Well, on Monday, 7/19, it'll be 3 weeks and my surgeon says I'm okay to graduate to the pureed stage (Phase III). Like someone on a forum wrote, I'm nervous/scared, too. But I'm sooo looking forward to having something other than Protidiet drinks and some blended soup. Cottage cheese sounds sooo yummy right now, as does mashed potatoes. It's been really nice to read the other's posts and it actually helps to see how others have/are handling everything. It's just so hard to understand and believe the differences in "plans" our surgeons have. I read where one woman was allowed to eat white, flaky fish as soon as she came home from the hospital. I've only been allowed soups, blended, and strained! Why are there such big differences between surgeons?! It doesn't make sense to me and it's frustraiting.

Now that my medications have been adjusted, I'm feeling better emotionally , but I still have times when I wonder if I've done the right thing...and I can't believe I'm saying it out loud, but I know there has to be others here that feel or have felt the same way. I mean, for almost 3 weeks now, I've been "drinking" only, have no appitite, and for all intents and purposes, still look the same. I KNOW it's not like, "POOF," you're skinny now, but it just seems that I should be seeing some difference by now. Dumb, I know. I tell myself, for crying out loud, it's only been 3 weeks (not even) for pete's sake!!  Give yourself a break, girl! It's just hard, hard, hard. I'm also allowed to start exercising on Monday and I meet with the personal trainer Monday afternoon. I'm actually looking forward to that. I'm tired of sitting around and feeling weak. But if I do too much, I get really tired. It's at those times that I ask myself what have I done. I pray for strength and I'm determined to make this work. I know that anything worth having is worth fighting for. I must stay strong and know that I WILL get through this stage. Why oh why didn't they tell us it would be so friggin hard?!?

High-Protein Breakfast Shake
65 Cal  6 gm protein per serving

1/2 C fat-ree plain yogurt
1/4 C skim milk
1/2 small banana
1/4 C nonfat dry milk or scoop of protein power

Blend together in blender. Makes two 4-oz servings


High-Protein Cream Soup
130 cal  10 gm protein per serving
1/2 C your favorite cream soup (cheese, chicken, mushroom, potato, etc.)
1/2 C low-fat/non-fat cottage cheese
Romano cheese

Blend together soup and cottage cheese. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Makes one serving.


Better Peanut Butter Shake
350 cal  22 gm protein per serving

1/3 C  nonfat dry milk
1/2 C water
1/2 banana
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg Sweet-n-Low or Equal
3 ice cubes

Blend dry milk and water. Add banana, peanut butter, vanilla, and sweatner. Blend till smooth. Add ice cubes and crush finely in blender with rest of ingredents.

Well, I made it through the surgery just fine, but I sure wish they had told us ahead of time how much pain there would be. I had a hysterectomy 20 years or so and I still remember how much pain that was...and it wasn't done by laproscope back then, either. So, I guess I wasn't expecting as much pain. Well, it's not as much pain, but it's close. Now that I'm home, and as the gas is being released, quite a bit of pain is diminishing, thank you God! I'm down on the pain meds already and only need to take a Percocete before bedtime and I'm guessing that will no longer be needed if things keep healing well.

Now, for the BIG problem. I've tried several different kinds of protein, mixed several different ways, and I'm have a severe problem getting the stuff down. I know how important it is to get the protein now, as it helps in healing, but later on, of course, so I keep pushing myself to get it down, but what's happening is that I'm starting to gag. I'm not having any problems getting water/fluids down...it's just the protein. WHAT DO I DO????  Please send suggections!

I'm so close to my surgery date and getting really excited. The only problem is this pre-op diet that I have to be on for 6 days before surgery. It's meant to shrink the liver so there is more room to work inside, but good God, the food...or should I say liquids...are horrible. I actually got ill this morning after trying to drink the Vanilla Shake. The Cream of Chicken Soup starts out tasting like a Cup-of-Soup, but toward the end, for some reason, I start to gag. I'm really having trouble with it, but I'm determined. I'm allowed to also have Crystal Light, Diet Snapple, SF Jello, etc., so that at least helps somewhat. I have 3 more days to go. Please Lord, help me get through it.