taking the sacrament....

so, what do you all do with the sacrament? I have tried twice since surgery and it keeps getting stuck. any suggestions? Trudi

I have not had a problem with the sacramenet. I look for the smallest piece of bread, and I chew it throughly. I have not had any problems with it. If it continues, talk to your doctor and your bishop/branch president. Donna

Trudi - I've never had a problem taking the sacrament. When I was newly post op I would look for a small piece without the crust then I would chew, chew, chew until it was in a liquid form and then swallow. Now I look for a piece with the crust because I don't allow myself any bread Sunday is my one splurge day to enjoy a small crust of bread. Trudi it shouldn't be getting stuck. Do you mean because you have a dry mouth and it sticks in the back of your throat? If you chew thoroughly this should alleviate the problem. If not, you might want to take a very small water bottle and slip it into your church bag and take a quick sip during the sacrament song. Good luck Trudi. Melody

I agree with the idea to take a water bottle to church.....I truly believe the Lord understands us, our intent, our needs.....and if you need a sip to be able to take the sacrament, I say go for it......but I was never one to worry too much about what anyone thinks....just the Lord. I don't have any trouble with the bread, and I reach for the BIG piece...haha

Trudi, I am only 2 weeks out & because of general conference & stake conference in my area I haven't been to church yet. However, my bishop told me to just take the water. The sacrament is just the symbol of our covenants we have made with Heavenly Father. My Bishop told me if I am in the right frame of mind thinking about my covenants during the sacrament, the Lord will understand. Liz S. Dr. McCollister Crosby, MN Highest 305lbs pre-surgery 290 current 280lbs

Liz - don't be afraid of the sacrament. If you take a small piece without the crust and chew, chew, chew you should be fine. You've read my experience with the sacrament that I posted in response to Trudi. I've spoke with other LDS members who have had WLS and they've all shared similar experiences as I have had. Don't be afraid to enjoy the full sacrament experience. How are you doing since your surgery? Have you gone through the "What have I done to myself?" phase yet? For me that only lasted only a few minutes. Have you "mourned" food yet? That lasted a lot longer for me. I wanted food the way I did before surgery. It's all a mind game that you'll need to play for awhile. For me, at least, it has passed and I'm at a stage that I'm very happy that I've had the surgery. Let us know how you are doing. Melody 7 months post op - 85 lbs