Just got home from my "medical excursion"........ Last night started having some real coughing & breathing issues plus I would cough so long and so hard that I would black out for at least second or two. This morning was worse so at 9AM (after not hearing back from the VA) I headed to the ER. Very short wait was seen by the doc, given cough medication and a huge dose of antibiotic and an Albuterol nebulizer which I could literally feel working withing 30 seconds. My blood O2 levels were borderline so I just missed being admitted to the hospital. It's kinda nice being able to breathe again..........
USMB Coffee Shop IV
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gallantwarrior
Gold Member
Hope you've got a handle on that cough, Ringel, it sounds like it's pretty severe. Best wishes coming your way.
Montrovant
Fuzzy bears!
gallantwarrior
Gold Member
Greetings, All!
It's been a tough couple of weeks for me. I took a week off from work to get some things done around here. Unfortunately, I was forced to recognize a very significant problem. I am a "high-functioning" alcoholic. I'd drink a little during the work week, remaining functional and productive. Weekends were a different story. I'd start drinking as soon as I got home on Sunday, using the fact that I'd just gotten through another week at work, including that killer commute. But I wouldn't stop after just a couple of beers, I'd just keep drinking as long as I had something to drink. Of course, I was getting damned little done, as you might understand. I had even started hiding extra beer and sneaking it when the partner wasn't paying attention, just so he wouldn't notice how much I was drinking. Bad sign, that one is. So, after I ran out of the last of my beer last weekend, I was too...lazy, screwed up, whatever, to bother driving down to the local brew store (I won't drive after drinking, categorically.) So I went cold turkey and spent the next three days in hell. Anyone who's done this knows what I mean. The next day, or so, I was able to slowly re-hydrate and get back on my feet. The last four days, I've gotten so much done, I can't believe I allowed myself to slip as low as I did. I feel great and think I might be able to finally lose some weight.
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, guys. Now begins my long journey of recovery.
Fall is moving apace here, all golden and we had our first frost last night. The full moon turned the forest silver-gold. Tuesday was the last day of moose hunting season and things are wonderfully quiet without the motorized hunting brigades zooming up and down my little road.
I return to work tonight. I look forward with mixed emotions. I like my job but it also means leaving so much undone here. Of course, I doubt everything will ever be completely done, there's so much.
It's been a tough couple of weeks for me. I took a week off from work to get some things done around here. Unfortunately, I was forced to recognize a very significant problem. I am a "high-functioning" alcoholic. I'd drink a little during the work week, remaining functional and productive. Weekends were a different story. I'd start drinking as soon as I got home on Sunday, using the fact that I'd just gotten through another week at work, including that killer commute. But I wouldn't stop after just a couple of beers, I'd just keep drinking as long as I had something to drink. Of course, I was getting damned little done, as you might understand. I had even started hiding extra beer and sneaking it when the partner wasn't paying attention, just so he wouldn't notice how much I was drinking. Bad sign, that one is. So, after I ran out of the last of my beer last weekend, I was too...lazy, screwed up, whatever, to bother driving down to the local brew store (I won't drive after drinking, categorically.) So I went cold turkey and spent the next three days in hell. Anyone who's done this knows what I mean. The next day, or so, I was able to slowly re-hydrate and get back on my feet. The last four days, I've gotten so much done, I can't believe I allowed myself to slip as low as I did. I feel great and think I might be able to finally lose some weight.
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, guys. Now begins my long journey of recovery.
Fall is moving apace here, all golden and we had our first frost last night. The full moon turned the forest silver-gold. Tuesday was the last day of moose hunting season and things are wonderfully quiet without the motorized hunting brigades zooming up and down my little road.
I return to work tonight. I look forward with mixed emotions. I like my job but it also means leaving so much undone here. Of course, I doubt everything will ever be completely done, there's so much.
Montrovant
Fuzzy bears!
If you see that you have a problem, you've already passed perhaps the biggest hurdle. I wish you nothing but good luck in dealing with your alcohol issues. It sounds like you are already on the right track, and feeling good when not drinking can only help.
gallantwarrior
Gold Member
There was a time I did not drink alcohol at all. I can pretty much pinpoint when and why I started, and I think I'm aware of what made things go downhill from there. But you are right, recognizing the problem is a first step and I've not only taken that, but the second step as well. Going cold turkey meant some pretty severe physical effects. Now, the hard part begins, staying in control. My partner is a "pusher" and loves to bring around a cold brew. He has a hard time taking 'No' for an answer, too.
If you see that you have a problem, you've already passed perhaps the biggest hurdle. I wish you nothing but good luck in dealing with your alcohol issues. It sounds like you are already on the right track, and feeling good when not drinking can only help.
Thanks for the good wishes, Montro!
Montrovant
Fuzzy bears!
There was a time I did not drink alcohol at all. I can pretty much pinpoint when and why I started, and I think I'm aware of what made things go downhill from there. But you are right, recognizing the problem is a first step and I've not only taken that, but the second step as well. Going cold turkey meant some pretty severe physical effects. Now, the hard part begins, staying in control. My partner is a "pusher" and loves to bring around a cold brew. He has a hard time taking 'No' for an answer, too.
If you see that you have a problem, you've already passed perhaps the biggest hurdle. I wish you nothing but good luck in dealing with your alcohol issues. It sounds like you are already on the right track, and feeling good when not drinking can only help.
Thanks for the good wishes, Montro!
I know you've had your issues with your partner, but I'd hope he would see how terrible an idea it is for him to push you in this sort of situation. I've been lucky enough to avoid any serious addictions in my life (unless you want to count the 13 or so years I played MMOs
), but that doesn't mean I can't see how incredibly difficult they can be to kick. Maybe you could find a somewhat neutral third party to have a talk with your partner about not trying to tempt you?
Yep ! been there, done that. I stopped drinking several times over the years, only to fall off the wagon and start again. I have not had a drink now for five years, but it is no credit to my willpower, it is because I did myself so much damage I could not get drunk any more as I think I have liver damage that makes me sick after a couple of cans. Not only that I certainly got some brain damage, as I started loosing control of myself when I could still get drunk.I no longer have any desire to get drunk, and feel better for having a clear mind.
I hope you can stay off drink without doing yourself as much damage as I did, for one thing you will save a lot of money.
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Recognizing the problem on your own is quite rare, GW, and when it happens it is usually in the early stages when recovery is more likely to be permanent with one try. To admit the problem requires a tremendous amount of courage and intellectual honesty. I know it is hard to work into your impossible schedule GW, but if you can make it possible I would recommend attending some meetings with a good Alcoholics Anonymous group. And find a good AA sponsor. The purpose is not to get sober--you are taking care of that--but to help you understand the many inexplicable symptoms and emotions that go with it. AA not only helps people get sober but it can teach them how live much better and happier with sobriety. And it could give you some great insights on how to handle your difficult partner.
But Dajjal is right that falling off the wagon, while it makes it harder, is not fatal. I had a dear friend who went through in house detox and treatment for alcoholism seven times before it finally took and he obtained a lasting sobriety,something he never took for granted. He went through the training to become a certified alcoholism counselor and no doubt was helpful in saving many lives. You just never know.
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gallantwarrior
Gold Member
There was a time I did not drink alcohol at all. I can pretty much pinpoint when and why I started, and I think I'm aware of what made things go downhill from there. But you are right, recognizing the problem is a first step and I've not only taken that, but the second step as well. Going cold turkey meant some pretty severe physical effects. Now, the hard part begins, staying in control. My partner is a "pusher" and loves to bring around a cold brew. He has a hard time taking 'No' for an answer, too.
If you see that you have a problem, you've already passed perhaps the biggest hurdle. I wish you nothing but good luck in dealing with your alcohol issues. It sounds like you are already on the right track, and feeling good when not drinking can only help.
Thanks for the good wishes, Montro!
I know you've had your issues with your partner, but I'd hope he would see how terrible an idea it is for him to push you in this sort of situation. I've been lucky enough to avoid any serious addictions in my life (unless you want to count the 13 or so years I played MMOs
When I need to persuade my partner, I often just wait until it becomes "his" idea, then it's the greatest idea on Earth. In this issue, I can withstand his efforts, especially now that I've advanced enough to get past the part of kicking the physical part of the addiction. I'm hoping, too, that my example will help my SIL make a similar choice. He's even worse off than I am because he's living with a culture of drinking to be "manly". Not many teetotalers in Special Forces.
gallantwarrior
Gold Member
Thanks for sharing and encouragement. I know this can be difficult and hope that you haven't done too much damage.
The medications are helping but in sense hurting, the Albuterol inhaler is a stimulant and I only had one and a half hours sleep last night. Granted I did take a three hour nap this morning after dropping off the wife.
Was still having some coughing fits and resultant faintness but I seem to be breathing much better today and I can't do much without become quickly fatigued. Resting right now after making German potato salad.
On a more serious note, the severity of the illness at my age also put a serious subject in immediate perspective and that is preparing for the inevitable moment when we are no long here. The wife and I are blessed in that we don't have to buy a burial plot, she can be buried with me in any VA cemetery of our choosing so all that's left is the actual funeral arrangements which the VA will refund up to $1500. We can go with something like the Neptune Society (like my parents did - cremation) or go even cheaper with me building our own simple pine or plywood caskets or go really traditional and build a coffin. In either instance all the funeral home is for is to transport the body or have a service if one is desired. The cheapest way to go is being buried in a shroud but not all cemeteries allow it, look for "green" cemeteries.
Oh and don't let funeral homes lie and tell you it's law that you have to be embalmed, it's not and you don't.
I know it might seem a little morbid for some but If you haven't done this then don't put it off, costs are increasing yearly, at least start doing some research.
Was still having some coughing fits and resultant faintness but I seem to be breathing much better today and I can't do much without become quickly fatigued. Resting right now after making German potato salad.
On a more serious note, the severity of the illness at my age also put a serious subject in immediate perspective and that is preparing for the inevitable moment when we are no long here. The wife and I are blessed in that we don't have to buy a burial plot, she can be buried with me in any VA cemetery of our choosing so all that's left is the actual funeral arrangements which the VA will refund up to $1500. We can go with something like the Neptune Society (like my parents did - cremation) or go even cheaper with me building our own simple pine or plywood caskets or go really traditional and build a coffin. In either instance all the funeral home is for is to transport the body or have a service if one is desired. The cheapest way to go is being buried in a shroud but not all cemeteries allow it, look for "green" cemeteries.
Oh and don't let funeral homes lie and tell you it's law that you have to be embalmed, it's not and you don't.
I know it might seem a little morbid for some but If you haven't done this then don't put it off, costs are increasing yearly, at least start doing some research.
Oh and I almost forgot, the absolute cheapest way to be buried is to donate your body to science, typically all you have to pay there is transport to the facility the body is going to but sometimes donation services take care of all the costs for you. When they're done with the body parts that are not to be used the remains are cremated, placed in an urn and returned to the family. However there is no guarantee your body will be accepted for research, that's the one drawback if that is what one was counting on.
LA RAM FAN
Diamond Member
- Mar 1, 2008
- 51,608
- 18,952
- 2,250
I've got a lot more miles on my Saturn, but I never seem to run out of issues. The A/C still isn't working, I just had the harmonic balancer replaced to stop an oil leak, now there's some sort of fuel issue when I need to get my emissions test done to get my registration renewed. Cars suck.
so Montrovant " AND OTHERS WHO WISH TO REPLY."
I assume its a no brainer you agree with me LA RAMS owner stan kroneke would have been foolish to stay there in stank louis for THIS-
LA RAM FAN
Diamond Member
- Mar 1, 2008
- 51,608
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- 2,250
When he had THIS- paradise to go home to? no wonder he got the hell out of dodge huh?
I have saved a bag of gold sovereigns to pay for my funeral. Gold should go up in value to keep pace with inflation. I have left my sister a letter telling her I don't want a church service. Just a brief ceremony at the crematorium. As for leaving my body to science I have said I don't want some bastard asking for my brain.
They might think they can find out what made me tick from cutting it up, but I believe consciousness is caused by the immortal spirit . I have been humoured by psychiatrists for my beliefs, and I don't want them to get my brain.
gallantwarrior
Gold Member
That's the route we took when my brother died. Didn't donate for research but they parted him out for further use. They took lots of things you wouldn't think of, not just eyes, lungs, heart, and such. The long bones and ribs apparently had particular value but if you are planning something resembling a traditional funeral, what you get back isn't very much. They packaged him nicely but fortunately, he was a stonecutter and his boss donated a beautiful urn for his ashes. My other brother has offered me custody because he is remodeling and figured that since I, as the oldest, already keep my parents ashes, I might not mind having an extra "tissue box" around the house. I have discussed my wishes with the daughter and have a DNR on file. I still hope not to need these things too soon, though.
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