Hello, Welcome!

Hello and Welcome to My Beautifully Messy Journey.  My name is Crystal and in one week I will be having Sleeve Gastrecomy Surgery.  The road to where I am currently has been long and at times torturous. Those stories are for another time. You maybe wondering what is a Sleeve Gastrecomy Surgery, well let me explain it.
  A Sleeve Gastrecomy is where a surgeon removes the large portion of your stomach and leaves the portion between your esophagus and your small bowel.

I am having this surgery to help me lose weight. This surgery is only a tool, it isn't a magic fix.  Sure, you do lose a bit of weight without really trying while you are recovering, but to be successful and keep it off, you have to work.  I have heard all the nay sayers saying that it's the easy way out, I say, it's not.  I could have the surgery and 2 weeks out eat corn dog bites and potato chips,  guess what, I won't lose anything.  The way to be successful and actually lose weight and keep it off is to do the program. Before you ever have surgery my surgeon requires a 2 week diet of up to 5 high protein shakes and water, chicken broth, beef broth and sugar free jello. Post operation,  it's full liquid/ pureed food (baby food consistency) for a week. Then it is on to mechanically soft. The new stomach size can only hold about 2-4 ounces of food and the most important thing to eat first is protein. Protein helps you to stay full and not lose your muscle mass. If you eat junk food, you will not get the proper nutrition and not lose weight.  It is also possible to stretch your stomach out.  So now you know what it is, next is what it is like to be on a very strict diet. Stay tuned.