Hello all!
I have missed you. I think of you often even though I don't get on here very much.
My quit is good and strong. I did have a minute over the holidays that I had a thought, or maybe just the memory of a thought, when things got stressful that I would go out and smoke. But it passed like the below freezing air entering my lungs...I am so glad I don't stand outside in terrible weather to smoke anymore!
Mom is doing well. She is still smoke free and and I am proud of her. Her blood flow to her hands and feet has severely decreased so she has pain in her feet a lot and we can't always get a pulse ox read out of her fingers. We have to keep an eye on her sometimes.
My boy is very close to getting out of residential care. I am very close to having a resolution to the appeal against the insurance company. The fight has been hard - but I think the war is almost over.
As he disclosed more about his trauma it became apparent that he had more than one abuser. His father is dead - but the others are still around. So finally this week we learned that 3 felony counts are being charged against one of the others. That is good news - althought the idea of testifying has him a little rattled.
Yesterday at work a coworker and friend in his mid to late 70's collapsed in the aisle while working. He is a life long smoker with COPD and other issues - and on O2 24/7. He has small cans that he uses at work. He also continues to smoke. In his car. With the oxygen canisters. I have urged him many times over the years to stop... Often we could tell by his coloring and demeanor when his levels were off. He hated any of us making a fuss over him when his levels were low.
Yesterday when he collapsed, we thought he had a stroke and dialed 911. Apparently he just ran out of O2 despite the reading on the gauge. They got him a new can and when the paramedics checked him his level was 61. After a while he felt better and refused to go to the hospital. After about an hour of sitting in the training room his O2 was normal and we had someone drive him home.
I got the call this morning that he passed away overnight. The last thing I said to him yesterday was, "I know you hate us fussing over you. We love you and we won't stop fussing."
Please stop smoking if you haven't already. I don't know exactly what happened - but I know that smoking didn't help anything. I know he was a very nice man who always had something nice to say.
We keep on, day by day, sometimes minute by minute, but we keep on.
Remember that there will always be trials in life, and smoking never fixed a darn thing.
Very Happy New Year Blessings on all of you.
Lisa
