Good Morning,

I bag up the left overs and somewhere between here and there I always find a homeless person, or a sign holder or someone with a "will work for food" sign and give it to them.  Usually they're grateful.    My daughter and I always go to taco bell, order combinations and the spare tacos that come with it are given away too.    Drive up and hand the bag out the window. 

Okay - I just started this "soft foods" phase Monday, but I have eaten stuff like scallops, sweet italian turkey sausage, turkey ham, cheese, crab stuffed flounder, the chili with fat free refried beans mixed in, eggfaces cottage cheese pancakes, strawberries, soy nuts.  I eat approximately 1/2 cup of food per meal and it takes me anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour to do it.  I have been measuring everything and writing it all down and keeping track of cals, fats, carbs and proteins.  Also getting all my liquids in.  Does this sound okay.  It is in keeping with my surgeons instructions.  My calorie intake has not gone over 850 which is where my nutritionist stated she wanted it to be....

This stuff scares me about as much as the surgery did!

You are doing great.  Those are all excellent choices and if they are staying down with no problems keep at it. 

Watch the calories because it will be real easy for that to go up and while you will still lose weight thanks to malabsorption, it will go very slow with the more calories you consume.  You can probably be ok going up to 1,000.

I was told to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day.  1/4 - 1/2 cup at a sitting.  That seemed to work for me way back when. 

One word of caution.  When you add a new food in.  Just eat that food and don't combine it with anything else.  That will let you know if that food does in fact agree with you.  Of course, as is always the case, Refrigerator Roulette can raise it's ugly head at any time.  And something that agrees with you today may not tomorrow. 

Keep up the good work, Leslie.  You are on your way.

Stephanie

Leslie..you are doing Fantastic!  You could write a book of WLS instructions...you are following them so well! LOL I agree with Stephanie  ... when trying something new, even if you have had the ingredients separately...don't mix with anything else!  Take a bite or two...and wait 10-15 minutes to be sure it doesn't cause problems.  I usally know right away, as soon as I swallow, whether the food is 'acceptable' or not LOL 

This is going to sound crazy..but embrace the 'scary' feeling!  It will keep you from taking 'chances' that are not wise or healthy.  This journey will always be a learning experience...what can I eat, what sets my pouch off, how long can I wait to eat before 'symptoms' appear ( I know, sounds nuts but I actually forget! to eat)...etc etc etc.  That 'scary' feeling..has kept me from taking chances and trying food I know has too much sugar or carbs or calories...I don't know how my pouch will respond...and I really don't want to find out it caused dumping!  Once was enough for me :-(

As long as you follow the Doc's protocol and take your Nuts advice...you will continue to succeed.  The rest is just listening to your body (pouch) and learning to read the signals...don't stress! You've got the rest of your life to learn it!  Ain't that just grand??!! ^_^
Nancy aka Sunray

Thanks guys!  I had totally forgotten about that part of not adding anything to a new food that you try....okay got it.

I feel much better letting you guys know what I am doing and getting your feedback on it.  Not so alone in this whole thing.

Thanks

Good morning Miss Di and everyone,

I have been so flipin busy!!!  I always seem to try to do just way too much during this time of the year...but I love it.  But, I'll tell you it is hard with a two year old.  She is so cute and always wanting to help out.  I have a very small Christmas tree in the family room and last night she was playing with her Papa and pretending it was his birthday (which it is today), so she gave him a present from under the tree and she took one for her and the next thing I knew she had opened it...oh, you've got to love them!!! LOL

Yesterday, I worked from home and did I get anything done...NO, but I did manage to get my hair done!!!

As for today...work and were going out to dinner for my DH Birthday...I know it doesn't sound like much, but I am so busy at work...I just hope I can get a lot done today.

I am glad Becky is doing good and sorry she is in so much pain.

Dolores, Love the family picture...you guys look GREAT!!!

Well, I better get back to work...

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

Hugs, Michele

Good Morning Diane and Cali Crew,

Sorry you have been having trouble sleeping, Diane. Have you asked your Doc about maybe Trazadone? I used to be such an insomniac, but when they prescribed it to me, I only needed it a couple of weeks before my sleep pattern was back to "normal", meaning more than 3 hours a night. Have fun at your lunch today, I am so glad that you are able to get out again.
I am so sorry to hear about Becky and the pain, but I sure hope they reinforced that sucker big time!! I don't want her to have to go through this again, neither does she or the doctors. I am keeping her in my thoughts and prayers.
Today, is a day of some running around and my first day of my 1/2 marathon training. Yes, I have decided to join the ranks of Lola, Kirsten, Monica, Kimmie, and the many others that have decided to walk or run their 1/2 marathons and full marathons. I am actually quite excited. My life has changed so much in just the last 4 months since surgery!
I still have some problems with people accepting the new change in me, but I am being true to myself. I am loving me, instead of hiding me.
Well, enough about me! LOL.... Have a fantastic day, all! Enjoy yourself and where your journeys have brought you so far, pre or post-op or even 8 years out! You should all be proud of where you are!
Huge hugs!
Michelle

Congrats Michelle!  That sounds like a big goal to work toward!  you are doing great and Im so happy for you!

big hugs,

Jackie

Howabout one benedryl, 100 mg of trazadone and 60 mg of morphine.  That is my nightly dose of meds and I still wake up early.  At least the sleep I am getting is good sleep, well a drug induced sleep.  I have been this way since I was a kid, if I get 2 nights of 7 hours of sleep straight, I think there is something wrong.  Just my sleep patterns have always sucked....thanks for the suggestions tho.

I have intolerable insomnia also.  My evening meds consist of 1 mg. of Xanax and 1 - 2  15 mg. (usually just 1) of Temazepam. (aka Restoril). I used to take Trazadone, but it gave me a seizure.  My entire life I've been plagued with panic attacks while I sleep.  I may be dependent on them now, I dunno, but I DO know I get a good night's sleep and can avoid naps if I sleep at  6-8 hours at a time.  During the times I've suffered from depression, I'd sleep 12-16 hours throughout the day and night...not a quality life at all.  If I want to slow my dependence on the Xanax, every few weeks I use an over the counter sleep-aid, like Unisom for a few days, until the panic attacks resume.  It might not be doing much, but it saves some money on refills and keeps Rx drugs out of my system for a few days at a time.  I also do not use caffine after 1 pm, it WILL keep me up all night.  Thats my story and I'm sticking to it..lol.  
Kim in Fontana