Encounter with the paracetamol pusher.

First of all, I know I've already mentioned it in the comment section yesterday, but for those of you who've missed it, thanks for all the well wishes everyone! I am not jumping around yet, but I do feel a lot better (and I hate staying in bed) so, here is a little update.

Yesterday I went to see my doctor and that’s always a lot of fun (or a waste of time, whatever you like to call it), because most of the time you already know what he's going to say and what he's going to give you……that magical drug called paracetamol and it almost always comes with this advice: 3 times a day, for 7 days, and if that doesn’t make things better, make another appointment. So, let’s say you have done that and there is no improvement, on the 8th day you call his assistant to make a new appointment, which is always a pain in itself. She will reluctantly grant you a new appointment for the following week and tells you to keep taking the paracetamol (miraculously they always give you enough for 2 weeks). It’s almost as if they are thinking 'Hey, if it didn’t kill you the first week, it’s not going to do so in the second.' BTW, I always believe that the whole paracetamol run is some sort of test to see if you are seriously sick. But that’s how it usually goes. Yesterday was a bit of a different story.

I was lucky to get an appointment so soon, but that was probably because I’d thrown in a bit of chest pain. Nervously I awaited my turn. Not really sure why though, because I already had a vague idea what I had….a virus and heartburn and I actually did want him to give me something for the latter because the over-the-counter stuff wasn't working. I already knew you had to see a doc for the really good (or should that be bad) stuff.
Last June I had a bad case of heartburn too, at the time I actually thought I was going to die and that thought brought on a panic attack and I ended up in the emergency doctor’s office. Not nice, but quite an experience. Last week I had a milder episode, but last Monday it was back in full swing, pain in the breastbone area included, and the worst part….it wasn’t going away. Add to this all flu-like symptoms and there you have it ladies and gentleman….. a fine mess!

But back to the doctor’s office. Of course he wanted to send me away with just the paracetamol but I told him I was going nowhere until he gave me something else for the acids too, because it was haunting me like a terrible nightmare (or the bad Chinese food I had last Sunday). And strangely enough, it was almost as if someone flicked a switch, I had his full attention all of a sudden. OMG….how scary!
He asked me to tell him the full story and so I did. When I finished, he looked at his computer, typed a few things and stared at the screen for a very long time. All I could think was ‘is he writing me a prescription or is he just googling my symptoms?’ Because come on…..you never know these days! But, he actually was printing out some nice (not!) instructions and a diet list because he thinks I have some form of GERD. Oh jolly!

So here are some of the things I am not allowed to have over the next two weeks: coffee, tea, (oh, no coffee and tea….how on earth am I going to survive that…the horror!)
milk, alcohol, orange juice, sodas. There’s only one thing I can drink safely and that is……water! I can’t have chocolate, ice cream, salad dressings, cheese, anything with tomato (so no soup, pasta sauce, or pizza for instance), mint (he even suggested a mint free toothpaste), onions, garlic, pepper, (hot)spices, cabbage and cauliflower, milk, vinegar, fat.
Actually the list goes on and on, but I am not going to bore you with that. If I want to be safe, it’s best to stick to water and bread. Oh and let's not forget, I am allowed to swallow my prescribed drugs. Hooray!
Nah, it's not all doom and gloom, there are still a few things I can eat and drink; I just have to figure out which ones. And it’s not a life sentence (at least not yet) it’s just two weeks (I have to see him again).

Wish me luck, because I think I am going to need it.

Mom News.

Yesterday I was visiting my Mom and all of a sudden I realised I had forgot to post about the recent developments here. First of all, my Mom is doing fine! Last week she went to hospital to see her dermatologist for the skin biopsy. Much to my Mom’s surprise (and mine) they didn’t do the second biopsy, no…. they just removed her whole nose!
Kidding…….. but it felt like that to my Mom.
Instead of doing the biopsy, the dermatologist decided to remove the malignant and suspicious skin and then removed some skin from behind the ear so she could transplant it to my Mom’s nose. They stitched her up, put a nice band-aid on and sent her home. Tomorrow they will remove the stitches and my Mom is a bit worried about how it will look (almost 75 and still vain ;)), but I took a sneak preview and I think it looks just fine. It’s like they say “Time heals all wounds”

Some other Mom news! A bit of sad news actually :( The Peregrine Falcon Mom has been chased away by another Peregrine Falcon called S2. The observers are not sure what happened to Mom, she might be dead or injured, or she might be still around. Anyway, Dad is trying to do the best he can but it’s hard. Every time Dad tries to feed the little ones, S2 comes in to steal the prey. I hope Dad can find enough food to keep the chicks going and growing. If not, they are going to die (the observers are not going to interfere because the Peregrine falcon is on the endangered species list). I hope this story is going to have a happy ending too.

It’s a new season and it’s time for a change!

Oh my, a change, how scary ;) Yup, I know and I am shaking in my boots…..NOT! Well not yet at least, because before I can change the things I want to change (a.k.a. move forward) I need to get some other things back to “normal” first. Things like my daily “start-the-day-with-a-bit-of-yoga”, “30-minutes- workout” and the “taking-a-lunch-walk” routine.

After my friends prolonged stay and the will-I-get-the-flu-or-not-period, there was nothing left of my normal routine and now that I am not getting the flu I think it’s time to start again, so that I can add new things (not telling you what they are yet) in April. I feel a song comin’ on :)

I hope you are feeling great too, if not, maybe this will cheer you up!
It's SPRING!

The nightmare ends here! - A friendly update.

Yesterday, my friend got his lumbar puncture results back. They did find an increased level of protein but that was probably caused by some blood they found in the cerebrospinal fluid (the blood probably got in there when they did the first lumbar puncture and failed).

So according to the neurologist my friend is just fine. He probably had an inflammation in the brain area 8 weeks ago, but 99.9 percent of all the symptoms are gone now! He has to have a check-up next month and a new MRI after 3 months, but that's it for now.

My friend can start living again! Hooray :)

No Mind, Body & Soul Session today.

I tried really hard to come up with something new today, but I can’t so I give up because I am too busy with taking care of my own mind, body and soul! I’ve been fighting off the flu the last couple of days. Up until now, I seem to have been lucky and didn’t come down with it, but I can feel my body fighting it. In other words, I feel lousy….. but hey I rarely get sick so I will probably feel better soon! For those of you are feeling the same way…..Get well soon!

To everyone else, have a wonderful Sunday!

Half naked Wednesday ;)

Earlier this week I was reading a Dutch magazine called Quest. They used to call themselves a scientific magazine but these days it’s a braintainment magazine. But hey, who cares what it’s called, you are probably here for the nakedness. Well, do I have a surprise in store for you! Drum roll please….Hmmz… not the thing you had hoped for? Well, I am sorry, but you have to admit that it is half (a body) and it is naked (or at least I think so)! Okay fair enough, but what’s it all about, you may think. Well here’s the story.

Like I mentioned above, I was reading this magazine and it had an interesting article about Obesity.We’ve all seen the headlines like “Obesity is becoming top US killer” or “Europeans see obesity increasing”, so it wasn’t like I was reading something new or anything but seeing obesity in action was quite a different story.

The body scan shown above shows the body of a healthy lady age 36. She weighs 54 kilos and her height: 1.65 meters. Her BMI is 20. Below you will find the body scan of an obese person. This lady is 40; she weighs 113 kilos and her height: 1.67 meters. Her BMI is 40.All the yellowy/pinkish/light colours are fat. I was really surprised by the amount of fat in the stomach area. Okay it’s quite “normal” to expect that amount of fat on the outside, but on the inside too? I was a bit surprised. It looks like there is even fat in the eye sockets…… scary! I would never want to look like that! To motive myself I’ve put these pictures up on my refrigerator. A bit scary to look at every day, but fear can be a very good motivator :)

Mind, Body & Soul Session (#21)

Take a walk on the wild side ….outside!

The wind is blowing, trees are swaying, leaves change colour and fall to the ground. When you think about it, autumn actually is the most beautiful season of the year. So, why stay indoors when there is so much to see outside. Go for a walk, ride a bike and let the fresh air fill your lungs!

Nature is good for you, especially this time of year when it gets colder and darker outside. I know it’s very tempting to stay indoors where it’s warm and comfy, but please don’t! Get your butt outside :). All the colours, fresh air and daylight will do you a world of good.

So, today go for a breath of fresh air, even if you don’t have to go out at all. Go for a walk on the beach and let the wind blow all your worries away. Take a walk in the forest, be a kid again and kick leaves to your heart’s content. Observe wildlife, look for wild and edible mushroom (only eat them if you are sure they are safe), collect leaves in all shapes and colours, look for “owl pellets” or how about chestnuts. Take your camera out and shoot anything you fancy. Just a few things you can do outdoors this autumn.

Spending at least 30 minutes outside will improve your mood considerably, you will feel a lot better, you will feel healthier and you will also burn a few calories in the process. What more could you want?

Hmmz… what’s that I hear calling your name? Oh, hold on, it’s the great outdoors calling……..

Have a great Sunday!

Mind, Body & Soul sessions (#17)

Strike a (relaxing) pose, there's nothing to it.

Every one of us needs survival techniques to help us manoeuvre through life's difficult days. When everything threatens to overwhelm us, we need a way to hold ourselves together until the storm passes, or perhaps we simply need a way to let everything fall apart without losing ourselves completely. One great survival tool is yoga. One hour of yoga will make you feel less anxious and less stressed and ready to face the world again. The process of controlled breathing and deep stretches can help you clear your mind and relax your body. Of course there are all sorts of yoga and I want to talk about restorative yoga. And this, by the way, is not the kind where you have to bend yourself in pretzel-like shapes.

Restorative yoga is a gentle form of yoga that is designed to quiet the nervous system and give the body a chance to rejuvenate and heal itself. It focuses on relaxing the body in restful poses. Once you set yourself up in a restorative pose, the only work you need to do is to relax and breathe. It is a real treat, and a powerful tool to have in your arsenal of stress-reduction techniques.
You can practice restorative yoga at any time of the day. You can start your day with a pose, which is a great way to gently wake up the body and clear the mind before launching into the day. It is also helpful to practice a restorative pose at the end of the day, before bed. It can slow the body and mind down, and prepare you for sleep. Many who practice restorative poses (at any time of the day), find that they sleep better and their energy levels are higher.

Many yoga studios offer restorative classes on Fridays, when everyone could use a little help relaxing. If you like today's pose (description below) and think it feels good, check in with your local studio and see if they offer a restorative yoga class.

Today I am going to introduce you to the: Viparita Karani - Legs-up-the-Wall Pose.
All you need for this pose is a little floor space in front of a wall and a folded up blanket (or a yoga mat/sleeping bag/soft carpet/quilt/duvet, anything will do, just as long it is comfortable to lie down on). I like to do my restorative yoga in a comfortable and quiet room. I close the door and turn on some relaxing music (if you don’t have any relaxing music, you can find it here - just try one of the mini-players).

Now find an empty spot of wall with a clear floor space in front of it. Place your soft mattress (you know, the blanket/mat/quilt….whatever) on the floor so one end touches the wall. Sit down next to the wall (on your mattress) so that your right side is against the wall. Your right hip should be touching the wall; your legs extended out in front of you, parallel to the wall.

Bend your knees in toward your chest so your heels come toward your buttocks. Now roll down onto your left side, so that your entire body (or the left side of it) is on the mattress. The bottom of your feet and your behind should be flat against the wall. Now roll onto your back and straighten your legs up against the wall. You should be in an L shape with your back on the floor and your legs up the wall (see picture). If this is a problem for your hamstrings, slide away from the wall and make sure there is a gap between your thighs and the wall.)

You can rest your hands on your belly, or you can extend your arms out over your head for an additional shoulder opening. Close your eyes and hold the pose. Breathe deeply, relax, and listen to the music. Focus on nothing else.

When I do this I just breathe and surrender. As my legs drain, my mind empties and my belly soften. I stay in this pose for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, sometimes a half an hour or more, until the pose has drawn every last drop of fear, worry, angst and agitation from my body. But you don’t have to stay in this pose that long. Anywhere from 3-20 minutes, or as long as it feels good, is sufficient.

When you are ready to return to reality, bend your knees and roll onto your left side. Slide yourself away from the wall and gently (slowly!) come back up into a seated position. You should feel rested, refreshed and renewed now.

Have a fantastic day!

Cautions: Do not practice Legs-Up-the Wall Pose during heavy menstruation or pregnancy, or if you suffer from glaucoma, detached retinas, or if you have congestion in your ears. Also, if you have blood pressure or heart problems, this pose might not be right for you. Check with your doctor if you are not sure. When you do the Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose the first time, pay attention. If you feel pressure building in your face, then come down (slowly).It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Don’t talk, just kiss!!

Isn’t it nice to know that fun, entertaining, amusing and enjoyable things, can actually work wonders for your health. Japanese research shows that kissing can lessen all sort of allergic reactions. Just 30 minutes of (heavy) kissing is enough to reduce hay fever symptoms, because the kissing action actually decreases the production histamine (the protein involved in many allergic reactions). One other advantage….skin problems/disorders caused by allergies can disappear entirely, just keep kissing frequently.

Hmm….the pollen count is high today! *sigh* Now where is that kissing partner, when you need one? ;)

I have been quit for:

4 Days, 18 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds (4 days). I have saved € 6,02 by not smoking 86 cigarettes.

But I'm having a very hard time. The last few days I got sicker and sicker. Not only got my gums infected but also my jaw. If it don’t clear up soon I will need a root canal or something like that. Half of my face is twice the size of the other half and it hurts like hell. I got some fever to go with that so it all fun on this end …. NOT :(. I got some ibuprofen today and some bactericidal mouthwash. I sure hope it will help… I don’t want a root canal.

I’m finally doing this

I have been quit for 1 Day, 19 hours, 42 minutes and 35 seconds (1 days). I have saved € 2,29 by not smoking 32 cigarettes. I have saved 2 hours and 40 minutes of my life. Not that long… but as is said, I’m doing it. Yesterday was really bad; I felt sick and had a fever. On top of that my gums are infected. Pain on top of the fever….. oe, quitting is so much fun. Today I think the fever is just related to the infection and has nothing to do with the smoking cessation. I’ll have to wait and see I guess.

I’m a bit behind with the Quit Smoking 101 lessons but I gonna read 2 of them now.

* Lesson VI is all about the quitting date, supplies and way of thinking.

* Lesson VII contains tips for the first week. Hmm.. just found out that sore gums can be part of the nicotine withdrawl. Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms Cravings to smoke, Irritable, cranky insomnia, Fatigue, Inability to Concentrate, Headache, Cough, Sore throat, Constipation, gas, stomach pain, Dry mouth, Sore tongue and/or gums, postnasal drip, Tightness in the chest.

Of all the things I could get, I have to get that :( Oh well, this nasty feeling will pass. Haha… you see, I’m learning from the lessons (stay positive)

Today is D-day

I still have some doubts about quitting but I know I want to do this, have to do this, may do this and above all will do this. Umm, doubt is maybe not the right word to use here. Don’t get me wrong, I want to quit….. I just wonder if it is the right day. But if this isn’t the right day, will there ever be a right day. I guess not, so I go on as planned.

I’ve read that it is easier if you quit when you go to bed because when you wake up the next morning you already have some non smoking time under your belt. So that is what I do. Tonight I smoke my last cigarette.

Btw: Quit smoking 101 – lesson V was all about quitting aids such as the patch and gum. I don’t intend to use them (I go cold turkey) so this lesson was not very interesting.

Quit Smoking - lesson IV

Stay positive. Think of the benefits you will enjoy after you quit. Benefits of quitting tobacco are unlimited! Here are some benefits expressed by others:

• Every breath I take feels so clean and refreshing
• I'm not tired during the day...yet I sleep like a rock at night
• I have more stamina, endurance, and confidence
• More cash in my pocket
• My clothes don't stink
• I'm not ashamed of smoking anymore
• My anxiety level has gone way, way down
• I can breathe!
• I'm working out like a champ
• I am in control of ME
• No more coughing
• I'm eating better--I used to substitute cigarettes for food a lot
• I can smell again
• My complexion is much better
• My heart feels relaxed...like it can do more work with less effort now
• Less heartburn and indigestion
• More respect for myself
• No need to worry about attending events where I can't smoke
• My house smells good! My car smells good!
• No more fear of fire caused by smoking
• I spend money on my health now, like working out at a health club
• My sinus problems are gone!
• My allergies and asthma have improved
• I don't feel like a hypocrite
• I can sing again!
• No more time wasted smoking
• Whiter teeth
• Fresh breath
• Sharper thinking
• Pride in myself
• No more guilt about exposing family and friends to secondhand smoke
• Confidence in my ability to achieve whatever goal I set for myself

Quit Smoking 101 – lesson III

Lesson 3 is al about the health risks of smoking. There are a lot of pictures of blackened lungs, cancers and bad arteries. There is also a lot to read about all the cancers you can get. No really new material or things I didn’t know about.

No assignment to do today. Or exploring the medical side of smoking must count as an assignment. Well, I’ve read all the nasty stuff, so I guess I’m done for today!

Quit smoking 101 - lesson II

Start writing.

A quit smoking journal is a tool that's worth its weight in gold. Your reasons to quit are a great way to get your diary underway. Use it also to answer some questions:

• If you've quit smoking before, what worked well for you and what didn't? I have quit before but I don’t know what helped me then. Candy? Water? Liquorice? I guess it was pure willpower and strength. And the people around me helped and supported me a lot. Nowadays a lot of people don’t even know I smoke again so I will not get their support. I’ve to do this more or less on my own. Maybe I just have to rely on my own willpower. I know it is strong enough to overcome the worst shit.
• What improvements and changes can you make? I don’t want to eat and snack so much. The last time I gained 20 kilo’s and I did not like that. It has taken me along time to get that weight off and I want to keep it off. So this time candy as little as possible and exercise more… so I have to increase my exercise schedule.
• What will be your most challenging situations, and how do you plan to handle them?
Because a lot of people don’t know that I smoke, I’m used to not smoke on a lot of occasions. Most challenging will be when I meet one of my ex b- friends. He and I used to smoke a lot when I we where together. We still meet on a regular basis and last time he already noticed I smoked less then I used to. I can expect some comments from him. I probably won’t see him for a while. When I’m more confident as a non-smoker I’ll meet him again and explain what my reasons for quitting are. I know he will understand :)
• What can you do to change your environment to promote breaking the associations you have to smoking? Get rid of ashtrays, lighters, everything that has to do with smoking cigarettes, tobacco.
• What do you like about smoking? Nothing!
• What do you hate about your addiction? The addiction, the dependencies, the feeling that I must smoke, get tobacco, light up.
• What benefits do you envison in your smoke free life? I will smell nicer, have more energy, breath more easily, like food more, smell and taste more, enjoy life more, feel better, feel free, stop coughing, save money, don’t feel so stressed all the time, be relaxed, healthier, prettier (my skin will improve).

Set your quit smoking date: September 1, 2005 That is within 2 days. So I took the advice. I didn’t pick a quitting date weeks from now!

Quit smoking 101

I received my first lesson just a few moments ago. The focus of today’s lesson is on thinking about why you want to quit smoking. Why do you want to quit smoking tobacco? What are your reasons? Making a list of reasons for quitting is the first step toward successful smoking cessation.

My list:
* I don’t want to be a nicotine junkie anymore.
* Cigarettes taste disgusting.
* Smoke stinks and so do smokers!
* I want more energy.
* If I don’t smoke my hay fever will improve.
* Why do I want to ruin a perfectly healthy lifestyle by smoking?
* My skin will improve just as my sense of smell and taste.
* I hate that constant coppery, ashy taste in my mouth.
* I want to be able to relax and not always feeling in need of something.
* I hate getting smoke in my eyes.
* I don’t like to smoke or be a smoker!
* I don’t like the stained teeth and fingers.
* I don’t want to get sick!
* I don’t want to cough in the mornings.
* I want to be as healthy as possible
* Smoking cost too much
* I don’t want to sponsor the state by paying tobacco taxes.
* I don’t want to worry about being able to smoke
* I don’t want to stand outside because I can’t smoke somewhere
* I don’t want to feel like a loser.
* I want to be free

Stinkende stokken III

Okay, ik ben er inmiddels achter dat ik niet zo’n moeite heb met het stoppen op zich, maar meer met het gestopt blijven of, anders gezegd, het niet meer gaan roken.

Met gemak maak ik de zoveelste “laatste” peuk uit en ga er volledig voor er nooit meer 1 op te steken. Dat gaat heel lang goed. Ik kan de volgende dag uit bed komen en helemaal niet het idee hebben dat ik er weer 1 MOET opsteken. Ik ben zelfs trots op mezelf dat ik geen behoefte aan roken heb. Ik voel me meestal lekkerder, frisser en beter.

Dat gaat lang goed, maar dan (op een gegeven moment) komen de eerste gedachten weer mijn hoofd binnensluipen. Ach, als je het niet redt dan kan je straks toch altijd nog wat te roken gaan halen. Je hebt nou al zo lang niet gerookt, dat is eigenlijk toch al best goed. Je hebt nou toch al weer bewezen dat je zonder kan. Pffff…. Dat nicotinemonster is echt een bitch en ik een slappe hap. Want iedere keer verlies ik het gevecht. Ga ik toch weer naar de winkel voor een nieuw pakje shag/sigaretten. Gek word ik er van. Ik heb gisteren even gekeken wat die nico-pleisters kosten en daar schrok ik toch wel van € 37,--. Dan zeggen ze wel dat je niet naar dat bedrag moet kijken, want dat zou je ander immers oproken…. ik zou wel heel lang kunnen roken van 37 euries hoor.

Maarja, ik geef nog niet op. En zo lang ik probeer te stoppen is er nog altijd een kans dat het me lukt. Doorgaan met roken kan altijd nog. Nu probeer ik het via Quit Smoking 101. Gedurende 10 dagen krijg ik per e-mail informatie over hoe te stoppen en vooral over hoe de eerste week door te komen. Wish me strength, courage and wisdom!

Lose weight and keep it off.

I lost 20 kilo’s (or 44 pounds as they say in other places around the world). I did this some time ago but I’m still proud of the result because after all this time I’m still on my goal weight.

Some hints & tips that might help others:

Don’t diet. Since I don’t believe in diets, I achieved this without one. So, whatever you do, don’t go on a diet. Diets make you lose weight quickly but once you resume your normal eating habits, you gain the weight back quicker then you lost it, plus some extra kilo’s or pounds. I tried and tested that, so I know what I’m talking about. Your best bet is to change your lifestyle, one baby step at a time.

Make your own plan. Specify how much weight you want to lose, set a realistic timeline. Don’t expect to see huge results over night.

Exercise. If you don’t exercise, start now! Try new things. Walk, swim, ride a bike, fitness, run, dance whatever…if you move, you burn calories (your metabolism speeds up) and fat. I figured out what sort of exercise I liked and then made a 30 minute routine out of it. Another way to go is walk. 30 minutes each day will make a great difference. Especially as you, like me, never exercised that much.

Drink water. Drinking water cleans your system. It also gives you a full feeling so you don’t feel so hungry all the time. It’s best to drink 8 glasses or 2 liters a day. If you don’t like plane water, ad some lime or lemon.

Food. Sugar is a big no no! The same goes for fried food and fast food. Vegetables, fish, small portions of meat, fruits and fibers are great. Same goes for spices. Try new things, you might be amazed! Eat smaller portions. If you like big plates stashed with food, get smaller plates. Stop eating when you are full even if there is still food left on your plate. Be aware of every bite that you put in your mouth, taste the food. If you focus on your food you will feel full earlier. And shut down your eating at least two hours before bedtime.

Weigh. Weigh and measure yourself on the same day and the same time every week. Don’t go near the scales if it’s not your weigh day. Your weight may fluctuate on a daily basis so it may only discourage you.

And above all…..see this experience as an adventure and enjoy the ride! Even weight loss can be fun!

Stinkende stokken II

Gadver!!
Was het nog zo de bedoeling om dat boek van Allen Carr voor het weekend uit te hebben, is er helemaal geen fock van gekomen. Deze week met zoveel andere dingen bezig geweest dat ik helemaal niet aan lezen toegekomen ben. Zelfs de chick-lit, die ik eveneens aan het lezen ben, heeft mijn handen en ogen bijna niet gezien. Pffff… en dat voor een rasechte boekenwurm… tis wat! Nu de zon in en proberen het boek alsnog dit weekend uit te lezen. Aan dit hele gedoe zit wel een nadeel. Ik moest natuurlijk weer wat te roken kopen omdat je nou eenmaal semi-verplicht moet roken terwijl je leest. POEP! Zo werd mijn laatste pakje toch niet het laatste pakje. Schiet niet op zo! Maar ik geef niet op… ik ga gewoon door met stoppen :)