so maybe I should be journalling

Okay I am 17days out and I am having some problems. Mainly that I am really struggling to quit smoking. I wear the patch but I still smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes a day. I am not happy about this at all!!! I have pledged to my fellow July staplers that on Monday July 20 I will not smoke all day. I am going to take this one day at a time and just for onday I pledge I will not smoke.

I am going to put my early posts in the July staplers thread in here so I can find them easily later.

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Well I went in for surgery and I can't believe it I WOKE UP!!!!! I was terrified I was going to die on the table but everything went fine. I feel alright and am walking SLOWLY. Nothing too fast but I am mobile. I am so excited to start my new life.

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So you go to the hospital 2 hours before the surgery, 6am for me. checked in and then fell asleep until the Dr woke me up to remind me I can't smoke after the surgery. I promised him I won't as I have been quit for about 2 weeks already.

I was taken down to the Operating holding area where I met another gastric patient and someone who was getting post gastric plastics. Then they walk you into the Operating room, wow that was scary. The operating bed looks exactly like the bed they use to execute the rapist in DEAD MAN WALKING. I almost walked right out of the room. I grabbed all my courage and jumped on the bed, it was now or never. Next I heard a phrase I was not interested in hearing, "meet the NEW fellow", new I thought NEW don't touch me your NEW, I not only thought this I told him so . Thank god within 2 minutes I was asleep and no longer cared who was working on me. I realized later that day the Dr was new to the hospital not new to surgery, whopps I was embarrased. Oh well I apologized and blamed it on the nerves. He smiled and said it was okay.

The surgery began at 8:10am and I woke up in recovery at 10:30am. I was terrified, I felt huge pressue between my breasts and called a nurse over to see if I had a heart attack. I really thought I did. The nurse explained that it was gas and that my heart was strong as an ox. Okay so I hadn't died in surgery like I figured I would and I hadn't had a heart attack. GOOD. Soon I was wheeled up to a semi pirvate room for the rest of my hospital stay. I felt okay, lots of gas pressure but no real pain (I think the morphine helped).

Within a few hours I got up to walk and was feeling okay only moderate discomfort. I think the fact that I am 29 and had a baby with no epidural really helped me with pain tolerance. I mean it doesn't tickle but the pain was not as bad as I thought. The main problem is gas, you have to keep walking or else you will get gas pain and morphine does not help that at all.

I am day 4 post op and although I walk and get up really slow I feel alright for the most part.

My main problem is that my surgeon told me to take 60-90 minutes for my meals but I can't. In general I can't stretch my meals out more then 45 mins or 1 hour. I had problems with constipation yesterday but today it is diahrea. Not sure why but I'm hoping in the coming weeks my digestion will get back on track.

This is by far the BEST decision I ever made for myself and I am so happy I did it.

Hope that doesn't scare anyone just wanted to give you my experience

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my Dr recommends that I eat for 60-90 mins in the first month but he does say once you know your pouch meals should take 20-30mins. It is true that you do nothing but eat/drink all day. For a food addict like me it is very helpful as it takes the fun out of eating which is good for breaking the mental connection with food.

I have a sensitive question to ask. Without everyone jumping on my back and going on an on about health, I am wondering about weed. I don't take pain pills, I don't believe in them but I do like to smoke weed. I am 4 days post op and I smoked 2 joints today. I have completely quit smoking cigarettes but I love my weed. Is this really bad for me? I don't want ulcers all over my new belly and stuff. The weed really helps with the pain and the nausea. Also I'm wondering if vaporizing my weed would give less toxins to my belly.

So far I have been following my surgeons instructions to the letter. Today I did a very stupid thing. I knowing I shouldn't made myself a piece of toast with melted cheese. NOT A GOOD IDEA day 11 post op. Wow I took 3 bites and the dumping started. I sweated my stomach cramped and I wanted to puke more then anything. Thankfully it only lasted about 15 mins but my stomach still hurts and I feel shitty. Why did I do it? I don't know I mean really it didn't taste that could, but I guess I had to push myself. End result: I will never do such a stupid thing again, I really don't enjoy feeling as sick as I do and having the gas pain and the nausea, plus now I am worried I hurt my pouch. I hope not but I guess time will tell

tomorrow is the first day of my pureed diet, YEAH!!!!!

So far I have the following things that are already pureed, but supposed to be that way

Gefilte fish (mmm jewish food)
Hummus (low fat)
liverwurst ( I love it)
fat free cheese,
refried beans

I am so excited. I think I will hae gefilte fish for breakfast will start with 1 oz and see how I feel.
MsKee, prayers are with you and I hope you recover well from the surgery/complication. Im sure that must have been really scary for you. When I went for surgery I had no appetite for 10 days. Now on day 16 I want to eat all kinds of stuff but know I can not.

I was on a boat cruise today and wanted a burger so bad. I am still on pureed so I had a few bites of the guacamole and pate. I was very careful only to eat a little bit because I did not know about fat content/ sugars.

I did make another mistake tonight, as I feed my son some chicken I ate 4 tiny baby bites. I know I shouldnt have but this whole purree thing is really bothering me. I don't know what to eat that is pureed. I am also really strugglin with the fact of not smoking. I quit 2 weeks before surgery wearing the patch. Since that time I have in general been still smoking 1-2 cigarettes a day even though I still wear the patch. In general I don't want to smoke but I live in a communal seating where alll the ladies sit in the yard and smoke. I am really struggling and am looking for some words of encouragement.

You guys are all totally right. In somke ways I feel good about yesterday and some ways bad.

I feel good that although I wanted the burger I choose some guacamole and liver pate as they were pureed. I also only ate a few bites as I wasn't sure of the fat count.

I feel bad that I smoke 1 cigarette and that I ate 3 baby bites of chicken not pureed. I saved some of it for today and pureed it and it tasted just as good.

I can get over the head thing over pureed food but smoking is really hard. I live in a communal house with 6 other smokers who all smoke outside and talk. Also all my friends smoke and that's how I end up have 1 cigarette a day.

I need to work and focus on being smoke free everyday even 1 is bad I know and it will lead to more.

Struggling but always keeping my head up and feeling good that I am getting my 70 grams of protein everyday and not falling off the wagon just tangling my toes a bit.

I'll keep looking on the board for help and support I know I can do this.

Hi

I will take all of your guys advice and I will make a pledge that I will not smoke even 1 cigarette tomorrow.

I smoked 2 today which am not happy about. I did do very well in terms of my food intake. I got in 79.5 grams of protein and add pureed chicken today.

Overall I am very happy with my diet today.

I also found that adding unflavored protein powder to V8 juice is a great way to have my evening snack. I get my protein and veggies in at once. By the time I eat my protein at each meal I can't get any veggies is so this way at least get 2 servings a day of veggies in the V8