FluffyChix

Yikes! Sorry to hear this! I'd go to clear liquids until it clears. Maybe it's a bug? Maybe it's an angry pouch? Dunno. Sucks though. ((hugs))

Wow! Congrats on the 70lbs down!!! I bet you don't feel like you could pop anymore? Agree 100% on being our own worst critics!

OMG! I swear last night, I had to literally spank my hands, cuz I just wanted to lick my fingers from the juices running down as I transferred the steak from the platter to his plate. I salivated like a mad woman! And then I looked ahead into the food abyss and felt stark terror and sadness at my future. Satan is one bad dude.

LOL! IKR? I will call her on it! Your diet looks like a joy. A pure joy!! No daily carb limit? And 3 fruits? Holy hell. Throw me in that briar patch! You will do swimmingly on it girlfrien'! So you have 3 weeks on liquids essentially--that feels like it's gonna suck. I have 2 weeks, but advancement is up to the doc. So you know, she could keep me there longer. Other than that it looks a lot like mine. Maybe a 1/2oz more protein per meal at 4months lol. Do you think we'll one day be able to eat a lovely grilled ribeye again?

Oh gosh, I hear ya! ((hugs)) Hang in there, and you got this. @shedo82773 advice is truly great! Eye on the prize!!

That's super duper! Will you be able to schedule your surgery a ways out so that there isn't any drama in the "when?" I'm sorry last week was a crusher, hopefully this one will be much easier for you!

This.

Don't go there yet. You'll drive yourself crazy and churn your new anatomy up with worry. Just concentrate on today. Tiny sips, walking, eating protein drinks, etc. Focus on how you'll feel 1 year from today--on top of the world!

LOL! Yes, he is damn straight up lucky! LOL. Wow!!! You don't have a liquid pre-op diet? What does your pre-op diet look like? What's your post op plan like? I'm not too worried about afterward. I have stuff for at least week 1 and maybe week 2 in the freezer. This coming weekend will make a pork loin roast and chili, so he'll have that as well. And my bone broth is already made. So all I have to do is sip, walk, and nap...and work about 1 hour per day. I work part time from home, so expect to be back at it within a day or two of coming home. But the RD keeps telling me that afterward, I will have very little interest in food and no hunger. So you know, I'm sayin', "Word". I'm sure she's lieing.

So what was it? Were they infected? It looked like cellulitus to me.

Day 8 is DONE! Woot! Der it is. I'd like to tell you that it has gotten easier for me. But um, nope. Not as much. I continue to do great and sail through the day until about 6pm. Then I absolutely hit a wall. Then I have to navigate preparing dinner for Mr. F. And it's not as if I really do much there during the week. I simply cook a fresh veg (nuke broccoli, etc), make a quick salad and warm some meatacular delight up and call it dinner. LOL. It's not exactly cordon bleu cooking and not a whole lot of interaction. But last night was cooking night. I grilled him a prime NY strip that was on sale and was looking forlorn and alone in its solitary package, a couple of chickie boobs, some bone in pork loin chops, burgers, and a couple of zucchini. The meat will last him all week. I also baked a tray of thick cut applewood smoked bacon to bag and tag for the week. And I swear, I literally thought I was gonna break down and cry like a little girl. It was fuc*ing ridiculous. Seriously. I started fretting and worrying about whether I would ever be able to sit down and enjoy a beautiful grilled rare ribeye again post surgery. And then I started kicking my booty for not having one as my last meal! That's what my last meal shoulda been! Damn you Lex Luther! You and your Texas BBQ. Then the smell of succulent grilled meat filled the house after bringing it in from the grill and we got to smell that the rest of the evening. He dined like a king. I sat and sulked in the corner, sucking back my chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie. Blacklist never looked quite so black. I plotted and plotted... So this morning, no joy on the scale. That's ok, I think I lose for a couple of days, then nothing. It's the inch-worm approach to weight loss I guess. LOL. Ok, so I have a feeling I need to remind myself of the week ahead. Note to self: You have 8 days left before surgery day comes, you're driving everyone insane, so sit back, relax, quite whining and moaning, and take a cup of STFU. Sincerely, Me Here was Day 7 Food Log:

This sounds great! I make it with flavored sf jello. Cuz you know, better living through chemistry! I also the creamy protein soups made not only with the cream of chicken, but also with cream of mushroom, and creamy poblano soups. Be sure to strain them though! Also with tomato soup it's a killer, too! I've also added unflavored to V-8, season it a little, then warm it. Tastes a little like tomato soup. I also mix some protein powder with sf jello and either cottage cheese and blend it up til smooth, then thin it down, or add Greek yogurt so it's more like a jello salad. Mom used to make that when we were little using either sour cream or cream cheese. It was lovely. You can also use ricotta instead and not have to blend it.

I gritted my teeth and let Mr. F take my first full frontal and side view pics when I started the pre-op liquid. We'll do another set on the morning of surgery. And then will suffer through taking 1 each month. That may add up to more photos of me than I've taken in the last 40 years!

On my sheet from the RD, that's pretty textbook. So I've vote yes.

I love the PP clears! I mix them with unflavored gelatin and make Popsicles with them! YUM!

How long were you doing blood thinners with surgery? Petechiae (small groupings of purple bruises) are a sign of bleeding. Here's a description: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi92fmNjZ7ZAhVwjK0KHR4bBWIQFghKMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpmc%2Farticles%2FPMC4371663%2F&usg=AOvVaw3IpRTPTDQ_-nHt4hUPeJQC I had ITP as a kid and used to get large mushy brown/purple bruises and petechiae over most of my body, especially my trunk and legs. You should def. call your doc.

1 week liquid diet down! Yeah, baby!!!! That's what I'm talkin' about! I have my hospital pre-op interview on Tuesday and the last surgeon's pre-op visit on Thursday. I'm a bit nervous cuz I haven't received the letter of approval from my insurance company yet. But, the doc's office says they have the approval from the insurance and that's why they were able to move forward? I guess I will call the hospital again on Monday and see if they've gotten the hospital stuff approved. Then will call insurance to see if they can email a copy of my approval letter. Don't know why I'm such a wuss about talking to them.

Dang girl! I'm sorry to hear about the delay, but completely understand it. It feels logical to me--especially if having the insurance companies blessing will carry forward through then? I think for you--summer would be the ideal time to do this. Plus, you wouldn't have the stress of hub's job on your shoulders either. Just don't check out. Continue to do your diet, and continue posting here and improving!!! I would miss you like cray cray!!! ((hugs))

Day 7 and Week 1 are in the bag. Cheat free! Relatively drama free--no small animals were harmed in the making of this week long epic!!! Wahhhhhh. Slap my ass and call me Fanny! And I'm down 8.4lbs. That dog WILL hunt, Sis! Surprisingly, the week went out with a whimper. I had zero appetite yesterday and had a bit of that anorexia-high going--you know, where you have great energy, feel like you look like a brick **** house, and are just a tiny bit high/light headed feeling? So I decided to ride the wave and see where it petered out. Turns out that it ran all the way until 10pm. When I was looking around for someone to play with and everyone was sleeping. So. Much. Energy. Damn you Celebrate 3-in-1 MultiVitamin Stick and Vitamin B1 (thiamine=the energy vitamin)!!! Damn you to hell! At 1am, I'd only managed to force down 2 Premier Protein drinks (60g protein), and about eleventy billion cups of black decaf coffee. I was watching the YouTube tell me about how to hunt, fish, and cook if I was part of a primitive tribe living in Asia and only using primitive tools. This morning, I have a little hunger, but it acts a little like a whipped pup. It's wimperin' a bit, but if I give it the stink eye, it backs down into submission. I honestly seriously questioned whether I would be able to get through this 2 week period. I'm not so worried about post surgery. I know there will be little hunger/drive to eat; and I KNOW it will be filled with suckage as any surgery is--at least for me. I know I will have 3 months of a serious learning curve that will be filled with challenges, and I think I'm prepared. But I honestly, didn't know if I would be able to travel the straight and narrow for a week--let alone 2 weeks. Food/cooking is such an enormous part of my DNA. I grew up in a Southern family of very talented cooks (men and women) and have cooked since I was 6 years old. I am a foodie, true blue. So this week of liquids has been eye opening. I would just say for anyone reading, if you know your 2 week diet is approaching--then do yourself a favor. Go Atkins or low carb keto for the 2 weeks prior to the 2 week liquid (at least). Go ahead and have your cheats and falls as you do it, cuz you'll hit the liquid stage and you won't have nearly as much angst as you would have going fully carbed up, then screeching to a stop with the liquid diet. I'd also give up the caffeine and carbonation before hand as well. You will infinitely decrease the level of suckage. Here's Day 7 Menu: (I kept it very clean, rather than spicing up my bullion.)

@JohnnyCakes He got his degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in College Station. Gig 'em Aggies! LOL. (I'm in a family with 4 generations of Aggies, so I'm biased. ) I don't agree with some of his stuff, but I really like that he's appears pretty dedicated to working with his patients as a group to help them change their minds, as well as operates on their bodies. It's pretty refreshing.

LOL! Oh yah you will! (Pardon me, it's just the calorie-deprived dementia talking!)

@LaLaDee If you follow @jess9395's footprints, (LOL if I remember correctly), you can extinguish your sweet tooth with this surgery--so you won't have that monkey on your back! Yay!! (And I don't think having 1 square of Lindt 85 Extra Dark Chocolate would be a huge issue as long as it doesn't make you dump? Something we love even more that gives a chocolate fix without sugar are cacao nibs. They're a great source of antioxidants and flavenols!

@Little Green I hope to high heaven you knew I was kidding in my other thread hon!!! Please please let me know you did!?

Gosh I love this thread! I thank of each of you for your incredible insight and the time it's taken to participate!! ((hugs)) Hope this continues to evolve. It's got awesome advice in here!

Well-put! I freely and happily admit you are correct and I'm wrong! (f**k you btw for being carbed up... )