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Looking for a mentor/support before surgery.

See what i mean? Lisa, i adore you! If you won a blue ribbon, you'd turn it into a barrette to adorn the 2nd place winner's hair!

Members, do not overlook the wisdom of everyone here. The people who rarely post usually stun us when they do!

We want to hear your voices. We want to give you a supportive hug. We want you to know that we've all been where you are. You are an equal part of the foundation that comprises this group.
 
Roni said:
Underlying conditions low functioning right kidney from botched hysterectomy1997. 5 surgeries to remove 9 laparoscopic staples in right ureter 1 inch above bladder. Put stents in take stents out and kidney stones. Knee replacement 2012 after three dislocates 1978, 1993 and 1997. Previous surgeries were all repair on left knee and ligaments shortened on both ankles from chronic sprains. Multiple surgeries after motorcycle was hit by semi 2005. Broken left hip, broken left ribs, broken left ankle, broken right inside forearm bone in V by the wrist, broken right forearm outside bone (broke through skin), broke bone in right hand pinkie finger. Two screws in left ankle, three screws in left hip that had to be removed when started backing out. Plate in right forearm in, then started backing out. Excess bone growth into wrist had to be removed. Now I struggled to walk and stand and sit with left hip Due to arthritis. Secondary injury to right shoulder from hip surgeries, removed 1.5cm on clavicle. I admit it was a challenge but I have overcome. Have fun be safe.
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OMG!!! Well, I can only say that after all that, this should be a breeze! I hope so anyway!!!
 
dianeseattle said:
Actually, I look forward to Lisa's and Judy's posts and think they are being far too modest! There's a real danger in singling an individual member out because it can silence a shy member who already feels insecure about speaking up.

This is a support group, and everyone has an equal voice. Some of us know a lot technically, but the messages that mean a lot to me come from the people who struggle and reach out to share.

Otherwise, we'd just be amassing statistics instead of showing vulnerability and trust.

So many wonderful people have come and gone in the 21 months I've been here. It's so important to make this forum a welcoming place for all. It can feel really lonely out there.

Sending love and encouragement to the dear people on the fringe of the spotlight. We are ALL here for you.
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Awww, thanks Diane! I do agree that the support group works best when more people contribute. Of course there will always be lurkers and that is fine as not everyone feels comfortable sharing or maybe they have hectic lives and don't have time to do so. I've been in an online support group before and noticed that people do come and go, sometimes just drop out of site. It's par for the course. My previous support group had nothing to do with WLS or food/diet etc. It was a group for parents of teens that were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was one of the moderators for many years. That was quite challenging but it kept me sane during those rough years when my daughter was a teenager!
 
All right good story. I am going to university of Iowa hospital for my bariatric adventure. So the dietician gives me a bubble sheet to log my food with , a print out with a list of acceptable foods, a colored bubble sheet describing the highlights carb, protein fats and vegetables (fresh 1 cup, frozen or cooked 1/2 cup). 1500 diabetic control. A booklet from American diabetics association for healthy weight management. So I take the cover sheet and the bubble sheet to the local office store(mine is Staples). I ask to have it made into a notebook. Each side of paper has a log sheet on it. So now I have a daily log to keep track of what I am eating. Previously like 5 or 6 years ago when I logged food I just logged everything I ate. Now I have to log as carb, protein, vegetable or fat. That was tricky to acclimate to and I still am not wholly adapted. Soups and casseroles still haven’t made it on the menu. My A1C is 5.5, I am not complaining.

So my meals are very basic. No drink thirty min before or after eating. for my first meal of the day I have toast( Sara Lee delightful wheat bread 2 slices) 2 eggs and with 2 PCs Hormel fully cooked bacon or 1 turkey sausage Patty. Morning Snack is a milk product. Glass of milk, or cheese or Greek yogurt. After a week or two I learned that I am milk intolerant. (it is no fun being doubled over in pain from milk) The idea of lactose free milk was unthinkable. But I put on my big girl panties and tried fair life chocolate but I put it in my ninja blender cup and make it into a protein shake with chocolate whey protein (Carnation breakfast essentials) added ice and now I have a protein shake. In my mind it is a treat. (I did ”Body by Vi” as a diet program previously. Great place for protein shake recipes online btw.) lunch is 2 slices bread peanut butter and jelly with fresh carrots or celery sticks and 1 cup of fruit(lately has been grapes). Afternoon snack another protein shake but different 1 cup almond milk frozen strawberries ( any frozen fruit works)vanilla soy protein, again blended into that ninja cup. For dinner I cook up a pork chop (or other meat) some mixed veggies and fruit. Last snack of the day Greek yogurt that comes whipped like mousse. I find that I am never hungry and have to make myself eat on schedule.

the real part of the story is I have two friends that are diabetic so I had extra log books made. Then I have three friends that want to lose weight. So now I had more log books made up and I am giving them away for Christmas presents. I had to order the booklets for weight management from American diabetic.org and the shipping for those is almost as much as the price of the book. But I have Christmas in the bag for 5 people.
 
I have news. Had appt in 12/4. I lost another pound. They have scheduled endoscopy for me on 1/28 with COVID test, and the upper GI on 1/29. They say they are looking for scar tissue or a hernia that could affect how they do surgery. So yesterday I had appt with orthopedics, on my way there I got a call from head of bariatric to schedule my surgery on 2/15. I HAVE A DATE. Prepping appts on 2/4. She talked about blended diet. Need more information about a blended diet. Will look it up In articles on this site. Forgot to mention I am 2 pounds down from last week.
 
I am almost 3 months out from RNY
When I was in blended food stage I put Campbell's soup - any flavor I liked sirlion burger and ham and bean oh and lentil - in my Nutri bullet and blended it - it can be blended till watery in the begining and then blended to a little chunky in the end of blended stage - taste delicious after all the broth I had at first - I am not a fan of broth or the plain cream soups
I would also mix my protein shake with ice - or with peanut butter powder for flavor and extra protein
As I progressed I would add a fresh banana to the shake - it's all about mixing up what you eat so you don't get bored
As I said I am three months out from surgery and do not regret this at all - the surgery seems like so long ago even though it really hasn't been
And now that I am on the other side I can say that EVERYTHING pre surgery was much harder for me than the after surgery stuff
It all seemed so overwhelming figuring out what and how much to eat and the restriction - now just a few weeks into it it is starting to feel like second nature. Trust me you can do this and you will be so proud of yourself and your accomplishment !!!
 
Thank you desi that helps a lot the way you describe the blended diet. Cream soups I am not so sure about but maybe cheese and broccoli, I could live on the shakes alone. Even making them with extra milk powder. I also saw the s/f jello pudding and popsicles. That sounds interesting.
 
Roni said:
Thank you desi that helps a lot the way you describe the blended diet. Cream soups I am not so sure about but maybe cheese and broccoli, I could live on the shakes alone. Even making them with extra milk powder. I also saw the s/f jello pudding and popsicles. That sounds interesting.
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I add a tablespoon of chocolate protein powder to my s/f vanilla pudding cups. Just adds protein where there would be none, but oddly enough doesn’t make it taste like chocolate lol
 
So I am reviewing the folder I got from digestive health unit. It has a list for 1200 hundred calorie and 800 calorie items for the blended diet. To do before the surgery. So confusing. Wondering if I should try any of the recommendations before I start diet before surgery. Or is that too ambitious. Still 6 weeks to go before blended diet should start. I feel like I am on hold for now.
 
100% what Lisa said. I did not enjoy the 2 week pre-op diet, although I felt very empowered, mentally though not physically. Mostly I was weak and tired. But, my pre-op diet was around 600-650 calories per day so it was pretty restrictive. Now is a great time for you to get used to sipping, thoroughly chewing, and timing you meals/water intake 30 minutes apart. That takes much more practice than you think.
 
8 days until the esophagus procedure And the annual Bobbie mush. 11 days till the upper gi. Cystoscope on feb 12 and gastric bypass procedure feb 15 day after Valentine’s Day. My time is getting closer. I am three pounds down since dec 10.
Been going to my favorite fast food place. a Chicago chain that started in 1964. I was just starting school then. The place is called Portillo’s. It started as a shed on a trailer (called The dog house) with water hose going to grocery store and a power cord going there also. At first the menu was primarily chicago style hot dogs and tamales. The fries were wrapped with the hot dog. They used to put fliers on car windshields offering 5 dogs for a dollar. They eventually added Italian beef. Portillo’s makes the best in my opinion. Recently a new store opened in Springfield, IL. I think I have been there 5 times since and including the second day of staff training dec 3. they officially opened to the public on dec 8. I get the hot dog combo with two hot dogs small fry and lemonade. Plus a beef on the side. I eat one hot dog that day with about 10 fries and give the rest to my son. Then on the way home for the next two hours I drink the lemonade. The other hot dog the next day i eat for lunch. I cut the beef into smaller portion and eat the next two/or three days. Husband is calling it my Portillo diet since I am still losing weight. I am impressed that i can control my obsession with this food and keep it portion controlled.
In the meantime I ordered and received basic form containers with a recipe book. So I will be able to portion my food for the blended phase of the diet starting feb 5. Still don’t know if I can substitute any foods in the blended diet phase ( like pork for chicken, or taco meat for refried beans) but should find out feb 4 when I meet with the dietitian. Going to be long day 4 appts. But I am good. Still logging on bubble/food sheet.
I have bought my shoes from Kmart for the last 25 years, I have tried to order them online but to no avail. ‘ on back order’. I finally found a comparable shoe at Amazon, just that it is twice as much as I used to pay. This guilt shall too pass. But I have a shoe that isn’t flopping off my foot from age. ( leather stretches sometimes as it gets old).
You know I never mentioned husband had to add a hole to one of my leather belts about a month ago. That is the same time I discovered two,pairs of jeans one yellow the other standard blue that I had never been able to wear before finally fit. Hopes I made someone smile with my update.
 
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