% chance of an infected band, but I was given Tequin before surgery and after surgery to fight any infection. I am doing well. Good luck in your decision, ask if you have any other questions. Schel

Hello, I was banded and gallbladder removed, November 22nd and am 3 days out. Gassy and sore where my port is otherwise going well. I'm on full liquids for 2 weeks then soft for 2 weeks and then start regular, "toddler style." Made the mistake yesterday of having thinned out broccoli cheese instant Soup and the gas was terrible. Today I did a regular Protein Drink for Breakfast. I'm going to stick to this for the remainder of the time I'm on liquids. I'm not even hungry as much of the time, so its not near as hard to just have liquids like when I was pre op, I felt like I was starving. I'm also going to refer back to the "food" section to get some ider's. Good luck to all! Schel

Rrogalla, Hello! Happy Thanksgiving! My band is in and my gallbladder is out. I am on the mend and so glad to be home. My roomate at Abbott wasn't the quietest. I have finally caught up on my sleep. All is going well, the most pain that I feel is where my port is. I would assume that this is normal. It also doesn't help that post op we are supposed to deep breathe and then that makes me cough. Otherwise, the rest is as I would have expected. My family has been very suppportive and helpful. Thanks for your support and note, I am going to go rest for a while again but I will talk again soon. Talk with you soon! Schel

SuperDaddy and Rrogalla, I go for surgery tomorrow at Abbott and I thought I was required to sign "the form" also. Now that I know it isn't a requirement to get surgery or they wont do it, I will cross it off my chart. I have seen too many people go down the wrong raod with health issues after RNY. The only one who has maintained adequate labs would be my mother who had RNY. I notice a lot of my friends have problems with low hemoglobin, Iron, B-12 etc... That scares me silly! Well wish me luck tomorrow. See ya on the other side! Schel

Shelly, Congratulations! I am having surgery tomorrow at Abbott Northwestern Hospital with Dr. Schwartz. Arrive at 7:15 AM and surgery at 9:30 AM. I have been on liquids for 15 days now. I would be curious where are you having surgery and what Dr? Good Luck and great to hear from a fellow Minnesotian! Rrogulla, Did you have your surgery at Abbott? If so with who? Was your experience good? Were you glad you did? Whould you do it again? When was your surgery? What was your post op diet like? (Details please if you have time) I know I have lots of questions, but it looked like you had surgery at Abbott and if so I'd love to chit chat more if you dont mind. Schel from Big Lake MN __________________ Band date November 22nd 2005 Dr. Schwartz Abbott Northwestern Hospital MPLS. MN

Hello, I am on my pre op liquid diet and through my doc they either suggested optifast or products by the name of Med-Diet. I opted for Med Diet, the cost was close but a little cheaper. The other thing, they are online and you can order on line. www.med-diet.com I ordered the 14 day plan and most of it I would do again, however, as far as the protein broth, YUK!!! Otherwise, the Minnehaha Mills Pudding you mix with the Beneprotein was good and the protein shakes were also good. I couldn't get the chicken broth down, so I called and asked if they took returns for unopened items and they were willing to do this. I did like the Minnehaha Mills pudding so much, that I asked for exchange of the returned broth for pudding. They had no problem with this and were willing to work with me. I also went online to walgreens.com and ordered a case of beneprotein to add to my own broth at home which was much more tolerable. Hint... Do not microwave the beneprotein! I turns into a thick curd like substance and blew up in the microwave. Add it after you have heated your broth. Any more questions let me know! Good Luck to you! Schel