13 March 2008 - Posts
AS well as keeping busy with work, I've made a point of walking to and from jobs. In total, I've walked about two miles.
I used the inhalator more in the afternoon than the morning.
For my evening meal, I prepared steamed Scottish salmon steak (£1.53 and freshly cut at Morrisons, Bridport), steamed broccoli, mushrooms, onions and carrots. I prepared a jacket potato with beans and cheese for my daughter - because she didn't fancy fish for a second night. I washed up straight after we'd eaten.
Before the urge to smoke arose, I left my house and walked to the bottom of the hill to help a friend strip wallpaper. I stayed there for about an hour-and-a-half, arriving home at around 8.15pm. I was very out of breath walking back up the hill and had to stop about four times.
I've washed my hair, trimmed my fringe and am just typing this before settling down to watch Ashes to Ashes.
It isn't a breeze, giving up smoking. I'm finding it quite a struggle. But I'm also learning things - like how cheap fresh fish is. Also, it's not just cigarettes I'm saving money on. When I bought my fags, I nearly always bought other unnecessary things at the same time. I reckon £10-a-day on rubbish was my 'smoking' outlay.
I'm very worried about tomorrow. It's one of the busiest days of the week for me and I'm desk-bound at Exeter Airport. I'll start to lay out the pages for next week's paper. Usually, I sub anything up to 12 pages on a Friday. I bet it will be less tomorrow, through lack of concentration.
My SmokeStop nurse is going to call me at work, to check on my progress. I hope I'm still smoke-free.
It's time to replace my patch.
I HAVE enjoyed a very busy morning, with two trips out of the office as well as visits from four contacts. Answering telephone calls has also kept me occupied.
Because I’ve been busy, cigarettes have not been on my mind too much.
I did not feel the urge to use my inhalator in public.
A number of people stopped me in the street and asked how I’m getting on with my quit programme.
I have used the inhalator about three times in the office.
I’ve got rather a lot to type up, then I’m off out again.
My concentration levels, however, are still not good.
I DIDN’T want to get out of bed this morning, which is very unlike me. It seemed as though I had nothing to get up for – except work.
I usually get up between 5am and 6.30pm, so a 7.20am start was quite shocking.
I slept well, but had some strange dreams. They weren’t nightmares, but I have been warned that nightmares are a possibility.
The patch I put on last night is still working well. I haven’t used the inhalator today – yet!
I’m wondering if these 24-hour patches actually deliver the same level of nicotine throughout a day and night period. The patch I first put on, on Tuesday evening, seemed to start running out of steam at around mid-day yesterday. I was fairly desperate for a cigarette late in the afternoon and, looking back, I think I did quite well not to light up.
Patch manufacturers advise people to start nicotine replacement therapy in the morning. Is this because users are asleep when their benefits start to weaken?
I’d love to hear from other people who have recently given up smoking.