Thanks for all of your experiences and well wishes. It is so good to hear all of your success stories. I am hoping for the best of the best. I am an optimist. I leave Wednesday with my son and husband. I will let you all know how things turned out.

Sherbert! ASAP! I still love it 14 years later!
Good Luck to the three of you.

Outpatient? That seems a little out-of-the-ordinary... 'Hope, though, that's all you need and you get through with flying colors. Just be prepared if the doctors say you need more time... Paul was in for 11 days after his takedown, although he's never been a textbook case. (He ended up with an infection, so getting out earlier maybe would have been a good thing. It was later diagnosed as MRSA- antibiotic-resistant staph infection.)
Mayo is supposed to be top-notch. You're smart to seek out the best! Have a quick recovery, and excellent healing from Friday on out! Let us know how you do!
Betsy & Paul

Best wishes for you and your family. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Be sure and do a 'Find' on post-takedown experience. For some, the first few weeks can be very difficult (many trips to the bathroom, little sleep, pain, etc.). For others it's no big deal at all. Just have your eyes open and know that time will heal and improve things.

Steve

Good Luck on Friday. Takedown is much easier than the first surgery, but I think they are pushing it if they send you home the same day. You need to give yourself at least a day for things to wake up.

As far as diet, avoid sugar flavored drinks in the beginning, they can cause burning and frequency. Stick with water and unsweetened iced tea, if you drink gatorade, water it down. As your pouch adjusts, you'll be able to add these back into your diet. I found keeping a food diary for a few weeks helped me to figure out what to eat and how it affected my pouch. Keep things soft and bland for a little while and start adding new foods slowly. This way you'll know when something isn't agreeing with you. Then you can stop that food, and reintroduce it again later. The most important adivce is to chew well, drink alot, and walk, walk, walk. I hope things go well. Let us know how you are when you get home.

Good luck,

janna