Hi Kaye,I was on a liquid diet the first day, and a soft diet when I went home. On Day 5 or 6 I saw my surgeon and he told me that "I could eat anything that could be chewed to a liquid" (creamy/smooth/blended consistency--my words). He also advised that I eat no untoasted bread or steak for probably 8 weeks because they don't chew to a liquid, but rather a bolus consistency and can get stuck. He even said that soft foods aren't a guarantee of not sticking..."mashed potatoes can form a bolus that can get stuck at the wrap site".
For me it was a trial and error experience. I would test foods to see what would work. I took tiny bites and chew, chew, chewed them until they nearly disappeared in my mouth. Foods that didn't chew to a liquid were deposited discreetly in a handy paper napkin. I can tell you, with confidence, that this worked perfectly for me. My teeth became my blender. I made all my food "soft" foods. Personally, I enoy eating, and I'd rather blend my own foods through chewing carefully and enjoy the chewing experience (isn't it the best part of eating anyway?). The blender was left in the cupboard!
That said, in the first weeks I could eat very little. The first couple week's swallowing was very dicey...it wasn't all that comfortable. The swelling at the top of the stomach mimicked fullness, so I could only eat a quarter to a half cup at a sitting. This gradually increases over the first few months until you're eating normal amounts again. You can follow the diets that were copied to your thread and do just fine.
Don't forget that, as my surgeon said, "Your swallowing will get worse before it gets better." Your wrap site will become increasingly swollen over the next two weeks to peak on or about Day 14. So don't be surprised if you have increasing difficulty swallowing. It's totally normal, and will resolve with healing.
Just stick around here and ask questions as they come up. While different surgeons have varying eating protocols, since yours is so unstructured, you can experiment and see which one suits you best.
Remember that it's normal to be uncomfortable swallowing in the beginning. Don't worry...it will pass as healing progresses.
Best wishes!
Denise