Sleevalicious

I'm glad you had such a good time @BurgundyBoy and yes you're lucky. It's nice to communicate with people who can understand my struggles. I'll be OK as long as my family is fine. And I'm doing my best to offer them the support that they need. I wish you and yours the best...

Thank you @BurgundyBoy I really appreciate the support. That's why I came back to TT. I hope you had a nice vacation

Beautiful Comparison pictures Trish The difference is remarkable, and you look so happy!!!!

Thank you @Dunndeal I will give your system a try. It just might jumpstart my weight loss. As you know, I'm an ovo lacto vegetarian. Meat, chicken and fish are not an option for me. I'm allergic to soy. I read of vegan members who had great results after WLS. Thank you for your encouragement. It definitely gives me hope

Thank you for posting this link @Dunndeal It moved me deeply

@Aussie H hi!! Just checking in on you. I hope your recovery is well underway. How are you feeling?

Hmmmm... Poor saggy sad boobs? I think that describes 90 percent of females after WLS. Unfortunately...

Thanks for the update @Trish13 I'm so glad you're on the mend!! It's wonderful to see the weight go down and to wear smaller sizes. I'm sure, once you've off the TPN you'll see even more weight loss. The closer you get to meet your protein requirements, the better off you'll be. And the more results you'll get. I learned it the hard way. Oh and the less hairloss you'll experience. Soon,the difficult beginning will only be a bad memory and you'll be happy with better health and improved body image

@Trish1967 Thank you so much for your encouragement and kind words!!! That picture speaks a thousand words. It is to die for!!!!! Soooo soooo sweet I'm officially in love. I'm happy you have him in your life. He's your love bundle. Xoxo

Hi @NerdyLady Ayran is basically watered down and salted yogurt. My family drinks it a lot in summer. It comes in full fat or fat free versions. Laban is yogurt as everyone knows it. There are fat free, low fat and full fat versions. Labneh is drained yogurt. Traditionally, housewives will let the yogurt drain in a bag that they sew. Today it's much easier to buy it in the supermarket. Jen is right though it is lightly salted so that it doesn't turn sour. It has a thicker consistency than Greek yogurt and it is usually eaten with olive oil, olives and....bread or crackers. We also add fresh mint and tomatoes. Delicious. But you can skip the carbs and eat it like a dip with cucumbers or green peppers. It's rich in protein and calcium. It also comes in full fat low fat and fat free versions. It usually comes in 500g plastic containers. Some like Jen eat it with zaatar which is a powdered mix made with dried thyme flowers, sumac and sesame seeds. Also yum. So consistency progression goes from Ayran to yogurt to Greek yogurt,to labneh. Labneh is not common in all of the middle east. It is a staple for people in the near east. So when you go to a store try to find Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian specialties. I'm not sure but I think Israeli stores have it as well. Obviously you'll find it in the refrigerated section. Bon Appétit!!!!

@Trish1967 You look radiant. Your weight loss is really showing. Your eyes look bigger. Hurray for shorter hair!!!

Hi again @Trish1967.. Your post is a testimony to your level of empathy. Yes it truly is harrowing to watch loved ones suffer. Especially when you are so helpless. But to be the one going through the ordeal and worrying about other's feelings?! Bravo my friend you just got the highest scores on the EQ test. I'm happy you have a caring and loving husband to accompany you on your journey in life. It is a blessing. I'm sorry you both have to face adversity. My heartfelt wishes for total remission and a carefree future As for grandchildren, I'll have to wait. All my kids are still in college. It'll take time for them to settle down and think of having their own children . In the meantime please give your adorable baby a huuuuuge hug on my behalf. My son is getting better and better every day, thank you God!! But his legs are still very weak. He needs physical therapy. It is still very difficult for him to take the stairs. We will see the neurologist on Wednesday and the surgeon on the 7th hopefully. He's out of the country. AGAIN!!! On the WLS front, I'm officially off the wagon. My dad is not doing well, my mom will need to be hospitalized this week, hubby has kidney disease due to diabetes and I'm overwhelmed. I know, I know, I know!!!! Res Ipsa is right, food will not resolve my problems, but are addicts rational?? I'm not giving myself excuses. In fact I'm very hard on myself. I need therapy of that I'm sure. And a way to get back on that wagon!!!!! I think my honeymoon is over. Thank you for reading my ramblings and for offering your support. I offer you mine in return. Be well my friend. Hugs. Where on earth have my emoticons disappeared? I need them to emphasize my words. Oh well.....

I'm glad you're familiar with both dairies. I personally love labneh and I usually have it for breakfast. Or I'll have yogurt with cucumbers. I'm also glad your hung yogurt turned out to be OK. For a wetter consistency remove it earlier from the cloth. It should be just fine. I really love interior design. Maybe I should consider hiring your designer??

Thx for the update Jen I'm glad you're finally settled in and tested the waters around you. Really, pink walls? I love pink but not on my walls.... A big apartment is more housework, but I'm sure it'll be easy to have a cleaning lady come over if you're too busy at university. My mom used to make Greek yogurt. But you don't have to. Look in the supermarket for something called labneh. It should be cheap. It's strained unflavored yogurt. There are fat free, light and full fat versions. They exist in many brands. Laban is yogurt and labneh is what I just said. Good luck finding balance in new surroundings. It's a good thing you're not alone and hubby is with you. Congratulations on the weight loss. You're rocking your WLS. Shopping for clothes is going to be a whole new experience!!! Hugs from not so far away

Hi @NerdyLady I traveled extensively in my life, but never to Latin America. It is one of my next destinations once I get over paying college fees for my children. Here it is unheard of to have your kids pay for their education. So the heavy burden is on the parents. And we still have a few years to go. Pfffffft...... I so long for vacations but now is not the time. Pre Colombian civilisations are soooo interesting. I'd love to visit. Your aunt is so right. When you live in a place surrounded by so many dangers you develop a detached attitude. A sort of "what will be will be" mindset. And you just live your life with such intensity because you're very much aware everyday can be your last. I had a very cosmopolitan upbringing and lived in different countries during the first years of the war. But I had a feeling of always being a foreigner. I just wanted to come back home and grow roots. Well I did that but now I miss the constant travels and the richness of getting to know other cultures. Talk about never being satisfied No really, I'm grateful for what I have and count my blessings everyday. I know Latinos are very full of life. My brother lived in San Diego for a very long time and he had a lot of Mexican friends. But not me. So now you get to be officially my first friend of South American origins. Salute The area you're referring to is in Southern Lebanon. We rarely if ever go there because it's a militarily zone due to the situation with Israel. But it is very green. I pray for a time when peace prevails. May be then we can go there and admire the trees together. I'm a tree lover too. I lived in the desert for a long time and have a passionate appreciation for lush green landscapes. Hugs across the continents