Newbies Nest

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

A beautiful day here, almost time to break out the shorts!
Day 3000 here. I could not have done this without the tools I learned right here in this nest. Lav’s Leadership and guidance (and tough love, sometimes) did the trick for me. Thank you all, this is THE place to be! Hugs to all, Byrdie

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola friends

Congratulations on 3, i say 3000 days sober Byrdy! Wowza! Hope you have a relaxing joyous sunday.

I'm coming up to 7 months any day now. I had a beautiful comment from a work colleague yesterday. We hadn't worked together for about 6 months and she immediately commented on the glow and health of my skin. Huh?! Of course, i see myself everyday and haven't really noticed. But she was adamant! Ain't that just really cool? made my day. Direct link to zero booze, but the plant strong diet these last 6 mths probably contributed too. I look 'refreshed and as if i'd turned the clock back 10 years' were her words. Wowza! I hope she wasn't referring to my dress sense.......To top it off, some nice compliments about me geetar playing at our gig last night. You don't hear this stuff often, so i'll revel in it for now.

Have a nice sunday and great week ahead y'all.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Nice day here as well so no complaints

Byrdie, a big hug coming to you on your 3000 AF days :hug: You did all the work, I just kicked you in the pants a little, ha ha! Treat yourself to something nice!

G, it’s always nice to get those compliments, good for you

New Sunrise, glad you are home safe & had a pleasant trip. That’s great that you can stay in touch with your friend’s daughter.

Pav, glad you got home early, who needs those kind of parties?

Hello to all & wishing a safe night in the nest for everyone!

Lav

[New Sunrise]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Morning All!

Byrd, 3000 days is awesome! Congratulations!

G, is great to get those compliments. The first time I quit I did it during summer vacation. Just in the 10 week time we were off I dropped a lot of weight. I remember one of our regular substitutes coming in the office while I was there and go on about how good I looked, how much weight I lost and how did I do it. It was a bit embarrassing because the office was full of people including kids and I could not come out and say I quit drinking. I told her that I just started eating right, but she went on and on and I just had to keep repeating it. I was glad someone noticed but I just want to tell her to shut up already. Just eating right was not the answer and I felt like I was lying. To the other extreme, this weekend my friend comment on how much weight I had gained! I told her that sitting on the couch, not moving all day and eating will do that to you. I was too embarrassed to say that drinking a bottle of wine a day will pack on the pounds. Oh well.

Day 11 here and doctor appts for hubby and I. He has gone to his first already, his annual physical. He is a diabetic so he had to fast to get blood work done and then get something to eat. We both hate physicals at our age, you go in healthy and then they find something wrong. I have mine at the end of the month. I go see my neuro-spine surgeon today and that should be a good report, then off to the audiologist with hubby. Hubby's hearing has gotten worse so new hearing aids are in order. His hearing loss is hereditary and is so gradual that he does not notice just how bad it gets. Funny thing is he always has my hearing checked too because he insists that my hearing is going, which is common. The thing is he starts to not pronounce things clearly and I am constantly saying "What?". At first I was insulted and now I just look at it as we get a two for one. They never charge for my test.

I kind of dread the day because I know that we will find out sometime what the week will be. The day hubby leaves is always my worst and have taken the dive into a bottle + before. I need to think of a plan to keep myself busy and not drink. I know the grocery store will be in order for what ever comes and that is my war zone.

Off to mark this day sober. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

3000 Days!!! - Congrats to you Byrdie on this nice, large, round number! You're not just a member of the nest, you've brought substantial twigs and helped build it! Thanks for helping to lead the way :heartbeat:

New Sunrise - glad you're home, hope all goes well with the dr appts, and also hope hubby gets to stay home for a bit

Kensho - yep, similar experience in a bar recently - blech! Good for you on weathering it but also getting out and getting on with your healthier life.


The bar experience I referred to in writing to Kensho was a couple of eves ago - a friend called spur of the moment and asked if we wanted to come watch the women's college basketball tournament at a local pub with her. I'm pretty immune to that scene at this point (it was never mine, really just my wife's) and I love women's bball so we said yes. Got there, sat with her and a few other oldtimers/friends from our days of going there regularly. One of our friends came over, clearly had already had several drinks, and started slurring all over us. It was gross and it made me sad to be honest. He noticed my ice water and asked if I was still not drinking. "Yep," I said - "just passed the 20-month mark a couple of weeks ago and feeling great." A wistful look passed over his face. He had tried to quit for awhile back during the first 6 months or so of my quit and did well for several weeks or maybe a couple of months, but clearly now he's back in deep.

Since that encounter I've been thinking that something felt a bit off, and I finally realized that it was the amount of time I told him. I didn't just pass the 20-month mark with my eye on 2 years this summer - I am headed toward THREE years this summer, which means I just crossed the 32-month mark!

Sure enough, I went back through my own posts here and discovered I'd cheated myself of a whole year. I almost want to text him with the correction, but I doubt he even remembers the conversation :'(


Ok everyone, have a great start to your week! We are getting a new roof on our house starting tomorrow and it's a huge job because it's a total tear off of 3 (!) layers so I expect to be in chaos for the majority of the week. This house just holds one surprise after another - can't believe many of these things got past an inspector.

Protect your quits!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All--

Byrdie - I LOVE those big, roundy numbers. Congratulations, and I agree, you are vital to our quits. Thanks for sticking around to help.

Sunrise - All that travel and not knowing when would make me crazy. I hope your husband likes his job... I do think that you should develop a rock solid plan for when he IS called. Have a backup ready in your house so you don't have to go to the store if you're feeling weak. A bath, a sobriety memoir (Drinking, A Love Story or Lit are two of my faves). Enjoy the nice weather.

Wags - I usually like that scene - a good game and lots of people enjoying it, but definitely not drunk slurring. How is your wife's shoulder?

Mr. G, you're RAWKING it. I wonder how your guitar playing sober compares with your guitar playing drunk? I imagine it is a lot more crisp and clear. I definitely enjoy live music sober. Bask in the healthy glow of your skin and your amazing-ness!

I remember when I was still drinking and some friends had a few couples over for dinner. The man in one of the couples wasn't drinking and I was GRILLING him - when, how, was it forever, etc... Looking back I know it was my exploring the idea for myself, so I figure that when people do the same for me I have a lot of patience. Different from what you're saying Sunrise (and btw, what kind of friend tells you you've gained weight??), but made me think.

Hi, everyone else.

Happy UnHung Monday!

Pav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

3000 Days!!! yippee Byrdie!! Way to go!!! You are an inspiration to me and I appreciate you being here xoxo

Sunrise, I am thinking about your pool right now, that sounds so nice. Yeah my hubs is coming home tonight which is great. Hopefully we have a good week together, you never know.

Wags, yeah I can see how the drunk slurring would make me uncomfortable. That is kinda gross but it sure makes you appreciate being sober yourself.

G, that was a great post. I noticed myself you were looking good but it alway helps to hear it from other people, haha. Like Pav says, you are RAWKING it! I have quite a healthy glow on myself, this not drinking thing is good for my skin too.

Yeah, the beginning of sobriety is hard but we all did it and can do it. Pav, it's interesting how you were grilling your friend about not drinking. It was like an anomaly at the time. "what? not drink? How could that be? How do you enjoy life?" Well, I am SO SO grateful to be sober. THANK GOODNESS. It only took 25 years of trying to quit (I went to AA, took Topamax, listened to the CD's, everything) And finally my persistence to quit paid off.

It sounds like we are all having some nice weather. It is sunny here and going up to +12C which is Really nice. I am going to walk my doggies and enjoy my day. Maybe do a bit of job hunting.

Happy Un Hung Mon!

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

Congrats on 3,000 days Byrdie waves to all you lovely nesters

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola nesters,

This sober lark def has legs. There are NO negatives in living sober. It is true that reality can consequently hit us square in the face, so the question is - How do i deal with it? What do i want for my life? Am i prepared to go for it no matter what my current circumstances? Am i a negative thinker? How do i reduce negativity around me? Maybe i cannot, but i CAN learn to reduce MY negative outlook on the day or situation/person. No more pointing the fingure of blame. I'm in charge now. I steer this ship. Oh yeah.....If i'm bored then i am boring.

Have a bewdy out there my friends. Thanks for the kind words :heartbeat:

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hey all. Thank you for the hearty congrats!
Made it thru another day on the crazy train. Toooot toot!
Stay strong, all, Byrdie

[New Sunrise]

Re: Newbies Nest

Evening Everyone,

I am posting tonight...what a hard day, but I did not drink!

Hubby had physical and it was okay. He had a double bypass 24 years ago and plaque is building again, it is to be expected. He has had an echocardiogram in the last month and now they want a stress test and his carotid arteries tested, age sucks. We will see how his blood work turns out.

I had my doc appt and he was more than pleased, in his office I am considered young. I still have 3 more weeks of healing to go so the little bit of pain that I have should be about gone. I have to work on physical therapy exercises more. There were some that I just didn't feel the benefit from but now I realize how much strength I have lost in my arms. Something for me to do.

That was the good news for the day. Now for the rest of the story...

I have now gotten all my med bills in and had to make arrangements to pay them off. It is too d@mn depressing. We have great insurance but they have soaked the cr*p out of us. We are living in the land of the old and I now see why some have to resort to eating little. I sure can't afford to drink now.

Hubby had his hearing checked today. Not good news. I knew it wouldn't be but learned something that I did not want to learn but it is best that I did. He had his hear aides adjusted, which was good, we did not have to talk about another $5000 on them right now. The thing is his hearing loss is hereditary and I read a brochure about how hereditary hearing loss is a great indicator of your chances of Alzheimer's and the larger the loss, the higher the chance. I asked the audiologist what percentage he had even after looking at the test results and the doc looked at me like I was an idiot, 100% hearing loss. Great. He is his father, more than any of his brothers, and his father was deaf and died of Alzheimer's as did his uncles and aunt that passed long ago and were deaf. A lot to rap my head around, and the forgetfulness I see now is probably the start of long haul. The great thing is he is so active, smart, and mentally active so the progression could be slow. He has not been diagnosed with such, but I see signs. I know I can't look for problems right now.

Hubby leaves tomorrow for Bangor ME on a tough job. He is due back on Saturday, maybe, if all goes well. Monday probably. Lots of snow to fall up there and that will hinder his work. Drinking thoughts are already running through my head. I know I go on, on here, but I wanted to post my plan for tomorrow

1. No grocery store, what so ever.
2. Exercising
3. Watching Victoria and Abdul, and starting to watch that Frankie and Someone on Netflix, that I have never watched, but have wanted to.
4. It will be a rainy day here tomorrow, so no fussing over the weather, I hate dreary days.
5. Cleaning the fridge and changing that darn filter.
6. Making my own brownies, I have to pay med bills
7. Getting on here and making everyone's eyes blurry posting if I need to.

I guess that is enough for now...

Thank you all for being here!!!! You are saints and just don't know it!!!!

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Sending healing thoughts your was Sunrise. I hope the docs are able to thwart the damaging affects of that disease. Early detection is always key. We are thinking of you. Please keep us posted.
Have a safe night, everyone. Byrdie

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Brave of you to venture into that bar, Kensho. I was thrilled that I managed to totally dodge all of them while on vacation! Thanks in part to a family that was being sensitive & kind to my situation. But that’s also because I was expressing my concerns & misgivings about even going if it was just going to be a big drinking bash.

G-man sure doesn’t avoid the bar scene -he handles them like an old pro!
That’s cool, G, that your skin is looking so fine on your plant-based, alcohol-free diet! I am apparently not looking younger as I was just referred to as “Grandma” in front of my teenage daughter & her friends, while the other mother, only a few years younger than me, was called “Mom”. Grrr.
I am eating pretty plant-based though, but favoring white veggies such as onions, cauliflower, mushrooms, parsnips & turnips (to avoid excess vitamin A & beta-carotene due to my hyper-vitaminosis A).
This lower-carb, low-sugar way of eating is leaving me feeling flat & raw as I transition through to this new way of being. It’s hard! But I guess I’m getting there.

[MENTION=23208]wagmor[/MENTION], you have so much AF time that you can’t even count the YEARS accurately any more! Good for you!

Goodnight in the nest to all.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

I'm here to agree with the majority ~ getting older is not for sissies!
The hearing starts to go, memory starts getting iffy, etc. My husband just found out he has stage 2 melanoma & is going to a surgeon on Monday to get the ball rolling on this Of course he's already depressed as hell about it but I keep reminding him this is only the beginning so don't go 'there'!!!!

New Sunrise, I know we all consider genetics to be the end all of absolutely everything BUT today's researchers claim that is not necessarily true. Lifestyle has more to do with how you age & which genes turn on or not. A healthy lifestyle & good eating habits account for a whole lot.
I have a very strong family history of cardiovascular & peripheral vascular disease & you can bet your ass I am trying my best not to follow in the footsteps of my father & older brother. So far so good Hang in there, take it one day at a time & most of all stay positive.

Wags, your memory sounds a bit like mine, LOL
Time flies when your busy & having fun, right?

Slo, I'm probably the only person who didn't drop any weight when I quit drinking & I've actually gained weight over the past 10 years. I also quit smoking at the same time so that probably has quite a bit to do with it, ugh. At least we know we are eating as healthy as possible & keeping our quits!

Byrdie, 3001 - sounds pretty good

Hello to G, Pav, Pauly & everyone who dropped in today.
Have a safe night in the nest one & all.

Lav

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Cross-post, New Sunrise.

I agree that it is so frustrating that even with “good” insurance in this country they can soak the crap out of us. The insurance companies just pick through everything and claim “we don’t cover that” and “we deem that it shouldn’t cost that much, so we won’t cover it all.” It can cause financial insecurity for people.

I’m so sorry that there is some real foreboding about your hubby’s health in the upcoming future. It must be hard to believe when he is so mentally and physically active & involved.

I like how you are thinking ahead and proactively making your plans for your days alone while hubby is away for business. That is the way to be successful at this!