General Chat

Hi,

Yes I am delighted to announce that I have been a Smoke Free Zone for 68 days but please don't try the following at home.

My insect bite back in Sept ulcerated my heel and to cut a long story short I ended up as an emergency admission to hospital for a week on a drip, vein filled with antibiotics and swigging the morphine.

I had an operation as I had peripheral arterial disease in my leg (artery 70% clogged due entirely to smoking) which was cutting off the circulation to my foot.

I lost 2st in weight and Olive Oyle is fat compared to me! I've got skinnier legs than a chicken!

So now I am on crutches, unable to work until goodness knows when and on aspirin and a statin for the rest of my natural.

I haven't even had a craving or thought about smoking since the day I went into hospital. Not the way I wanted to give up smoking but it has been a wake up call.

Aileen xxx

Aileen, good on you. You are better man than me.
When I go into hospital,which is pretty regular, and have the same treatment and drugs that you did, I am alright without the baccy until about 36/48 hours later. When they take my drips out, I have to get up and walk about, and it is not necessarily for a dreaded f*g. I am used to excercise, hate the heat and atmosphere on the ward. I am an outdoors person, a gardener. I love to get off the ward, and the depression, and get daily papers, and perhaps have a quiet coffe in Costas.
But I do admire you. I find that when I get home, I tend to smoke more for a while, until I can pull it back to my norm, which, is , far too much.
Julia in Derbyshire

Hi Julia,

I have smoked for about 30yrs and when the surgery told me to give up I couldn't. Before I went into hospital I was awake most of the night with the pain in my foot so I sat watching tv and puffing away like they were going out of fashion.

I think it was the drugs that did it. I sat in hospital for a week and I had a full packet of fags in my handbag and never bothered about them.

I am amazed that I even having been at home these past two months imobile, not been tempted. I do occasionally think about them but not as a craving.

I suppose I should think about all that money I have saved myself.

Aileen xxx

Congratulations Aileen, sorry you had such a rotten time to make you quit but that insect may have done you a big favour!

Hope your recovery is swift and you can put on a little weight so your legs don't snap under the strain.

take care

Lizx

aw sorry to here u been thro the mill, but hey well doen for giving up smoking, xxxx

Well done, Aileen, for giving up the fags. Onwards and upwards:)) BC XX

Congratulations Aileen on giving up the evils of the fags

You should treat yourself with the money you save from not smoking when you are feeling better.
Its amazing how it adds up over the weeks.

Teresa

Aileen
Sorry to hear you've had such a rough time, but I hope that not smoking will aid your recovery and you can soon enjoy life once more.

Gwyn

hi aileen, glad you are feeling better. i gave up smoking nearly 3 years ago after smoking for 30 years. no patches or magic fixes so how did i do it.

well wouldnt recomend this. got pneumonia, beacame astmatic and had to take steroids for several months. the shock of it all was enough of a wake up call to improve my health.as i had trouble breathing , the last thing i wanted was a ciggie. but strangly, i never had any cravings or withdrawel symptems or even felt bad tempered. why you ask, because i decided to stop for myself. for everyperson that tells you to give up, you just smoke more. the decision has to be you own.

i wish you many months and years of smoke free zones, feel really proud of yourself well done aileen
all the best
flo

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies and your good wishes.

I have worked out that I have saved about £800 since giving up the weed. I was smoking two packets a day instead of my usual one.

I am more heartened after my visit to the surgery yesterday. The heel wound is only about an inch square now and they think another month and it will be healed completely.

My attempts to walk normally leave a lot to be desired. so goodness knows when I will return to work, if ever. It depends how badly my walking is affected.

I am currently a kept woman!! No work, no pay.

Aileen xxx

Aileen, good to see you on here and well done for giving up smoking although I am sorry you had to suffer first before you did. Now tell us, where had the £800 gone that you have saved?

I would say that it is financing my husband and grandson going to watch Fulham a couple of times a month Ann. It must cost about £100 each outing.

I can't say too much as I have him doing things like cutting the grass, washing windows, shopping and filling the dishwasher etc. Not his usual activities which are usuallly...... club, football, tv, club, football, tv...........

It's the Fulham v Athletico Madrid cup match tonight. I must find my ear plugs or go and visit one of my children for the evening! If they lose I am going on a long cruise!

I must show willing...... Come on Fulham.

Aileen xxx