Waiting waiting waiting

 I've just been a lurker lately but I enjoy all of the posts I read. 
I go on the 18th for my pre-op work up and I'm ready to get this thing going!  

Question though. I am going with my family to the Keys for Thanksgiving and I'm wondering if I have surgery at least a Month ahead (if not a bit more) if I'll be up to traveling and enjoying myself?

I think you should be fine with that.  The actual travelling shouldn't physically pose any issues.  The only thing you will need is to make sure you stay on whatever post op diet your surgeon or nutritionist gives you.  At that point you should be on the mushies stage or perhaps even a soft food stage ... more likely the mushies I would think.  That's where I was.  Mushies are also called pureed foods.

This means your Greek yogurts, cottage cheeses, blended things like tuna or even chicken.  My nutritionist defined a mushy as anything you can mash with a fork.  If you can ma**** ... do that ... then eat it.  

I can't think of any other info to send your way since your question was easy ... travelling should not be an issue at that point.

Thanks! :-)
I realize my diet is going to be different (I'm OK with that) and that I won't eat the same as I did last time we went but since I'm looking at this as a life-change, I'm going to have to learn to eat different in normal situations...and that includes travel.  Since it's FL I'm sure there will be plenty of fish I can order grilled that should be mashable.  I was just curious about the actual time it takes to be yourself again after surgery since I've only had 1 and that was 15 years ago.

 My best answer is that different people have different experiences.  I have been reading this forum since about January or February this year.  I have seen a lot of different things posted during that time.  I am wondering about how this experience really is for many people.  The reason I say that is there is a likely case that people will post here more often when there is a problem than when there isn't one.

My surgery was super easy.  Thursday I had surgery.  Friday afternoon I was discharged having had pain med while in the hospital and only one pill the rest of the say.  Saturday I was up walking around without issue and only had two pills the whole day.  Sunday I was walking around a ton easier and only 1 pill the whole day ... that was my last pain pill for the whole experience.  

On Tuesday I was checking out of the hotel and did run into a little issue.  As a man I waited until the last minute to get everything packed up and ready to go.  I was moving around quickly and bending over a lot packing a suitcase that was on the floor ... not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds for a period of time. This got me feeling light headed and I think I was also low on fluids at the time.  My heart raced a bit and I started drinking a protein shake.  Within half an hour I was back to normal.

I would say that I was feeling so good that it might be easy in the first week or two to move around too quickly if you are not well hydrated and overdo it a bit.  Then you can experience a light headed feeling and maybe a little nausea with a racing heart.  

I easily felt normal within days but it is easy to feel better than you are.  If that makes sense.  The only thing you need to remember with this surgery is that you give yourself extra time to do things.  If you normally wake up and get ready for work all in a half hour ... double that time and take things at a relaxed pace.  You will feel normal either way but if you are taking a shower and trying to get in a breakfast and picking up clothes off the floor and moving around a lot ... it can catch up to you.  Plus you are also likely to make a mistake of eating or drinking your breakfast too fast which can make you feel really awful.  

So the easy answer is that you will feel normal fairly quickly.  You won't be normal that quickly.  After a couple weeks you should be good to go.  In your case you mentioned a month before Florida trip, you will be fine at that point.  You are right about easily getting fish in Florida.  It will be readily available and nicely grilled just about anywhere you go.  I great food on the mushy menu.  You will enjoy yourself.  

I would say have the surgery as planned, enjoy being on the loser's bench and then enjoy Florida.  

That makes complete sense.  My best friend had the surgery a year ago and her experience was similar.  Taking it slow for a few days and then feeling better as the days went on. 

Thanks :-)  This made me feel better.

I'm lucky because my work is very flexible.  I've already talked to my boss and I am going to work from home the first week.  I'll have to see about lugging that laptop back in when it's time but they are good with working with me.