You Are My Sunshine

I'm trying not to get too frustrated about this. My surgery was scheduled for May, then June, and now JULY. All good reason(s) for reschedule though. I have some chest congestion that has hung around and turned into a bit of pneumonia. It was pushed out, and then my regular doctor said to push it out a little further so I can see a specialist in the meantime. I'm dissapointed but feel very comfortable with the reasoning for it. I don't want to go into surgery with weakened lungs. But I feel my resolve busted a little bit, and maybe a bit of relief. It's 100% the right choice, medically speaking. I was half-way into my liquid diet when I got the news, and now i'm going 2 months waiting until surgery. I know it will probably go by fast, but it's hard not to think of that as a time where I would be making progress, healing, and now I'm not. At any rate, if you're dealing with this, you're not alone.

Jease, are we talking about MJ? I read that post 3x and I don't know what exactly we're talking about here. Maybe I'm not hip enough?! 🤣

Y It's made me question everything again. I have such a hard time making decisions, but also feeling "worthy" of things. So this has made me feel a bit like I told you so, never going to happen, not worthy... I wish I were talking to my therapist this month, but I'm not (no openings). Even though I'm on the schedule for July, I certainly don't feel like I am.

Yup, yup. Totally agree. It will be a year in August that I started all this, so it's been a haul. But I've learned a lot, and continue to learn in the meantime.

Yes, that's definitely my hope - to just eat like a "normal" person. Or to have a healthy relationship with food. Like @lizonaplane said, the emphasis on food can be so strong, and that's where ours is right now. My surgery got rescheduled AGAIN for July so my husband and I have a bit more time (or he does, whatever) to figure things out. I've been paying more attention to how we treat food and each other.

My husband isn't all on board about this surgery for me. He's not worried about me dying or having complications -- he's worried about the loss of food enjoyment in our lives! 🙄😆 Seriously. He got teary when he was admitting this to me. We very much enjoy going out to eat, trying new restaurants, having craft beers, my love for cooking for our family... etc. and because it's a fun part of our relationship, he can't envision what it would be like without it. To the point that he mentioned how many couples get divorced after surgery. Have any of you been big "foodies" pre-surgery (with or without a significant other)? How did that shape your post-surgery life?

I'm pre-surgery and careful right now who I tell, mainly because I don't want to hear their crap or feel like I have to justify to anyone. I'm fine with trusted people asking questions or giving me feedback, but not from others... I can't speak too much to that initial question. I would definitely ask them why it is their preferred choice of surgery. They should be able to explain that to you. I talked to my surgeon about my surgery choice as well because I wanted to understand her reasoning.

This is what I envision life after surgery to be like, or what I hope. I know some people can't eat certain things or have aversions to certain things, so that might alter the way foods are "tasted" at times. The hard truth (for him, or for me I suppose) is that it WILL be different. But if I decided to do some crash diet for 18 months it would also be different, too. I think, for me, I keep going back to the fact that I want a change. I need to reroute my course a bit for my own sake.

I was diagnosed with bronchitis/pneumonia. I definitely am NOT happy about it, but I was not feeling the greatest the past few weeks, and was worried about going into this feeling under the weather. So there's a little relief for me in that. Not the way I'd have asked things to go, but trying to look at the positives. Better orgasms are never a bad thing, either. 🤔😂

I was scheduled for MAY, but my surgery got postponed. A week into the liquid diet and I got sick with bronchitis, and need to be on some meds and heal. SO frustrating. So it's pushed out almost a month. They were going to do it earlier, but I think a couple weeks later is the better option. I don't think trying to heal and doing the liquid diet was the best. I'm frustrated, but in a way relieved. I was feeling "off" for a bit, and was nervous about not feeling 100% going into surgery. Just hoping for some good healing right now! I tell ya, it's weird to eat food after the liquid diet. 21 days and I'm back on the shakes. Anyway, hello June surgery folks.

I was told it was fine. My surgery was rescheduled to June now, so I'll have to hop in on that thread. Thinking of my May 22 twins. Best of luck! 💞

Good thought... I don't know, but I wonder if the emphasis is too MUCH on food. I feel like it is, but I don't think he's there yet, mentally (emotionally). But now my surgery got postponed, so he has more time to adjust! Ha.

Pre-op or post-op?

Thanks for the responses! @catwoman7 Thanks for that reminder. I tend to catastrophize in my head, and maybe he does a bit too. It is hard to reassure him since I haven't seen what I will be like, but I tell him the goal is to still enjoy life and food, just a lot less. He seems concerned with the "a lot less" when it comes to eating, but then I asked him if he thought it was healthy for me to eat and look like a linebacker in the first place. Just sayin!

@Leeyo84 I hear ya. Well you have day 1 down. Now we head into the weekend. My motivation has been that I've lost 8 pounds so far, but it was Covid weight that I had already lost! Ack. Oh well. Happy Friday! @WontongirlYou got this! 🙏🏽

These have been my favorites for a while (Altra): https://www.altrarunning.com/homepage.html However, a podiatrist told me the best thing you could do is go to a running store, or a shoe store that still actually fits you for a shoe and have them do that. You can find out what kind of shoe you need, and that will help you get the best shoe for your gait and feet.

Hi @Leeyo84. I'm pretty new here, too. I've read for a long time, but finally posting. I'm on day... let's see - just finishing DAY 4! Woohoo. I can't believe I'm over the hump of the week already, heading into the weekend. Crazy. I would say (so far) Day 3 was the hardest. Not sure why, actually, but I had some hangry moments last night. I decided I needed to eat a bit more and made sure to get all 6 of my allotted protein drinks in PLUS a ton of jello and some broth so I wasn't feeling as deprived (and didn't have the gnawing in my tummy). I think it helped. Hang in there. We're in this together!

This is one of my fears/worries. I don't know why but I do enjoy slamming down a water quick. Especially when you're just ssoooooo thirsty! Looks like it's individual, though since some of you can drink almost like pre-surgery and some still have to sip. I also am not keen on the not water at meals thing, but my doctor says after about 3 months you can drink right up until you eat (then not until 30 minutes after again).

I liked the blueberry, but couldn't stomach the apple cinnamon one. Funny how different our tasters all are! I think I maybe would have liked it better if I mixed 1/2 apple cinnamon and 1/2 vanilla or something. It was just to sweet for me.

I don't think my parents (mom, actually) meant any harm, either. But she put me on my first diet in 2nd grade. I remember it. I remember having a different snack than every other kid in my class. I remember the fiber pills, then some other program I went on. I think I wanted it, too, honestly. Like I wanted to be like the other kids. My mom made a lot of my clothing. I didn't feel like I was the biggest of all my friends but I was. So it's weird. My mom never made me feel fat or inferior. So somehow she juggled things well, in a way. It wasn't until we had school-assigned clothing and I couldn't fit into the biggest size (while the other 2 "fat" girls in my class could) that I realized I was THE BIGGEST ONE. I still am, lots of times. My husband doesn't even know I weigh more than him. He doesn't get it.

I hope you find something you like. I'm going to get some of the Premier Protein ones and mix them with the Nutter Butter for banana/peanut butter. Keeping my tastebuds on their toes! 🤡

I got samples online a couple weeks ago, and Nutter Butter was on the TOP of my list to try. After having the sample, I knew I wanted more. I'm now on the 3rd day of pre-op liquids, and yesterday I raced to GNC to pick up a tub of it. It's not too terribly sweet, and tastes peanut-buttery. I mix it with Almond milk. I hope I don't tire of it.

Today was the hardest by far. I had a shake and a half for my post-dinner eats. Filled me up a bit better. We are to have 4-6 shakes a day and I got all 6 in today.

Today is day 3 and it's a little... eh. I'm not miserable, but I'm also not trying to think too far ahead. The flavors are going to get really old, I worry. But maybe not! Trying to remain positive, lol. 😆

May 24th here. I'm on my 3rd day of the pre-op (2 weeks, shakes, broth, Jell-O... but NO food). Having MAJOR cold feet. Excited, but so very nervous.