One Week Postop...
Several observations after one week: (1) I no longer struggle to take pills; the GERD issue seems to have resolved and I don't have to "fight" them down; (2) Crystal Lite is no longer my friend - what I enjoyed prior to surgery is now too sickningly sweet. So I cut the amount in half for the same volume of water and "sip-sip-sip"; (3) trying to get in 45 minutes worth of exercise daily is a daunting challenge when done with full-blown gout in one of your feet. So it is broken up and done until it hurts too bad to continue; (4) low-fat cream of chicken and herb soup mixed with 1% milk tastes like a rich chicken gravy 
; (5) my appetite seems to be nonexistent, so on occasion I need to be reminded to get in my protein and liquids; (6) The adage "it only hurts when I laugh" can be quite true, and (7) My wife proved this when she was driving me home from the hospital, stopped to get herself a quick burger, and asked if I was hungry! 
