Well, my surgery date is coming up on March 1st and I was wondering what I should have on hand at home. I've got some Crystal Lite and I know I will get some Chicken Broth, but what are some other things that will be good to eat in that liquid/puree stage???

Other than getting that stuff in order, I'm so nervous!!! I just want to wake up and have it all be over already!!!

Besure to purchase some diet Jello, diet pudding, sugarfree popcicles, sugarfree fudge bars, unsweetened applesauce. I Even used two jars of pureed meat, in baby food. I admit that it was not tasty. I purchased a small foodprocessor and pureed what I fed my family. It was supposed to be 4 weeks of puree, but I only did about a week, and decided to chew until pureed consistency before I swallowed. This also helps with slowing down our eating.
Good luck. Recovery was a uneventful for me. Nothing bad really! I was up an about in a few days. Wishing you a speedy recovery as well.
3 months out and 68 lbs lighter!

for the hospital you need chapstick, ns candy, in a variety of flavors, my taste buds were off, so everything tasted too sweet, so SF Jolley Ranchers were great, my mouth was always dry and yucky, even with the water. did I say CHAPSTICK!!!!!!! My lips started cracking and peeling the second day in the hospital, thank goodness I had remembered lip balm.

broths, I love the chicken and stars soup and some of the creamed soup in the hand cans. I needed some citrus flavored pops, because the cherry and strawberry were too sweet. start now and make some soup and puree it and freeze it in ice cube trays for single servings. it is easier to do it now, than when you get home. freeze some for your family too.

get your protein powders too, start them now, my dietian said that it would help in the healing, plus you have them ready to go when you get home.

I have bought some either tag alongs or take along glasses from rubbermaid at Walley World, they hold 17 oz. and have a snap on lid, great for mixing and carrying the protein powders.

check for some other drinks besides crystal light, i couldn't stand it after surgery, again too sweet, try H2-o flavored waters or propel fittness drink

sanitary pads for the drainage [yeah, i know TMI for some of you, but they work better than gauze pads and don't stick to the wound]. i'd suggest chickarina soup, with those little meatballs. if you can't get chickarina, see if you can find the italian wedding soup with the little meatballs. because the meat is ground, it's easier to eat, and since it's in broth, it's all nice and moist.

but stay as far away from the pasta as possible [if a little sticks to the meat, that's ok, but don't go out of your way to eat it].

i dumped on the applesauce post op, so just be aware that it's possible. others do just fine with it. light/SF yogurt is ok too for some people, but again, i dumped on it. cottage cheese worked better for me.

i'll add more... and i'm sure others will jump in as well... march 1 isn't very far off!!!!!

Thanks for all the great response guys!! I wasn't even thinking about stuff I'd need in the hospital!!! I'm sooooo nervous, I'm just trying to think about recovering and loosing weight and not the surgery itself!!

TAKE YOUR OWN PILLOW!!

I had a stiff sore neck for DAYS after I got home, because of the awful pillow I had. It was about the size and consistency of a National Geographic magazine. OW OW OW, I hurt just THINKING about it!

I loved Swanson's veggie broth after I got home. I had a mega case of bronchitis, and the broth made my poor bronchial tubes feel so much better!

Oh, and tomato soup!

I also HIGHLY recommend getting a big jug of Benefiber and adding it to anything you can. Your insides will thank you later!



~VOW

Dixie,

I was really glad that I had brought extra pairs of socks and sneakers so that I could walk around the halls not in slippers. I also brought some extra clothes because I hate those hospital gowns. Good luck to you, Dixie...let us know how it goes.

peach

benefiber sounds like a great idea.. wish i'd known about it!! some folks around here said that their docs wouldn't let them have tomato soup because of the carbs, but i liked it, too. especially with some american cheese melted into it...

*

bumpity bump bump for tfarah