Best of luck to you on your upcoming surgery. I am 8 weeks out and doing great! I've lost 48 pounds as of this morning, am exercising 2 to 3 times a week for 2 hours each time at a gym and feeling overall much better than I did 2 months ago! The only complications I suffer is occassional nausua which is easily controlled by getting something light to eat. God bless. P.S. I know the pain of losing a beloved pet..I had to have my 10 year old golden retriever, Katie, put to sleep last fall and it was definitely one of the hardest and saddest things I"ve ever done. Hope you get comfort remembering how happy they were sharing your life. Diana M. from Washington, Pa.