ShrinkyDink

I like the idea of something symbolizing courage, nice one! Very nice compass rose tat Harleygirl, such vivid colors! Freedom, change, courage, direction, surely we can come up with some awesome ideas from those!

Never intended offense, and never felt offended. We simply disagree :smile2:

I'm getting my information from my Bachelor's degree in nursing and my 10 years working as an RN. We need to agree to disagree on this.

My point is, you have 1 maybe 2 days of waste in your colon, not years. Eating healthy food keeps your system clean and working as it's supposed to.

Actually your colon is healthier if you allow it to cleanse itself naturally. There is no years of gunk in your colon.

Nice ideas everybody! Keep em coming, I love to hear the stories.

Oh I like the peace sign, I've also thought of a butterfly or a dove, something that conveys freedom. Haven't thought of the exact right thing yet, or the best place to put it. slgandera, what image did you get on your leg?

Well today was supposed to be my last day of clear liquids, and I had done well until yesterday when I started feeling shaky and dizzy. I can handle a rumbly tummy while I heal but that body hunger feeling is horrible. Today it was 10 times worse, shaking, sweating, spots in my vision etc. and I called my doctor for permission to move on to full liquids a day early. Took him a while to call back and it's a good thing he said that was fine cause I did it without waiting. I put some cheesy potato soup in the blender and I tell you it's the best thing I've ever tasted. I felt better within a few tiny bites and it went down just fine. My whole outlook is different now, amazing what a little potato soup can do! Now if that stupid scale would just move. I'm still swollen from the surgery, my belly looks like a blown up whoopee cushion, once that's gone I bet I'll be down 7 or 8 pounds though. Pain is much more managable the last couple days too, still very sore but I haven't needed the Vicodin since Saturday morning. After one more week on full liquids and mushies I'll be able to start adding real food and then we'll see how this really goes!

Nena, your post was rather judgemental. I have a high tolerance for pain and I didn't eat anything I shouldn't have, but I still had a lot of post-op pain. It all depends on the person's individual circumstances. I had 4 kids and a hysterectomy without batting an eye, but this surgery knocked me flat. Kegra, most likely you will come through it well with managable soreness, but I would plan on some extra days off just in case you need them, then if you are one who comes through it without much pain you'll be going back to work sooner than expected.

Now that I'm feeling better and my tummy isn't so tender I'm eating more protein, but those first few days I ate what felt easy on my stomach and didn't worry about the nutritional content.

I was very swollen after surgery too, and I found that warm liquids went down much much easier than cold. I drank broth and room temperature water and juices, constant tiny sips. Hope you feel better soon!

The meal plan has been well worth it to us, both in money and in convenience. Having one sit down meal, one counter service meal and one snack included pretty much covered the day for us, we kept things like cereal bars in the hotel for the morning and didn't end up buying a third meal. It helped us to plan our budget to have all of that prepaid. For me vacation includes not having to cook or prepare food so the thought of packing lunches there is just too much trouble to me. Haven't checked it for myself but I've read that they will allow you as a bariatric surgery patient to pay the child's price for your meal plan. Many of the restaurants included on the plan are buffet or served family style, and those that order from a menu will allow you to order a smaller portion as an adult on the child's plan. To answer one of your questions, they won't allow you to buy fewer meal plans than the number in your party, it's a package deal that includes hotel and food and everybody in the party has to be on the same plan. I recommend intercot.com for any Disney World related questions, their message boards are full of answers.

Your body cleanses itself naturally when you eat healthy foods, these diets are cleansing your wallet.

I've heard others saying refried beans were allowed :cursing:

I'm so thankful that I work from home, cause I couldn't be back yet if I had to go into an office. I don't think you're being a baby, I think you've had major surgery and your body is telling you it needs time to heal. Hope you can work it all out, don't push yourself too hard!

Same story here, I also had a hiatal hernia repair. Your diaphragm is the muscle you use to breathe and that is what they sewed up to repair the hernia so it makes sense that breathing is painful. I'm much better now but for the first few days it was very difficult and a big yawn or sneeze still hurts. It's expected but as others have said, don't suffer too much without calling your doctor, better safe than sorry.

I'm right where you are exactly, except I've only lost a pound. I describe my belly as a puffed up whoopee cushion and I'm ready for it to go away!

I just bought some of that yesterday, can't wait to try it now :smile2:

You are a genius, that was delicious! While I was there I picked up some Tostitos creamy salsa and mixed it with some canned chicken, also very yummy!

And I got you, just making sure y'all didn't think I was pureeing pizza now hehe

My apologies, I don't think I was clear enough that my post about the pizza and cheeseburger was sarcastic. I was horrified when my mom thought I would actually want to drink those pureed, even though I was a teenager and losing weight wasn't my objective. The suggestions I made were things that worked pureed and things that most definitely didn't work, not neccessarily things that were the best choices for the band, my need to drink my meals was for a different reason :eek:

My diet kind of combines full liquids and mushies but never mentions the word mushies. I had clear liquids for a week, then now I'm doing a week of what he calls full liquids but it includes extra smooth pureed foods. I've had instant oatmeal made with extra milk, potato soup, tomato soup, baked potato pureed with some milk, pureed cheese ravioli with tomato sauce (very yummy), milkshake made with light ice cream and a big scoop of peanut butter for protein. I know I'm getting too many carbs but for now I'm eating what comforts my tender belly and not worrying too much about nutrition content as long as I'm getting enough protein and fiber. I could eat ice cream all day and not go over 1500 calories anyway cause I can only take a few bites at a time, my tummy is still very swollen and sensitive.

I ended up calling my doctor on what was supposed to be my last day of clear liquids cause I was so hungry I thought I'd pass out. I had been dizzy and sweaty for a day and couldn't take it so I ate some soup and called him. He said I could move on to full liquids a day early and that potato soup made a big difference. I'm still getting hungry on the full liquids but it's just the rumbly tummy kind of hungry, not the going into a coma hungry.

I haven't experienced it myself yet, but my brother says it's more like a deep burp than a vomit. No acid, no stomach convulsions. He has had it happen a few times and says he can pretty easily dislodge it and make it come up when he has to, I guess you just learn how with time. I'm worried about it too though, that's a part of this I'd rather skip.

This is something I'm working to overcome too, I'm trying to reprogram my thinking, I know I can still enjoy a meal thoroughly without stuffing myself and without cleaning the plate, but my old habits say "don't let it go to waste" Well isn't it going to waste anyway if I'm already full and it's just going to turn to fat? I know exactly what you mean, food is part of everything we do. When we celebrate we go out to eat. When we have a tragedy, people bring us food. I have been very bad about medicating myself with food and it's going to take a lot of work to break that habit. I find myself having the urge to tell people, but then I remember how it felt to have things suggested to me by very well meaning people. It was humiliating to have my problem pointed out. I had to come to decision myself, nobody suggesting this to me could have convinced me to do it. I wouldn't call that hoarding, I'm having the same issue here. There is a kitchen full of food my family can eat and one basket in the pantry that's off limits cause it's all I can eat, yet what does my family want? My food. For me it's my children who don't understand why they can't have my sugar free pudding when they've already finished the 3 packages I bought for them, when it's adults, that's very inconsiderate to not leave you the few things you can eat. No ripping from me, I hear you :thumbup: