Health Improvements

Once again I have to apologize for not being around to visit everyone lately.  Piper has been sick all week.  She is now bouncing back, but it was one of those stressful weeks.  Poor thing is on five different medications and each time we have to give her one, she breaks my heart with the begging and pleading, “good girl. all done. good girl.”  As if we are dosing out our own punishment for something she’s done.  I don’t know how to explain it to her that the medication has nothing to do with her being bad.  These are the things they never teach you in any parenting class or book.

Anyway, after four days of not eating and basically sleeping all day, this morning she ate like a pig and did a special ballet dance just for me.  I think we are back in action and over the worse of it.

As for me, I have been busy working on my new year’s resolutions.  Well, actually I only made one this year: To try.  I hate setting myself up for failure, making resolutions I can’t keep up with in the end. So, a resolution to try to reach my goals seems more productive and forgiving, rather than imposing.  And try I have.  So far, I am on track with all my goals (I know, it hasn’t even been a full month yet, but bear with me).  One goal was to lose ten pounds and so far I lost two (my Ann Taylor gift card is currently being held hostage until I lose all ten).  Another one, the biggest and most important one, was to quit smoking.  I just started the medication, so this is my last week of smoking freedom. Come next Wednesday, it all stops. After 25 years, I am scared shit that I won’t know how to live as a non-smoker.  I just hope this medication works and I can have the discipline to make it work.  I feel ready, which is the key they say.  Wish me luck.

And, if you don’t hear from me after Wednesday, it is most likely because I had a nervous breakdown or was thrown in jail for robbing the nearest convenience store.

Comments

[Ann]

Quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I'm thinking of you!! But, don't be too hard on yourself, either. It took me about 30 times cold turkey and finally it took.

[Domestic_Slackstress]

My husband vows to quit smoking every year. Nothing yet. He's been smoking camels since he was 16. Now he's 32. Even getting smoker voice. My eldest son is old enough to know what could happen to daddy. He won't quit, even knowing that his son knows that cancer could kill him. We take part in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life every year. My husband sneaks away from the relay between laps and smokes under cover, so the cancer survivors don't see him. I don't know what it will take. All I know is that I have to be patient. This isn't my choice. It's his. All I can do is support him and ask him to smoke outside, away from our three kids. I've given up on asking him to smoke out of their view, though. They know and that's hard. That might make them smokers when they grow up. Who knows?

[Momish]

Domestic_Slackstress: I have smoked for over 25 years and love smoking. So, I will keep you posted and let you know how this stuff works. If I can do it, just about anyone can. I am sure my husband has felt exactly like you all this time. My mother is also quitting right now using this drug and she has smoked for 50 years! Between the two of us, if we both quit, then it can be considered a miracle drug. Maybe you can convince him then.

Ann: Thanks for the advice and support!

[Heather(Queen of the Mayhem)]

What a wonderful gift to give to your daughter! I am sure she will appreciate having her mommy around for the long haul! Good luck! I know you can do it! You might consider warning all store owners in a 5 mile vicinity of your home....just in case! :)

I'm rooting for you!

[jen]

oh, sister...sorry to hear she's been sick - i was wondering if all was well with you last week....

and good for you - truly. no easy task. be kind to yourself as you work it through.

[slackermommy]

Good for you for giving up smoking. I quit 9 years ago but I must admit that I sneak one every now and then.

[PunditMom]

Quitting smoking is a big one, and brave after so many years. I'm sending some will power your way (I don't have a lot, but I don't mind sharing for this!)

[Terri B.]

Ahhh ... resolutions. I never make them. I did have a goal last year to lose weight. Instead of saying how much, I just started. And I kept going. I managed to lose 25 lbs. Since I didn't set myself up to fail by stating "how much" I felt free to just do it. Everyone is different though; I'm just grateful that I was able to determine that a rather loosely stated goal would work better for me. The head games we play with ourselves!

I wish you well in your quest to quit smoking.

[venessa]

I love your new blog look, momish!

[Becky]

Momish- I feel you on the sick baby front... I've been dealing with a snotty, dragging baby girl myself. I finally took her to the pediatrician yesterday and he gave me some of the pink stuff to give her (sinus infection). But you feel totally helpless, I know, when you want to make them feel all better and there's not much you can do other than sit and hold them.

Good luck with your quitting smoking. I've never been a smoker but I know that it takes a great deal of will power to break any kind of addiction. We're all behind you to cheer you along!

[Jenny]

Good for you! Quitting smoking is so hard...but so worth it. You can do it, sister.

[anne]

You are taking alought on after a rough week of sickness. I quit smoking twice. It can be hard, but you will love the change. Really, you will eventually be amazed that you craved those little buggers at all.
Um...you know that by quitting your metabolism is going to shift and you might find it a tad more difficult to lose weight? Just stay healthy and have realistic expectations. Sorry to sound all preachy. Good Luck!

[Bobo]

Hey Lori,
Timo read a book that really helped him quit, http://www.allencarr.ie/. He said that the addiction was only half the problem, he enjoyed smoking and it was part of his daily routine. Some of the things that helped him was to change all smoking associated routines and make new ones. For example, he normally had a smoke with his morning coffee so he started drinking tea in the morning. He normally would get a coffee in the kitchen downstairs (at CKP) and then go outside for a smoke, so he started getting his coffee in the upstairs kitchen. He normally smoked after meals so he took a walk around the building instead. He really liked the book and it helped him to quit after 14 years, (it's english if you want to read it).

[ewe_are_here]

Good luck with the no more smoking resolution. My husband quit when we started dating and I know it wasn't easy for him.

[anna]

Totally get it about the New Year's Resolutions - I never pick ones I can fail at by the end of January. That said, I am using my blog every Tuesday to revisit my resolution, and it has actually been pretty great. Forces me to remember it, for one thing, and to keep plugging away at it. Good luck with quitting smoking! Maybe you and your Mom should start a joint blog about it - I'll bet there are lots of people out there trying to quit who could use support, encouragement, and the sense they are not alone on that brave venture..