Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Got one in my hand now, Barbara!!!! And, yes, Jan is a saint! 5 weeks with my in-laws and I think I would need to be commited to an institution!
Jennifer
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Ok, so here's the deal! They are STILL at the airport and have NOT taken off yet....OH NO, there is still a chance they will come back!!!!
I had a nice glass of wine tonight, DH is lying on the couch and it is so so nice in the house now.
Did I mention my MIL is 82 years old....
I don't know how many more fills but I have a pic at 260 cc's and this week I will be at 360 cc's. If I can figure how to load a pic on this website I will let you ladies have a peek...
I am very proud of my new cleavageJan
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Jan
My In-laws both just turned 80 this year. My MIL is in fantastic shape both mentally and physically (still goes to aerobics at the YMCA 3 times a week). My FIL.... not so much. He is in the early (or, based on this visit, mid) stages of Alzheimer's.
It really is not a kind thing. He has become very good at hiding his forgetfulness (according to my MIL) but this visit it was really obvious. As a small example, we spent quite a bit of time this morning responding to the question, "Are you sure this is my jacket?" as he didn't remember what coat he arrived with and didn't remember that he had already asked the question several times. Yet, he can talk forever in things that happened many years ago as if it was yesterday.
What a cruel and awful disease!
Hope you don't get your company back and I look forward to seeing your surgeon's work. Glad to hear that are happy with how things are going, especially, given the rough start you had!
Jennifer
PS: I had typed "I look forward to seeing your cleavage" and then thought, "Wow, where else other than on this board would that be an appropriate statement". Didn't want to take a chance of being offensive... lol
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oh, I definitely would not be offended.
Now, do you know how to post a pichere?
Sad about FIL, yes that disease is very cruel.
Jan
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Jan,
I have posted clip art and pictures that I have found online by simply doing a copy and paste but I have heard it doesn't work for a photo.
I am a bit, errrrr, computer challenged, shall we say?!
Hopefully one of the other ladies here can help out!
Jennifer
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Seaside,
Digging out is what the men are for.
I had about 14 inches here. He dug, I made pancakes. 0 -
Jan - you have to upload the photo to an online site like photobucket or FB and then you can copy and paste. Apparently there has to be a URL attached to the picture in order to paste here which is why it is easy to google an image and paste it to a thread. Not sure if you want to post you 'cleavage' in FB
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HI ladies, I have been reading through your posts and I wanted to reach out and get your opinions. I was a smoker for years and quit when I was pregnant, would go back to it, quit when I got pregnant again and had just started smoking again when I was diagnosed. So- I quit again using the patch and was smoke free for almost eight weeks prior to the BMX and three weeks with out the patch. The surgery went well and I healed great, no issues. I started sneaking cigarettes again back in October and that turned into smoking again. Now, for the last 4 weeks I have been quitting to get ready for my exchange and fipple surgery on 1/10. I have done pretty well, not great. No smoking for 6 days, smoked for 1. No smoking for 4 days, smoked for 2. No smoking for 5 days smoked for 1. Now I have been bad for the last three days through the holidays. So here is my question--if I don't smoke for the next two weeks should I be ok for the surgery? Should I call my PS and confess to my indiscretions? ( I am pretty sure he would cancel the surgery.) I had been rationalizing everything for the past few weeks as I cheated and now all of a sudden I am freaking out about it thinking I was wrong and I just totally screwed myself over.
I really appreciate you listening to me and would love to hear your thoughts...at the moment I am a nervous wreck.
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laurie:
What kind of surgery are you having on 1/10?
Jan
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my exchange, removing my TE's and getting my silicone implants and getting my nipples- no areola. I am going to get tats for those in 4 months.
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I can see a PS cancelling surgery if there is microsurgery involved such as DIEP or TRAM flap but I don't know about the t/e exchange.
I have te's but I quit smoking on 9/20 the day of my surgery and I don't think my PS would cancel my exchange surgery if I smoked but I'm not sure..you may want to check with your PS to confirm. You don't want to jeapordize your surgery in any way!!!!
Jan
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Jan- thanks so much for responding to me. You quit smoking the day of your surgery? What was the surgery for?
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Laurie--as much as you probably don't want to hear this--please be honest with your surgeon and the anesthesiologist. If you have any blood tests prior to surgery--they can tell your smoking status. And those times where you lapsed--how many in a day? If only one or two and the next 2 weeks without--maybe that will be OK. Not only can smoking affect your healing but it can interfere with the anesthesia and I know that you want the best results possible. Good luck with your decision.
A common thread that many have brought up --is that they had "tried" everything and nothing worked but really--they really didn't want to quit, it wasn't the method but the lack of motivation. When we keep slipping back to smoking--we really must start with motivation---do you really, really want to quit or are you quitting because you "have to"--quitting for your doctor (or anyone else) is the hard way to stay quit. You have to want it for yourself--personal reasons to become smokefree, not just to quit smoking but to become smokefree--sounds like they are the same thing, but they're not. You have to want something that is more important than the cigarette that you can't have it you keep smoking--such as "I'll save money" (can't save $$ if you keep smoking) "I want to be healthy" (no one who smokes is healthy), but it has to be a reason that is important to YOU, not to me or anyone else--including your doctor.
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I had a dmx on 9/20 with te's put in.
I did have an incision infection afterwards but I'm in the process of getting my fills and am looking a possible te's exchange in March. (hoping for Feb though)
I've had 3 fills and am at 260 cc's - going Thurs for another 100 cc's. I'm not sure how many fills are left. I was a 'b' cup and told PS I'd like to be a 'c'.
Jan
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Hi Seaside: Thanks for thinking of me. I'm doing great! Haven't had a cig since 11/4, and each new day is easier than the last. I still can't believe I finally did it! I will never smoke again...
Happy New Year to All
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VJ: I'm not smoking at all. I think you meant this post for Laurie 08.
Jan
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Hi Jan--I noticed I had the wrong name and had since changed it but you got there before I did. Glad you're still doing so well! Keep up the good work!
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thanks, I didn't want Laurie to miss the message!
Jan
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Laurie,
I know quitting smoking (and all nicotine use) before and after any surgery that requires tissue transplant and microsurgery (like DIEP/TRAM, etc) is mandatory and absolutely non-negotiable because the risk of flap failure is so high in people who smoke. As part of your pre-surgical bloodwork, many doctors will test for nicotine when you are having those procedures.
I don't think they are as strict with the no nicotine rule for implants (at least the doctor I spoke to for my consult wasn't) although it does up your chances for capsular contracture and they may test for nicotine also.
I agree with the others in that you need to level with your doctor (and anasthesiologist). Who knows, you may be just fine and will have worried for nothing. If your surgery is delayed, I know it will be disappointing but, not the end of the world.
Totally screwing yourself over would be not being up front and having something bad happen during your surgery.
One more thought. Have you tried posting your situation over on one of the reconstruction boards? Some of the girls over there may have been in your situation and could maybe provide some info on what their doctor's opinion was.
Of course, you are also welcome to post here as well!
Good Luck!
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VJ -thank you for your honesty. My PS is not the kind of Dr that makes you feel relaxed about things. He is know in my area as being "the best" and is VERY particular about everything. I am embarrassed to call and tell them that I had slipped with smoking. On the days that I smoked it was about a 1/2 pack. I know it was stupid, but "the devil" would say, "haven't you read about women smoking 2 packs a day right up until two weeks and then they quit and they were fine"...."this is just an exchange surgery, nothing like your BMX"....blah blah blah. So....now that I look at a calendar and see only 13 days left my heart has fallen into my shoes...
I do want to quit, Cancer terrifies me, I want to watch my boys grow up. I do feel better and healthier when I don't smoke. I don't know what my problem has been, why I can go six days, but then smoke for one? Stupid.
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Linda603,
ALMOST 2 months!!!! Fantastic! It is such an amazing feeling to finally quit! I am coming up on a year in January and STILL can't believe I did it!
Hopefully you all escaped the brunt of the storm in NH.
sweetaerobabe,
14 Inches! Yuck! Shoveling in exchange for pancakes sounds like a good deal to me
. From the news it seems Elizabeth, NJ gets bragging rights for the most snow from this storm. Over 31 inches! Yikes!0 -
Afternoon Gals! My big news (and I am telling you today, since next week will be all about happy new year) is that in 5 days, I will be seven months smoke-free! Still am pinching myself. The amazing thing is, I have hung right in there. I have had fewer and fewer cravings, which is good because I know me and I am one drag away from being a smoker.
So Happy New Year to all and may 2011 bring fewer cravings and better health to all of us.
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Barbara: Whoo Hoo!!! Very proud of you and like you I am one drag away but I will NOT do it.
LInda: Great job...almost 2 months is something to celebrate!! Kudos!
I know 2011 will be a healthy, smoke free year for us all!
How can we fail with each other's support????
Jan
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Barbara,
7 Months is WONDERFUL!!! You should be really proud of yourself. Geez, time seems to be going by so quickly! I think last time we did a roll call you had just completed 6 months.
Speaking of Happy New Year, your cruise is coming up here soon, right? Getting excited yet??! Think about how wonderful it will be to be on that ship enjoying yourself without having to break for a smoke!
I hear ya in that I don't let myself get too comfortable because slips can happen at any time they just get less likely the further out you are!
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Jan, thanks for asking, it is Jan 22. WooHoo! Heading out dress hunting again Thursday.
I think our thread needs a group {{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}} and a very warm and special (((((((((((HUG))))))))))) for Dutchy!
Here's to a smoke-free 2011!!
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Laurie--its normal to stop and start and stop and start--the nature of the beast. What it tells me though---is that you're probably not very physically addicted, otherwise you wouldn't be able to stay away from them for days at a time. but look at it this way---there is not just one reason why you smoke---for a pack a day smoker--there might be 20 reasons to smoke a cig--phone, after a meal, for stress, on a break, etc.... over a week at a pack a day that is 140 cigarettes or 140 different situations that can come up. some situations are easier to resist than others, so you go along, not smoking and then certain situations come up and your resistance isn't as strong as it is at other times--what you may want to do--is think back--what was going on when you picked up that first cigarette? (Often it is availability--they were there and I had it in my mouth before I knew it? or ????) Learn from your past, plan ahead for those same times. It's situations like Dutchy's where she lives with several smokers--the cigarettes are always there--then what helps is a "desensitization" to the cigarettes and the sight of a pack, which can take time to get to the point where the sight of a pack doesn't set off a craving.
For those living with a smoker and want to "desensitize"--what you do is plan your smoking by the clock--say every hour on the hour or every two hours--timing is not as important--as smoking only when the clock says it time--and then carry the pack around with you, looking at it, but not smoking until it's your time. When it's your time to smoke, go to a "smoking corner", alone and away from all activities--someplace that you normally don't go--side of the house or ??? and only smoke there, don't take your coffee, phone, or anything and don't smoke with anyone else, if someone else is smoking--you can be with them but can't smoke with them--just stand and smoke when it's your time to smoke--you start breaking all associations to your cigarettes and the sight of a pack doesn't set you off and the only place you start assocating with smoking --is someplace you normally don't go. Hope that makes sense.
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VJ,
All great ideas! The other thing that going to a different place and allowing yourself to do nothing but smoke does is to drive home how much time is wasted smoking!
I know it has to be really tough for the ladies trying to quit that live with others that smoke.
My in-laws were here for the holiday and they both smoke! I didn't have the heart to make two 80 year olds go outside to smoke in this weather so I let them smoke inside. Even after all this time, seeing their pack of cigarettes and lighter laying next to MY ash tray made my heart go pitter-pat! BUT it wasn't an overwhelming craving and I attribute that to time having passed and association being, if not broken, at least dramtically weakened!
Jennifer
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Jan,
How's the prep going? Do you have any special plans for a special post-colonoscopy meal? I know my husband slept for most of the afternoon after his but, by dinner time was ravenous!!
Will be thinking of you tomorrow morning!!
Jennifer
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Seasidememory-Thanks so much for your post as well. I am still on the fence to be honest on what I will do. I plan on being honest with the anesthesiologist and telling that person that I am a very recent x smoker. I am not having blood work or anything done for my pre op, it's being done over the phone. I am now on 48 hours smoke free, no patch or cigs. Not the most fun- but thats ok.
Jan my PS said I had to be nicotine free for 6 weeks minimum before he would do my BMX and TE"S. I think it's funny how every Dr is different?
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Prep at 6 pm - check
Prep at 2 am - check
Colonoscopy at 7:30 am - check
Dr's comments: Found nothing - come back in 10 years - PRICELESS
Came home and had a bagel and coffee - took a nap - having a hamburger for lunch!!
Jan
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