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Saturday, September 27, 2014

The evening and the morning were the 21st day

It's really hard thinking that three weeks ago tonight I was rationing my last pack of cigarettes to run out exactly at bed time so I wouldn't have any left for the morning. A lots happened in that time and a lot hasn't.

I finished one piece of unfinished business today when I emptied and washed out my ashtray at work. I'd been avoiding dealing with it because I simply didn't wish to touch it Today I treble bagged the contents and gave the empty container a good rinse.

I've decided to sit Tessa down over the weekend and let he know I've given up smoking. She's currently sick with the bug I had, so I'll be gentle with her.

I've been having a tough day of it today. I've still got some left-overs from the virus I had earlier in the week and just after midnight I had some severe stomach cramping ... I think I lost a couple of kilos before I went back to bed 1/2 an hour later. Despite doubting I had anything left to give, I've since been 5 more times starting at around 6am. Some for real and some as Shakespeare put it "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing."

An early night for me tonight. I've programmed Coronation Street to record and I'll watch it over the weekend.

Night all and as Dave Allen used to say "may your God go with you."

An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Friday 26 September 2014.

Morning
Something weird happened a little after 8PM. The TV suddenly switched itself on in the back room. Took me a while to work out where the voices were coming from. Once I got back to bed it did take me a couple of hours to finally drop off again, but I must have got nearly 10 hours sleep. I'm feeling much better, sitting here watching Coronation St. The recording "broke" at about the point where the TV switched on. Luckily I'm past that point now and still watching.

Plans for today include chillin' out and not smoking.

Tired

After sleeping over 10 hours last night, I've done very little today. I had a couple of hours nap in the afternoon and still feel I have very little energy now.

I don't think that this is something I can put down to the Champix. Tessa seems to be following the same illness/tiredness process as me a few days behind and as far as I know she's never smoked so she's most definitely not on Champix. She's slept most of the day.

On the plus side, as far as I can remember I've had no cravings today.

I don't think we're anaemic. It felt viral, but I have been eating more vegetarian food than normal this week. I normally eat meat about 5 or 6 meals a week (out of 14) and when the fever was at its worst I couldn't face the thought of anything fatty or oily so I had muesli with boiling water for dinner those days. Tessa is much the same at the moment so vegetables are the menu. I love veggies. Until recently I used to set fire to dried veggies and inhale the smoke ... thirty times a day.

There's a lot more poisonous plants than there are poisonous animals.

On the other hand very few poisonous plants that sneak up and bite people...

Let's call it a draw


An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Saturday 27 September 2014.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Psuedosynæsthesia ODAAT, not DOATT

Except for the lozenges and e-cigarettes I've tried everything everyone else on Quit-line has mentioned. before 1990 I even tried snuff and smokeless tobacco.

The only thing that's ever really worked for me has been nicotine receptor blockers like Zyban and Champix.

I'm on Champix now and on my 19th smoke free day. The cravings are largely gone, triggers are now very few, but what I have learned is I can't let my guard down. One cigarette and it's back to day 1. I've come too far to want to contemplate that.

I'm also on day 2 of a 24 hour virus. When I was a smoker, I'd force myself to light up and puff even when it made me cough so bad my lungs hurt. It was a relief today not to feel the urge to do this to myself.

(P.S.
  • ODATT = One Day At The Time, The motto of Alcoholics Anonymous;
  • DOATT = Day One All The Time)

An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Wednesday 24 October 2014.

Psuedosynæsthesia?

I asked if anyone else was experiencing strange tastes unrelated to what they are actually eating?

A few times recently I've noticed a smoky aroma from Moccona coffee. Tonight I was having a peanut butter sandwich and suddenly had a taste of cinnamon. There was no cinnamon anywhere near me.

Someone on Quit-line mentioned green tea tastes like cigarettes to her now. Hmmm, green tea and cigarettes. I guess if you're a regular green tea drinker, that's much like my getting a smoky smell in my coffee.

I've noticed that Circus Circus' coffee tastes a bit stronger than previously, but Tessa also noticed that so I figured it was real. I still like about the same amount of chili-in-oil on my crispy pork.

I think I'll blame it on the Champix.

[[October 14 update. I seem to have gone off the crispy pork a bit since writing this, I'm finding it too fatty. I hope this isn't a long term taste change.]]

An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Thursday 25 October 2014.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Recipe: Renuked beans a la Bruce Clement

I've been feeling a bit 'flu like all day. I couldn't be bothered having a proper meal so I thought I'd make one of my favourite comfort foods.

1 400g Tin baked beans,
1 *Large* heaped teaspoon Laoganma brand minced chili in chili oil
2 Thick slices from cheapest 1kg block mild cheese.
150 gm Nacho style corn chips.

Mix beans and chili in large dessert bowl.
Julienne cheese, insert into bean mix long-wise.
Cover with Glad wrap
Microwave until boiling.

Eat with the corn-chips. A thumb or spoon may be necessary to mop up the last bit.

Preparation time 1 to 3 minutes depending on pantry search time.
Cooking time 2 to 3 minutes.

Serves 1 hungry ex-smoking man or 2 normal people.

It is edible, but hardly gourmet. Add a bit more and the chili works up a sweat after eating.

Cautions:
* Tongue burning hot when first out of the microwave
* Take care not to miss your mouth. The mix is incredibly hard to get out of your beard once cooled.

P.S. Still not smoking and feeling good about it.

An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Monday 22 September 2014.

Day 18. Flu

Yes, I was right, I was coming down with something. Have felt a bit soft and squishy all day.

Reading through the blogs tonight, there's a lot of heavy stuff going down for others, so I won't dwell on anything. I'm still here, still not smoking and don't feel any need to smoke tonight.


An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Tuesday 23 September 2014.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Saturday, Reflecting A better mood

Gosh that last post of mine was unpleasant. I wasn't in a good head space at all yesterday. Feeling much more positive today.

Listening to the wind howl I'm glad I voted yesterday. I've always liked voting on the day, but I'll happily stay inside today.

Time for some reflection.

Two weeks ago today I woke up for my first smoke-free day. I didn't start blogging on Quit-line until 2 days later, but my first post http://www.quit.org.nz/blog/view/post/59823/ was a recap and said "Saturday was rough. Every time I walked by the back door I wanted to step out and light up [...]. I think if I'd had any I would have lit up. I refused to leave the house. Several times I felt desperate for a smoke. I ended up hitting the sweets, biscuits, nuts, and almonds pretty hard."

Looking back at those rather bleak words I can feel how far I've come, and also see I've still got a long way to go. I'm still munching on nuts, almonds and chocolate biscuits; but not nearly as much. I'm still not terribly keen on social outings, but aren't actively avoiding them.

There's still not a huge amount of active joy in my life, but not as much sorrow either. To an extent my emotions are wound back. It's improving gradually though.


An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Sunday 20 September 2014.


Day 16. Quiet day


I'm feeling like I have a minor virus. Not sure if that's psychosomatic or something real. Given I was exposed on Thursday and Friday at work I'd believe either way. Whichever it is it's sapping my energy.

Yesterday I had an extensive nap in the afternoon. After watching the tail end of the election results I slept late this morning. Then I ended up having a nap in the afternoon.

Until I sat down to come to the Quit line site to write this I hadn't really thought about smoking today.


An earlier version of this posting was originally published on Quit line on Sunday 21 September 2014.

[[Note: 15 October. This was the first time I commented on, and I think the first time I noticed, the energy sapping virus that bugged me for the next few weeks]]