Up and at 'em this morning.

  I am not, repeat not having a smoke with my first cup of coffee this morning. I think I want one but I keep telling myself no.
  As you know I am on chantix and was down to 4 a day, next thing is, things started happening with my daughter (Will tell yall about her sometimes) and I went back up to 8 then a pack day before yesterday. Yesterday I did good, and only smoked 9.  Yayy me!
  So today I am not having first cigarette for the day, It has been on with my brain lol, I have been up thirty-five minutes and havent lit up. And it is usually first thing I pick up. I have been waiting for certain lengths of time between ciggys to test myself,and  get back to four a day without the morning ciggy so it will be easier for me to quit. I have to conquer my mind, and I am trying hard.
  So lets all have some yogurt, and excercise ten minutes outside, mosquitoes allowing, oh crap! I cant set up my cloud yet, mom has to move her car first, and she is still sleeping, not getting up til 9 this morning. She only has to work a few hours today.   Guess I will ride my little bicycle pedal thingy in the house while I do some reading on OH!
                               Have a wonderful day yall!

  You can do it Linda,

No cancer sticks anymore.  Just think of all the wonderful things that will happen as you progress through this challenge.  More energy, less shortness of breath and best of all Nice breath.  And another positive step in this battle we call life.  Have your gum, tic tacs, etc around to give your mouth something else to do when the urge strikes.  Find something to keep your fingers busy doing if that is needed and break the routine.   

I can't believe it, waking up earlier and having more energy myself.  It rained here last night.  I sleep so good during a good rain shower.  The sound must do something good for this brain of mine.  I managed to last 30 minutes on the treadclimber last evening.  The machine said I burned just over 500 cal. and climbed 951 feet.  Good workout and sweat.  I find myself looking forward to getting moving more each day. 

Since starting the liquid diet I have cut my insulin use in half.  Went from 40 units of Lantus (long acting insulin) twice a day to 20 unit twice a day.  I know lantus is supposed to be used once a day, didn't get good 24 hour coverage that way, last year doc divided my dose, take morning and evening.  And using humalog (quick acting insulin) for any higher numbers.  Blood sugars staying between 66 and 157.  I am happy with those numbers, so was doc yesterday with my appointment.

As Linda says....

Have a wonderful day yall.    Hugs

  Thanks for the motivation Kathy, I have had one ciggy and have been up over two hours. 
  Good to hear about your insulin, hopefully you wont need it much longer.
 I have set October 1st as my quit date. If I am still smoking then, I will quit cold turkey.  I know I have to quit, and I have always been a stress smoker.And my daughter has been causing me alot of stress lately.
  Plus she left both kids with me the other day (this was the day I smoked a whole pack) while she went to walmart. Only walmart wasnt the only place she went, she was gone 8 hours, so I had kids by myself for 5 hours til mom got home.  Then she helped with them.
  And my youngest grandson isnt walking yet, n Brandi knows I am not supposed to be lifting him.
  Better believe I gave her hell when she got back, and told her she wont get the chance to do that again. Cause I am not babysitting when I am by myself anymore. The kids ages are 15 months and 2 and a 1/2 years old.

Ok, small slip up.  Still time to start today's resolution anew.  Time to find alternatives to stress smoking.  When surgery comes, the same techniques can work for stress eating.  We all do it or we wouldn't be in this boat together.  Busy ages for the kids.  What do you do to fill your time each day?  Work, hobbies, fun?  I know you like your cloudwalker, and have bike wheels.  How bout doing a few minutes of either before letting that ciggy sneak up and get you?  Hugs

  I try to spend ten minutes on each one at least three times a day, after it cools off then hopefully I can spend more time on the cloud, but I have severe leg cramps n muscle spasms, so I have to watch how much I do. Dont wanna get caught off guard and get a cramp out in this heat. My hobbies are computer graphics and fuzzy posters, I am out of fuzzy posters tho.  And my graphics program wont reinstall right, since I had to format the computer about a month ago. so I have to call dell and get them to help me out. I may do that today. I love the computer, I have learned it all by myself.  I may upload some of my work in my photos for everyone to see and copy if you like. 

Have a blast with the graphics when you can get it up and going.  I am headed out for a dog walk before the humidity gets worse.  Later on be back.  Keep your hands busy.  Spreading your exercise through the day is great, keeps the metabolism up there.  Good job.

Well...Good Morning Ladies! Linda....please remind me...when did you have surgery? did you have it? oh my poor poor empty mind. I think I have CRS bad, but I can't remember for sure if I do or not.

I know you probably understand the risks of smoking after wls, your doc probably told you, but if not ... you are at a tremendously high risk, almost guaranteed, to get an ulcer. If ya do, it will require yet another surgery to repair it. So a suggestion I have for you, (I have a few) Is when you imagine lighting up that smoke, also imagine yourself recovering from major surgery again, only most likely an open procedure this time. What a motivator huh? How do I know about this so well? True confessions time.I may be a SGL, but that doesn't mean I'm not human or can be perfect in my journey... who can? We are all only human. So here goes, I am sharing how I know, and being very honest, and not exactly proud... but I believe in honesty.

I too face the same struggle you are now facing. My surgeon is angry about the smokes being picked back up, as he is concerned for an ulceration. He told me if I continue I WILL GET ONE and it WILL REQUIRE surgery to repair, and it WILL be an open surgery not laproscopic. He knows I try hard to kick it to the curb. He also knows the incredible stress my life is under with hubby's accident and the results of it. HE was the surgeon that saved my husbands life. He realizes too that smokers (even those who have quit) can fall back to it in times of stress. BUT being the most excellent doctor that he is, He rides my butt on this issue hard. And I appreciate him doing so.

Now, Yesterday, my husband and I were talking about the smoking issue. He and i went for a long walk together, and he was huffing and puffin like you wouldn't believe, and i was even walking slower than normal, to accommodate him. He kept saying, man I gotta quit smoking. I reminded him that he has been telling me that for years. 3 times we have tried to quit. I actually succeeded prior to surgery for a while. But every time, he'd get stressed out and go get smokes and of course that was just too much for me to have in my face and not smoke myself.
So anyhow as we talked yesterday about this subject, I informed him we were quitting when our current carton is gone. So he has about 2 or 3 days to psych himself up. Now that he cannot see and drive, he can't just go running out to get smokes, and I will not go get them for him. I told him we can get him nicotine replacement products, or get him on a med to help but he said no just get me hard candies. I also called to his attention that I did not say "TRY to quit" I said "QUIT".  I feel pretty certain this time that I can kick it to the curb for good. I am also on wellbutrin, so that will help. I can't hardly stand smokes any more. They taste nasty, smell nasty, feel nasty, etc.  So, when these are gone, I am done! Period. It will help too that I don't allow smoking throughout my home, only in one area, and that area I will be destinkifying! Scrubbing down walls, cleaning the carpet, all that good stuff. When this carton is gone, I will post here and let you all know, and I am sure I will be looking to you all for support and encouragement.

I told my hubby if he gets all crabby with me, I will put his XM radio in the guest room, so he is  not in my office to take it out on me. LOL. Told him I'll ban him from my area if I have to in order to get through this. And if that doesn't work, who wants to adopt me for a couple of weeks so I can succeed??? hehehe.

Okay so LINDA here are a few more tools from my arsenal. When the urge hits, it passes within 10 minutes. Have a plan to distract yourself during that urge time. DO NOT use candy unless it is sugar free, and still you should avoid it, as it can trigger craving for sweets. Sugar free gum works. Buy a brand new pen, and use it to simulate a smoke if you need that physical need filled. Every time you feel the urge for a cigarette, either pray, or meditate for a short bit, not only will this get you through this craving, but it will help you get in touch with your spirituality (not necessarily religion, whatever your spirituality may be). Absorb yourself in a craft or project. Get that graphics program going! I could use some for my site!  POST here and reach out when ya need support. Also feel free to PM me. We can do this together!!!!!

Now, with my true confession... I hope you all still love me!

Hugs!
Patrece

  I am still pre op hopefully my surgery will be in November or December. According to Dr. Bakers nurse. I have finished all the tests and the only requirement I have left is to stop smiking.
  I have been eating fat free orange slices when the urge hits, and I know you understand all about stress, (tell your hubbie hi for me) and my daughter is a drug addict so she puts me thru alot of stress. Especially with her having 2 little ones with her.
  We are hoping she will get back into rehab, she is trying to quit too, and I know her pain. She wants to, and as you know that is the first step into anything.

Your daughters challenges are heartbreaking ones. I know it must be extremely difficult for you, additionally, with the extra concerns for your grandbabies. My heart is with you and your daughter and her kids. It is difficult to break addictions, no matter what they are.

Ohhh I'm so sorry I couldn't remember where you were in your journey, forgive me. In the chat things move so fast I lose tract of who said what! You HAVE to conquer this smoking, cuz the doc will test you for it. I was on Chantix at one time before my surgery to quit, and it did not help me at all. But lots of people do succeed with it.
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!

patrece, i wrote a long post to both u and linda and i just wanted to get you notified. vick