**Debbie** .

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So for those who missed the recipe here it is again.  My store only carried 14oz tofu, but feel free to use 1lb (the original recipe did).  Also I used regular cheese and 1/2 & 1/2 so my nutritional info is based on that...

14oz Extra Firm Tofu
1/2 cup egg beaters
2 cups shredded cheese (reserve 1/4 cup for top)
1/4 cup half & half
salt & pepper to tastes

Directions

Crumble tofu using a fork, add remaining ingredients (reserving 1/4 cup cheese for the top). Spread in pam sprayed 8x8 baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Baked 350 oven for 30-40 minutes or until it is bubbly and lightly browned on the top. Cut into 8 squares.
Serves 8

Number of Servings: 8

• Calories: 174.5
• Total Fat: 12.6 g
• Cholesterol: 56.3 mg
• Sodium: 199.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 2.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
• Protein: 13.0 g

Yield: 1 cup (240 mL)


Speed: Variable
Time: 10 to 15 seconds

2 tablespoons (30 mL) nonfat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon 2% milk
pinch salt (optional)
dash black pepper
1 (90 g) small fresh tomato
1/2 cup Light cheddar cheese

Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #5 or #6. Run for 10 to 15 seconds or until desired consistency. You may need to stop the machine and run a spatula around the inside of the container to integrate ingredients. Do not over mix. If necessary, use the tamper to press any ingredients into the blades while processing.


Health Classification: Low Fat, Low Carb, Low Sodium, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Vegetarian

Meal Type: Appetizers








Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/4 cup (60 mL)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 20

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 2mg

Sodium 83mg

Potassium 30mg

Total Carbohydrate 1g

Dietary Fiber 0g

Sugars 1g

Protein 3g

Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 1%

Calcium 4%
Iron 0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on you calorie needs:
Calories: 2000 2500

Total Fat Less than 65g 80g
Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g
Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg
Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g
Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

Calories per gram:
Fat 9
Carbohydrate 4
Protein 4

1^st Mistake:  Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or Minerals Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results.  Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include: Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning. Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible.

2^nd Mistake:  Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back. A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery.

3rd Mistake:  Drinking with Meals Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating.

4^th Mistake:  Not Eating Right Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice.  And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you.

5^th Mistake:  Not Drinking Enough Water Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too.

6^th Mistake:  Grazing Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing.   Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement.  

7^th Mistake:  Not Exercising Regularly Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest!  

8^th Mistake:  Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies.

9^th Mistake:  Going Back to Drinking Soda Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there.  

10^th Mistake:  Drinking Alcohol If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations.

Well I'm finally post-op and it's hard to believe I did it.  Thought I'd write about the days before and after just to remember them.

Thursday, day before Surgery.  I was on an all liquid diet this day.  I could have an egg and dry toast for breakfast and coffee...I did cheat and add a teeny bit of creamer.  The rest of the day I had Gatorade G2, water and a SF jello and a SF popcicle.  It was amazing I wasn't climbing the walls.  At 5 pm I had to drink some Fleet Soda stuff and about 2 hrs later everything started clearing out if you know what I mean.  I could drink til midnight then that was the end of that.

Friday morning I did take my meds with a tiny sip of water.  Since surgery wasn't til 1pm and I didn't have to be at the hospital til 12pm I cleaned and straightened the house and was here on OH.  My friend Kathie was picking up Erica from school and staying with her til I got home.  Tina picked me up to drive me to the hospital about 11am.  I love her sense of humor so I was amused during the drive.  I did have some pangs of regret driving by all the food places on the way knowing I wasn't going to be going there in a long time.

Tina dropped me off just before noon.  She felt guilty leaving me alone but it wasn't a big deal to me, I'm used to doing things by myself.  I got to check in and waited about 10 min before a gentleman about 70 yrs old and a volunteer came to take me to my room.  He told me to take everything off and put on a gown    I haven't had anyone say that to me in a long time!!!

2 inprocessing nurses came in to tag team me.  One doing vitals and my IV the other writing everything down and checking to make sure I was me.  They gave me a shot in the stomach of a blood thinner, it's activated by fat and really stung for about 30 seconds.  I also got a Previcid to help with gas?  The anestheologist, a tiny Indian woman, came in to quiz me too.  I don't remember her putting anything in my IV.  They finished up and just as I closed my eyes to rest and try to relax, Kim the head of Bariatrics came in.  She brought me a present.  A lunch box and water bottle with a pedometer and a tape measure.  She chatted with me til about 1pm when Dr M showed up.  I teased him about being late, not sure he knew I was teasing, but he'd been stuck in traffic.  Anyway a few min later someone came to take me to surgery.  This is where it's weird, I don't remember anything else.  I don't remember the ride to the OR, I don't remember being in the OR and I don't remember being put out.  I did remember all those things with my knee surgery but not with this surgery.

I woke up in my room, very uncomfortable, in some pain and nauseated.  I remember someone asking if they could give Kathryn info on me(my OH Angel).  I also remember someone saying something about "She's taking care of her child" probably referring to Kathie.  I have NO idea what time I got to my room.  I was sleepy and uncomfortable.  I didn't have a catheter so at some point I had to call and ask for assistance in getting up to use the bathroom.  The nurses weren't speedy so I had to call a second time to tell them it was urgent.  I had so many fluids going in me all I did was get up to pee.  I had cuffs on my legs that were squeezing them to prevent blood clots.   So everytime I had to pee I had to get the cuffs unplugged and my IV machine unplugged so I could get to the bathroom.  They got me up at some point to walk, don't remember when.  I did call Erica about 8:30pm after I asked the nurse to get my cell phone and earplugs out of my suitcase.  I had horrible gas in my stomach and kept belching and burbing.  I got a shot in my hip for nausea and slept til I had to pee again in the wee hours.  I tried to watch TV but there was nothing on so I went back to sleep.  On Sat I was a little better, still nauseated a little and burping my head off.  I did have ice chips on my table and didn't think I was supposed to have them so I used them sparringly and would wet my lips and mouth and put the rest of the ice back in the cup.  

About 9am a guy came to take me to get an upper GI to check for leaks.  He wheeled me so fast and down the bumpy hall that I burped the whole way which is a good thing!  No leaks so I was supposed to get something to drink.  Nothing came so I asked the nurse, Marsha, and she made them bring me a bottle of water, broth(yuck) and jello.  I ate about 3 bites of the jello.  Water bothered me going down so I didn't drink alot of it.  Dr M came in after lunch and asked if I wanted to go home, I told him not really.  I wanted to stay on the IV's and rest.  My daughter and Kathie were doing great and she didn't even miss me.  Anyway, I asked Dr M how my liver was and he said not too fatty and I didn't have sclorosis fo the liver which is good because I don't drink.  He said surgery was about 1.5 hrs and thats about all I got out of him.

That night they brought me thick broth, kind of like a gravy.  It was pretty good so I had a few bites and some jello but didn't want to over do it.  I wasn't feeling too much pain except my biggest incision.  The nausea was getting better.  I was getting myself up to walk, the nurses seemed to busy to remember.  Walking wasn't a problem, it felt good to get up and move.  I really had to advocate for myself, especially for meds and for walking.  I thought the nurses would put me on a schedule but that isn't the way it worked.  I had to make sure I walked and I had to ask for pain meds or whateverh I needed.

Sunday morning early I called to have my legs unplugged so I could pee.  China, the tech, came in unplugged them turned off the light and left!!!!  She didn't unplug my IV pole and left me in the dark.  I was glad to see her shift end.  Anna my other tech was wonderful.  So I walked about 4am Sunday morning and then slept til they brought in breakfast, same old stuff so I went back to sleep.  About 10am Marsha brought in my meds which weren't the right doses and they were missing one of my BP meds.  After that I got up and cleaned up and walked and asked to change clothes since I was going home.  Marsha disconnected the IV but didn't remove it from my hand just incase.  My friend Mary Anne, her daughter Amy and Erica arrived about noon after going to church together.  The girls plopped down in my bed to play with the buttons on the bed and watch TV.  Mary Anne sat in the recliner and I went back to my straight chair I'd been sitting in.  They brought in lunch and I got milk and pudding and the thick broth/gravy.  I was confused about the pudding so I didn't eat it just the broth.  I wasn't sure about drinking the milk so I didn't.  Turns out both would have been ok but I errored on the side of caution.  

About 1pm still no Dr M to release me so I called his service.  I think he was mad at me for not going home on Sat.  He still didn't show up and just as I was going to call again at 2:30pm he called in and told Marsha she could release me.  We got home about 3:45pm, it had started raining already but the time we pulled up to my house.  I came in and crawled in to my recliner with a comforter, and some water and my phones.  Erica I settled in to watch TV when a nasty rain and thunder storm hit.  One bolt of lightening and thunder was so close we both screamed outloud and I jumped and it hurt my tummy to do that.  

I decided to sleep in the recliner that night, not a good choice.  Erica slept on the couch next to me.  At about 2am Bear when crazy barking.  I got up and checked on him in his pen in the dining room.  I even let him out but he didn't go anywhere or chase anything.  I put him back in his pen and he took about 30 min to settle down.  Later I moved over to the couch to sleep which was much better.  I got up and took a shower.  I had one instruction sheet that said I could shower and another one that said I should only have asponge bath.  I took a shower, it was wonderful!  It was also wonderful to be home.

I should be in surgery...

2 friends are in surgery today, I'm watching for updates from Step's partner.  Will probably be a few days before Jessica gets to post anything.

I'm nervous, did lots of shopping this weekend.  Have lots to do at home to get ready.  

I meet with Dr M at 3:45 today and hopefully will feel much better about the surgery and his skills.  

more later...

Protein balls

1 cup protein powder ( chocolate or vanilla)
1 cup non-fat dry milk
1 cup rice crispy cereal
1 cup peanut butter
Splenda to taste
cocoa powder mixed with Splenda

Add the protein powder, dry milk, cereal and peanut butter in a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly making sure that all the dry milk is in the mix and not visible.
Form the mixture into small balls ( about 1.5 inches in diameter)
Roll in the cocoa/splenda mix. Refrigerate.
Each ball has about 10 grams of protein

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE FLUFF
1 30-oz container part-skim ricotta cheese
3 tbl light sour cream
1 pkg. Jello SF/FF cheesecake pudding mix
Splenda to taste

Mix well.  Estimated nutritional info: 1/2 cup = 155 cal, 6 g carb, 12.6 g protein, 8.9 g fat.
Tastes just like cheesecake to me!

Oh boy.  I was just talking to Tiffany and since I hadn't asked in a while I just asked her if I was still going to be Dr M's first VSG.  He told me before it's no biggie, it's easier than RNY.  He sounded like it was all covered.  Today she tells me he's going to a "class" this weekend on VSG.  GOOOOOD GRIEF...nothing like waiting til the last minute on this.

Should I be worried?????  

Just got my date, I picked Feb 15th.  My daughter is out of school the 18th and 19th so she can stay home with me.  Also having surgery on Friday means one of my friends can take me and I have several people that can pick me up to come home on Sunday.  Yikes, it's time to start counting down.

Done with testing finally.  This morning was the UPPER GI.  Gag me with a shovel!!  Ok, it wasn't terrible but it wasn't fun.  I was waiting for them to come in to start testing and was sitting next to the cup of barium.  I lifted it up and it was HEAVY.  It was about 2 oz but felt like it was a cup full of rocks.  I had to drink some fizzy stuff, hold it in and not burp.  Then I had to drink the cup of rocks ASAP.  Then I had to roll 360 to coat my stomach.  Then more barium but thinner.  Then water finally.  I could see my stomach on the screen and my intestines.  It's amazing how fast the barium went through my stomach.  The DR said everything looked good.

On Friday I went for the nuclear stress test and echo.  They did the echo first, it was boring and a little painfull and they were pressing on my breast tissue.  Then I went in to have an IV put in my arm.  The DR injected some radio active stuff then had me wait in a room for about 30 min.  He came back and had me lay on a table.  Some type of scanner went around me taking about 15 min.  Then I went to sit again and wait.  About 15 min later I was taken to the treadmill.  I was hooked up with 6 wires and told to walk to get my heart rate up.  It went up to 156 so the first DR came back in and injected more stuff and I had to go one more minute.  I was huffing and puffing and having a hard time breathing.  The DR kept asking if I had chest pains and I was like "NO, I just can't breathe"!!  Finally test over, I lay on the table 5 mins til my heart returns to normal.  I wait about 15 min then get scanned one more time and I'm done.  Still waiting for the results.

I called Dr M's office today to tell them I'm done with testing.  Tiffany should call later with a date !??!?!?!?

I'm thinking about dates and freaking out.  I want this surgery done and overwith.