Went to the Doc. today... :\
 

Well, I finally went to the doctor today...I had to get my TB test to renew my hair license anyways...so I thought what the hell?

So after 3 hours, 3 xrays and $250 frigin' dollars later, looks like I did some damage to the ligaments when I busted my ***** in Skyman's pc shop! :rolleyes:.....he prescribed me an 'ankle brace' w/ some some support on the sides to keep me from moving it from side to side so it can heal better. Called the 'brace place' and evidently you have to make an appt. so the doctor can make sure it fits okay. Of corse this is ANOTHER $120! :mad:....they couldn't see me, i need to make an appt. Nurse Judy said that I might can find one at Academy or somewhere like that thats a soft brace w/ some kind of beefed up side support that might be cheaper. Guess I'll start looking this weekend. Anyone ever found any like that? :confused:

guess its time for me to get health insurance...anyone got any good links to individual health insurance, that does not cost you your first born child?

Surprisingly enough, during my checkup my doc. (been going to him for about 15 years, ) said my lungs sound terrible and the word 'emphysyma' kept coming up....I dont think I can handle the thought of quitting smoking just yet. I gotta lose 15 lbs first. He said that they gauge it by 'pack years'. And for the number of years I've been smoking, that I'm at the point to where if its gonna happen, he's gonna start seeing it, and he is. He said that ive got the lungs of a 57 year old instead of a 37 year old. I havent been feeling that bad except for sinus problems that usually flare my asthma. So, needless to say, that was quite a shocker. It hasn't really sunk in yet though. I know I've been smoking a WHOLE lot more the last couple of years than I used to....guess if its gonna happen, i'm gonna have to make some lifestyle changes...like not staying up all night on my pc..that seems to be when I smoke the most. And if I'm not busy at work. Which is not too often. Although the last month or so, i've been doing a little better at going to bed but I guess theres always room for improvement. He also said that the sooner I quit, the sooner it will slow the progression. Just too wierd. :confused:

So, if any of ya'll have input on that brace thing or a good Health Ins. Co. to deal w/, lemme know! Thanks. TNT:rolleyes:

QUIT SMOKING!!!!!!
Chew some damn gum, girl! :(
Emphysema (sp?) is a terrible disease, cancer is even worse. Don't go that route, heed his warning, hon.

joe said it....its your own damn fault for smoking....i still hope nothing bad is on the horizon for you, but smoking is one of the dumbest habits i have ever seen seen people do....it smells, it stains, it burns, it causes you to get sick worse when you do, it causes several diseases, etc...i myself will never touch a cigarette nor kiss a person who has...i get enough 2nd hand from my dad adn even that really bothers me...my mom quit smoking while sh was pregnant with me (18 some years ago) and she cant stop biting her nails tho...lol...ive stopped biting my nails for about 4 years now :)...you just need the want to quit a habit...

GET THE WANT! ....now!

....your doctor is right...

so either quit or continue to be a victim of your own uncontrolable actions...:(

ouch, v.a. tell's me i got emphysema too, was just smoking half a pack a day, but im back to 3 :eek: , so we both need to quit, cant help with the ins, but you definatly need to find some, i know, it help's , otherwise i would be thousand's in debt, oh i am anyway. good luck on finding some ins, cya, marty.:)

:\
 

ya, for a long time a pack would last me for 3 days...ive been smoking AT least a pack day, if not more. MANY years ago (19 or so),when I was first single, I"d smoke 3 packs a day. :eek: I was also clubbing every night.
Cant start biting my nails, they are allready gone...another bad habit. They were actually looking pretty good a couple of weeks ago. Maybe if I start cutting back like try to limit like 1/2 pack a day? dunno. Just havent really thought about it much till now. But, time for me to hit the sack. Gotta get cc up for school tomorrow! :D (which by the way, her first day of 4th grade went GREAT!) Took some 'first day of school pics...post them later! :)
TNT

Do it for your daughter
 

Christine,

I agree with the others here,it's time to realize that you need to cut back on the smokin habit,...being a non=smoker myself...I realize I have no idea how hard it is for a person to cut back on the amount a particular person may be smoking,but,one thing that may help motivate you...and that is seeing your daughter grow up....if perhaps your lungs continue to get worse,there's a chance you may miss out on some things in the future with your daughter...if you ended up with lung cancer,etc etc.

Christine-
I don't remember if I showed you my brace while you were here or not. It was in the basement next to the pinball machine. Anyway, the brace I had to wear last year because of my tendonitus worked awesome. It was kinda cumbersome (I'm wearing it in last years VRA championship pic), but it worked awesome (gnarly ;) ) My doc got it for me for like $60, and it was soo worth it. If you want to, you can call them direct, and save the money of having someone else do the exact same thing. It's called a FoamWalker, and it's made by AIRCAST. Their number is 1-800-526-8785. It's pretty durable, too! I wore mine in the pits the last 5 or 6 races last year!

Anyway, I figured that might help you.

Good luck!

Take care,
~Chris

P.S.- Tell CC I said Hi! :)

After several members of our family died from emphasema and complications of emphasima. My dad quit smoking cold turkey after 30 years of smoking.

He has not lit up in 2 years:) ................My Aunt died from Emphasima at the 1st of this year. Her lungs got too weak to oxigenate her blood and she slowly wasted away to nothing over the course of 5 years.

When Dr's start talking emphasima it is really a no brainer. Stop smoking, people at risk for emphasema always think they will have time to quit before it gets too bad.

I am really not understanding your comments about having to lose 15 lbs. This is your life we are talking about here.

:confused:

Re: Went to the Doc. today... :\
 

I think this calls for a lawsuit. lol :D j/k hehehe... hope ya get better real soon. I'm not a fan of doctors, I'll only usually go if I'm dieing. In Canada our goverment covers alot of medical expenses like x-rays and stuff like that. But it's always good to have a medical plan for prescriptions, and other things like that.

As for the smoking you should try to quit, you don't have to do it all of a sudden, maybe cut down on how many you smoke a day and lighter ones. :(

Hope everything turns out alright in the end,
§am.

Christine, Check your pm's

Bradley

I agree, stop smoking. I smoked for a couple of years in college and, up until recently, just quit chewing tobacco. I chewed for 13 years and its been 3 weeks quitting and I'm not going back to it!!

I just kept thinking: "what if I had cancer i my mouth and had to have my lip removed. This could have been prevented!".

You might think the same thing if you are having to suck on oxygen 5,10,20 or even 30 years from now. Would you rather be working on your Mustang or looking at it through a big picture window because you are no longer capable?

My aunt smoked for over 40 years and a friend of mine is quitting after about 5 years. Both have had excellent luck with the patch and trust me, both are not very head strong. You can do it, good luck!

Health insurance, cigarettes and ankle braces
 

Topless:

I'm sorry to learn of your health complications.

Private medical insurance is expensive but you might consider a policy that only covers big expenses, like hospital stays and/or surgery. It won't pay for doctor visits or prescriptions but it can keep you from going bankrupt and losing your home should you be seriously injured or come down with an illness that requires surgery and hospitalization. Things can happen and it's not a good idea to be uninsured in this day of obscene hospital charges and high doctors fees.

Heres a link to a health insurance search that may help get you started.

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi...allid=GOT17810

As for quitting smoking, thats a no-brainer, Christine. You have a daughter that depends on you and will for many years. You owe it to her to quit. It's not easy but millions have done it so it's not impossible, either. Motivation is the key. Make your daughter your motivation and stop thinking about how hard it is for you. You're flirting with serious, terminal illness over some cigarettes and a lack of will power. Cigarettes aren't worth it and of course you already know that.

As for losing weight; think about this: you gained the extra (15) pounds while smoking steadily so why would not smoking make that big a difference? Smoking didn't replace eating for you and not smoking won't automatically make you eat more if you watch what you eat and avoid junk food and too-big meals. I quit smoking and didn't gain weight. So can you.

Start cutting down now and count your daily cigarette consumption, going one lower every few days. Don't go cold turkey. Save your cigareete smoking for when you really enjoy it; after morning coffee, after meals, before bed, whatever. Don't 'waste' your smoking on puffing thoughtlessly while on the computer or driving, space out the smokes and enjoy them, but steadily cut down the number. I did this and quit a long-time smoking habit in 5 days. Never looked back and can't imagine why I ever smoked in the first place. You can too.

The nicotine leaves your system in about 72 hours once you stop smoking. The urges are almost all mental after that and can be controlled the same way. By simply not giving in to the habit and the 'urge' to light up, knowing full well how dangerous lighting up is to your health. The urges pass, you start to like not smoking (or needing to light up) and within a few weeks you're smoke-free for good and on your way to better health and saving money wasted on cigarettes - which you can use to buy health insurance, instead!

I don't know much about ankle braces but I found this online store that carries them. Not too expensive at all for what it is. May not help a lot but gives you an idea of what's available and how much it costs.

http://www.smp.ca/smp_059.htm

I wish you well with everything Christine, and you know that we all do. Get serious with quitting smoking, check out the health insurance plans and get the ankle brace as soon as feasible before you do damage there.

I sure hope the next news you receive is positive.

like what everyone's said...
 

You HAVE to have the want to quit smoking. I seemed to smoke twice as much when my friends were around, so when I deceided to quit, I just didn't hang around them (or any smokers) for a few days. If I was able to get myself to not buy the cigarettes, there was nobody there to influence me. I just kept thinking, with the money I spend in two weeks on smokes, I could have my shifter, or new taillights, or etc.... The list seems to go on and on, but you get the idea. There are SO many other things to spend money on, that once you do stop smoking, you won't believe how much money you were spending. I hope you stop smoking soon, take care, Keith

....
 

Topless: If you saw some of the people I transport everyday and the terrible shape they were in because of smoking, you would quit right now... It absolutely atrocious.

It surprises me how many people at my job smoke, especially since they see first hand the results. :rolleyes:

Bob

Christine.

Don't quit smoking. Enjoy your life to the fullest. Health insurance will always be expensive. prices will keep going up. global warming situation is not going to get any better. There will always be war in the Middle East. gas will fluctuate, but it never will be affordable.

All the time you start to get healthy, something else will contridict it. Enjoy your life. you will live to be 60 for the most part. by that time your daughter will already be married and out of school.

maybe you should cut down, but dont quit. if you get really ill in the near future, if the illness dooesnt almost kill you, the hospital bill will.

their are only two guarantees in life: Death and Taxes

just my opinion.:cool:

...
 

SRV: I don't agree with your statements. How can one be expected to enjoy life when they are sticken with COPD by the age of 55? What about after 60 assuming she doesn't develop a terminal problem? Many people live into their 80's and enjoy full active lives. Having been around people who have had strokes, TIA's, MI's, I can say that smoking a pack a day doesn't contribute to a long life.

Then again, if dragging an Oxygen tank behind you just so you can walk to the bathroom without passing out sounds like fun, then you have already decided your fate.

Bob

Re: ...
 

Bob, as long as she lived her life to the fullest at 55 or 80, she already has chosen her fate. i think most will misunderstand what i said. then again maybe not. how do you expect to enjoy your life if you are sickened with a terrible disease at any age?

I understand what you mean. All I'm saying is why create a problem that will devalue your health?

Bob :confused:

that all depends on your attitude. if i was already a smoker of the years she is, that is the route i would take myself. since i dont smoke, i wouldnt take that route. that is my own personal preference. definetly not the healthy choice, but just my preference.

I agree with that, it's better to quit and begin the healing in your lungs, than to be strapped to a tank of oxygen or constantly out of breath, unable to play with your child because you're too tired. and yes I did smoke I smoked 2 1/2 packs a day for 8 years and quit cold turkey about 7 years ago, and I feel awesome, so much better than coughing up a lung every time i do anything. My doctor says my lungs are as healthy as a non smoker now. They feel like it.

Hey girl, I really hope that you get to feeling better - and soon. Good luck with finding the brace...I'm ganna search online for you too.

As for smoking, well bet you didn't know this but I quit. Yup. Cold turkey. :) I have never been so happy or so proud of myself. I have zero desire to smoke and it really wasn't too hard. I've been off for months now and will never pick it back up. :cool: That would be insane. I can now smell smoke on me from being in a bar for just 30 mins or so. ugh. I grew up in a family FULL of smokers...I never - EVER - smelled smoke on someone...especially myself. It was awful the first time I did. Makes me never want to do it again!

You know I've smoked since I was 18 and it was a full blown habit...not social. I'm a better person for sticking to it....I'm getting over streph right now too. When I got the exact same cold last year it took me weeks to recover...Only a few days this time. I'm psyched! :) Good luck to you and if you need any moral support you know I'm here!! :cool:

I'm not about to tell you what to do, dear. You should do what YOU want to do, and whatever that is, I'll support that decision.

I'm 36, and I smoked my first cigarette when I was 7. By the time I was 11, I was a pack a day smoker. I never once had any desire to quit, but out here, it's becoming more and more inconvenient to be a smoker, so a couple years ago, when my best friend became a dad and decided he had to quit, I decided to give it a try. I used the patch, and had absolutely no desire at all for a cigarette. It couldn't have been easier. I agree that it was amazing to discover just how stinky that habit was.

Fast forward 6 months.

I gained 40+ pounds, and always felt like something was missing, almost like an empty spot inside of me. I didn't feel one bit "better" or healthier, and actually missed having it as an excuse to step outside and leave a boring or annoying conversation or situation. My sense of smell really intensified, which was both good and bad. I was now hungry more often because I could smell food cooking EVERYWHERE! I also noticed that it wasn't just the attractive smells that had been dulled. There's a lot more in this world that stinks then I was aware of.

Anyway, after I think about 8 months, I started smoking again, and I feel 100% better. I've just come to accept the fact that I am a smoker, and I'll die a smoker. I'm okay with that, but that's just me.

You need to decide for yourself what it is that you want, and then go after it, and we both know you are quite good at that.

:)

Good luck kiddo.

Take care,
~Chris

I GIVE UP!!!!! >:(
 

OVER THE LAST 2 HOURS...IVE LOST 2 FRIGIN' POSTS....:mad:
I wanted to update stuff, but its 2 damn late now. I'll do it tomorrow, when I get home earlier than i did 2nite! :mad:
BUT..I want to thank all of ya'll for your encouragement , and the links and advice. I'll check them out this weekend when I have more time. :D
I called the Doc. today, to clarify a few things...of corse I didnt hear back from him! :mad: grrrrr....
I'm usually swamped on Tuesdays...but today was unusaually slow....up to now, i've only had about 12 cigarettes today! :)
I'll fill ya'll in with more details later when I post about stuff. But, I dont feel like doing it now.

I guess this will be inevitable...I"'m not one that deals well with Change....and quitting smoking is NOT something that has EVEN crossed my mind! But, if I do it, I'm gonna need all the help I can get....Ive had this aggravating annoying cough for about a week or so, I just attribute it to my allergies/asthma....
I'll never forget when I started smoking...I was 17 and on my way to Austin to take my State Board exam for my hair license..also the first time I had a Valium! LOL! Damn, time flies! :eek:
Amazing how 20 years seems like yesterday!!!! God, I feel old!
Thanks again everyone for your support and encouragement... This is just WAY too wierd for me!
:confused: I'll post more on this tomorrow night....
TNT Tempormental In Texas :(

RESEARCHING...
 

I intended on being in bed 2 hours ago...i got to looking on the internet on Emphysema..or how ever the hell you spell it...came across something I thought was interesting..and here is why..


Who Gets Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease?

Risk Factors for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

An estimated 14 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Over 80% of those who die from COLD are smokers.

****** People exposed for a long time to toxic fumes, industrial smoke, dusts from mines, and other air pollutants are also at increased risk for COLD.****** IMPORTANT

About two million people have emphysema. Of those who have this condition, 55% are men and 45% are women, although the prevalence in women increased by 24% between 1982 and 1993. Caucasians are more susceptible to emphysema than African Americans. Thinness is associated with emphysema;

~~~This was interesting to me cause after now being in the 'hair' field for 19 years..after about 11 years I had to quit doing haircolor. I would do as many as 2-5 colors/highlights a day. I started reacting slowly to it, and when I finally came to the end of my rope: being thrown into an allergic asthma attack IMMEDIATELY after doing the process( and my inhalers finally quit working) I realized that I could not do this anymore. In the end when I quit doing color, I was taking 10 hits off my Ventolin w/in an hour. It wouldn't open my airways, but I'd have the shakes like you would not believe...and i'd have to hook up to a 'breathing machine' when I got home EVERY frigin' night(praying I'd make it home!)
Ended up w/ Pluricy (sp?) twice (inflamation of the lining of the lungs) and in the hospital once. Even now, when (very rarely) I actually get to touch up my own highlights, I have to take antihistimines cuz I'm so violently allergic to the chemicals...If I breathe them, it throws me into an asthma attack....I would think that this is definetely a contributing factor...I cant TOTALLY blame it on the smokes...Its a combination over the years of all of it. And I truly believe that my exposure to the chemicals that I'm so deathly allergic to could have contributed to this as well....~~~~~
So, all you Medically knowledgeable Stangers out there....do ya'll think that this has something to do w/ it considering my age? I know I'm old...but geez.....I think this shits starting to sink in...and I'm too ******* young to be this screwed up. :( TNT

TNT: I don't understand your question... :) But if you are asking if you'll get Emphysema from the hair chemicals, I'd say that is highly unlikely. When they say it takes years to develop a problem from being in a dirty environment, they are not kidding. It's amazing how resiliant the human body is. If you do get Emphysema, there is a about a 90% chance it will be from smoking. I'd say 9.5 out of 10 people I see have emphysema and other COPD from smoking. The fact that you have asthma doesn't help much either.

Just for thought:

I see all kinds of people and there is an amazing difference between a smoker at 65 and a non-smoker.

Bob

Yes, any chemical from any source with long term exposure can and will contribute to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Coal miners have black lung disease, farmers who work with pesticides also have damage. If you have had asthma since childhood that also put you at greater risk. If you developed asthma during adulthood it could be reactive airway due to allergy. Did they do the testing for lung function (blow into this tube til you pass out) or x-rays or just listen to your lungs? I'm trying to decide if you had the ness. stuff done to say you have "Emphysema". As a nurse I'm bound by law to encourage you to stop smoking. It does kill thousands of people. On the other hand yes I smoke and know I need to stop just truly don't want to. So until you make up your mind that this is what YOU WANNA do you probably won't be successful. Until you can make that decision, slow down - make a plan 1 on the way to work, one mid morning, 2 a lunch, one mid afternoon, one on the way home, one after supper, one before bed. Then keep you hands busy, and some hard candy close. I have managed to get down to this without going psycho or gaining weight.

Get health insurance before the put this diagnosis on your medical records, they with put riders on and then will not pay for anything related to that diagnosis.

Puff Puff and be gone.
 

Christine I hate to hear about your problem.:( But be glad that your getting educated now. I worked in respiratory therapy for a while and the two leading groups of people that I saw was retired refinery workers(men primarily) and women ages 35 to 55. Most were smokers and all of them regretted it in the end right before their deaths. I got to where I hated my job because of the good friendships I made with them and then out of nowhere we got the call that they had died. The one thing that always suprised me was they kept hope alive that they would get better so they could enjoy life. They would say that when they smoked never in a million years would they think that it would hurt so many people; grandchildren, friends and their own children. So when you smoke your not just hurting yourself, people that you may not even know yet will be feeling a loss. So its not just YOU! I know, ive been there. And let me tell you, dying slowly because you cant breath is the hardest thing to bear, for you and your family.
On a personal note. I lost a very special person who was close to my family due to the chemicals envolved with hair and nails. She was only 40. Never smoked but the chemicals had irritated her lungs and then she caught neumonia and died in six weeks. We were devistated. The doctors said this is common in that field of work. When the body is exposed to some chemicals it forms a sensitivity to it. Meaning the next time exposed to it in even trace amounts your body will react violently to it. Sometimes shock or organ failure. The body just freaks out.

Yes the body is very resilient and some people can smoke for 60yrs and die of natural causes. Most smokers like to use that example. But they dont ever check to see how many didnt. Try 80% plus of smokers do die of cancer, many forms. But hey you might get lucky and be in that 20%.:rolleyes: I like my odds while being a non smoker. Sure Ill die someday but I bet my quality of life (fitness & health) will allow me to live to THE FULLEST better then someone who smokes. I do live for everyday and I look forward to the future and what things I will get to see and do. I cant even imagine not getting to do them because of one simple decision of to smoke or not. There is no debate. I want to live.

Sorry but I had to voice out on this, I love Topless to death and would hate to see her go because of this. Some people feel differently but I get attached to people and enjoy them being around me and Christine is one of them. SHES CAR PEOPLE!
With love, Later.....

Appreciation for facts
 

Godslayer, Nightingale, crewzin:

I realize that your posts were intended for Christine (Topless in Texas) but I wanted to let you all know that I thought they were excellent; filled with factual information as well as sincere concern for a fellow Mustanger that no one wants to see endanger her health unnecessarily. I'm sure some of us of learned something about COPD, smoking and working with toxic substances.

Quitting smoking is a personal choice of course and I know from experience that a person can quit only if they truly want to quit. No amount of medical scares, pleading relatives or messages on a Mustang messageboard will change Christine's attitude about smoking until she decides that she doesn't want to smoke any more. She may never make that decision but it's her choice.

If Christine does decide to quit she'll be making one of the best decisions of her life and doing the responsible thing for her daughter and herself, but it will have to be her choice and hers alone. Your factual information may help her here and I know it's appreciated.

Thanks.

THANKS GUYS....
 

You guys are great!! Thanks so much for all the information...The more I read, the more it helps. I had about 12 today i think. not too bad. But, its funny cuz im just not enjoying them as much anymore. Im not even really inhaling. I just like the way they taste. (menthol:) ) But I dont feel good doing it.
I'm about to crash. Im exausted. I was up pretty much all night last night and I have a 12 hour day tomorrow....:(
I really, really appreciate all ya'lls kind words...thanks Jim for your support too. I know you can relate. As a lot of them can. Its just one more thing in life to deal with.
Jayson....Im really sorry to hear about your friend..I can TOTALLY RELATE TO THAT! I believe that can happen...just sorry it had to happen to ya'll...:(
You and Heather are really, really special to me! Im just sorry we cant get together more often! Think about when ya'll are ready to come down for the weekend. If your not doing anything next weekend, labor day weekend, come down for our Fall Show and stay here! We'd love to have ya. We were just talking about that the other night..getting ya'll to come down here!
Reading your post made me wanna cry! Your ARE a sweetheart! I love you guys....tell 347 hi and talk about if ya'll can come down next weekend or not...okay? :D
Still have not talked to the Doc. Gonna try to call again tomorrow.
I'm gonna hit the sack now. Thanks everyone for your support and info...and all the links...Ya'll are all great, and I'm really glad to be part of this board w/ such great people! :cool: NITE! TNT :)