Vet69

Thanks Zero. Getting older means more testing. We just have the get used to it.

zerothehero

I guess so. For years I was drunk enough to remain in denial. Not anymore.

TigerLili

Cinnamon! Sounds good :-)

I also like pear juice.

TigerLili

Best wishes for a good outcome Vet.

LBrain

I wanted to drink today - I wanted to get drunk!
Wife had to go to this home show - I did not. I told her to be ready. I had a ton of stuff to do. After I cleared snow from the deck I showered and dressed and said let's go.
She wasn't ready and had to work on something else. I completely changed my plans to accommodate her wishes. Then she starts an argument. I was livid! I paced and really thought about f-it and just go get drunk. What's the use anymore...
Then after about five minutes of pacing I pick up the mando and start working on a song. 20 minutes into that she is standing in front of me with her coat on saying, let's go. AGH!
Then after we are there 20 bucks spent for parking and admission, she declares it was a waste of time. NO KIDDING! I TRIED TO TELL YOU THAT YESTERDAY! Then, why didn't you tell me this is what it was about? I can't win.
I didn't drink - the mando saved me. It was my emergency escape. But I was motivated and getting things done before that.
There was a lot of tension all afternoon. We ate and I had a terrible headache. Took a nap around 5P. She needed to take my blood pressure to figure out why I had a headache. Seriously? It was 118/78. I haven't had a stress headache in - I can't remember. Woke up around 1 AM - snowing outside. We're supposed to get up to a foot of snow - then freezing weather after that.
I have to drive 15 miles to a dentist appt for 830 this morning. Should be a treat.
Have a nice day

jackrussell

The drinker in us is really quite an opportunist, LB. Just waiting for a bit of discord to exploit, play the f---it card, and away we go! It's a bit sobering, so to speak, to be reminded how near the temptation can be, even when we think it's left the building. Well-played, sir.

Vet69

We have those days here too brain. You came out on top On this one. Good for you!

zerothehero

Music has saved me from many a drunken binge. Keeps the hands and mind occupied and allows for some emotional release. Keep at it, my man...

TigerLili

Good job on staying sober LBrain! People make me NUTZ!

And good luck with snowmageddon! It's on the news here. I must say it looks quite tempting after the heat we've had going on here.

LBrain

well it looks like the snow avoided us, the internet is a joke as a far as getting actual up to date news reports, so I don't know how the rest of the northeast fared.
It's been over 24 hours since I went cold turkey on tobacco. A little jumpy. But I'm going to stick to it this time. Hunting season is over, I'm stowing away my redneck outfits until the fall. But now fishing is on my mind.

I also started practicing voicing notes. Site singing. Haven't done that for over ten years when I was a choir boy. These electronic tuners are the gas!

jackrussell

How long did you smoke, LB? How long were you a choir boy? Good luck on the smokes.

LBrain

day 3 no nicotine - 30+ years, last 25 daily - all day use. Almost constant use, would fall asleep with that siit in my mouth sometimes. nasty stuff.

I am suffering through some weird shakes and shudders right now. It's a horrible feeling fer sure. I just gotta ride it out another day or two then get over the 'want' part of it. They say it is like cocaine or heroin withdraw - all I know is that my skin is crawling right now. Today is way worse than yesterday. btw, I never smoked except for cigars for a period of times

I sang in the church choir from around 96 to 2001. I was the lone baritone voice. 2 guys and 10 women.

jackrussell

You are a brave soul to undertake to stay booze free AND drop the cigs. You must have a very strong center of the right gravity, LB. Keep it up. Keep drawing from that well!

zerothehero

Right on, Brian. I accidently quit caffeine two weeks ago when I was alone and too crippled to boil water. I also lost ten pounds. I quit coffee on Halloween and had been thinking I would eliminate all caffeine, but it seemed so hard. Being home and in so much pain I haven't really wanted to be awake, and in the past noticed caffeine increased my perception of pain, so here I am. Too drugged up and bedridden to know what life will be like once I'm back to work. Saw my MRI images. Scary. Consultation for surgery on Tuesday. Laying low. Hopefully, this time my iPad will post this. Been having probs with that on this website. Take care all. Looking forward to getting the extrusion out of my spinal canal.

LBrain

man! sorry to hear you are all racked up zero. I hope they can do something to get you back to 'normal' soon.
Funny, yesterday when the wife saw me experiencing the shudders, she suggested a cup of coffee - not sure it would work. I waited until I had a solid year under my belt of not drinking to tackle the nicotine issue. I have a very addictive personality. But I've been using tobacco since I joined the navy back in 80. Last year I cranked it up a notch or three. Another small step for Brain, a giant leap for Brain kind.
It's funny when the clerk would ask me only one I would reply yes, it's my last one.
I bought my last tin a thousand times. Last time I didn't even think about it, it just happened.

zerothehero

Your wife might be right, unless you're used to smoking while drinking coffee. Caffeine, though, gives a lift kind of like nicotine, so it could help. Once you're through the withdrawal, though, you'll feel so much better. I find my self control with food and other substances is much improved now that I don't drink. Rock on!

Looking at the MRI, it seems entirely possible I could feel mostly healed after surgery, but I'll have to be careful. They need to cut the obstruction out of my spinal canal. That's the obvious culprit. I have hope that I will once again feel great, maybe better than I have in decades.

jackrussell

When might surgery happen, Zero? It can offer pretty amazing transformation in quality of life. I've seen a few knee replacement people lately; still blows me away that joints can be replaced. All my joints are still working pretty well at 65. No head-on collisions in my past, fortunately. Worked the past month laying hardwood, bent over, a lot on my knees. Ceiling repair in huge stairwell this week. Body is still working like it always has. Not much opportunity for cross country skiing this year; snow has been little, and ice-covered. I chuckle to imagine the Aussies struggling with 100 degree heat. It's close to 100 here, too. Next to my wood furnace, in the basement! Good luck with the smoking, again, LB. Been 30+ years for me, but it was really hard to do. One of the things in my life I frequently rejoice in doing. You will have no regrets. How's the winter treating you, Vet?

zerothehero

I'll know after my consultation on Tuesday. Hopefully, I can get it done next week. I'm getting pressure to apply for an extended leave, which would have consequences for my retirement timeline, and it effects insurance... Gotta get back to work.

TigerLili

Best wishes for your treatment zero.

GOod luck with the quitting tobacco LBrain! That's great!

JackRussell - the temp has dropped the last two nights so it's cool at night now. I need to wear socks while I watch tv at night with all the windows open for the breeze, plus I now have a cotton throw over my sheet on the bed :-)

Vet69

We have mostly dodged the bullet down here JR. The big storm that slammed New England. It dropped several inches in some areas and was a nuisance more than anything. Not the diaster that the folks up north got. We have friends in Maine and they were buried. Still waiting for the results of my saturation biopsy. The Doctor seemed rather optimistic though.