nicotine
HAVE ANY OF YOU STOPPED SMOKING COLD TURKEY AT THE SAME TIME OF YOUR BYPASS SURGERY? I WAS WONDERING WHAT TYPE OF SENSATION YOU GOT DAILY AS A RESULT. IN MY CASE, I CAN USUALLY TELL IN THE FIRST HOUR UPON WAKENING WHETHER I AM REALLY GOING TO BE SHARP OR JUST AVERAGE FOR THE DAY. SECONDLY, I HAVE NOTICED THAT I TIRE MORE EASILY WHEN I AM DOING PHYSICAL LABOR LIKE CHAIN SAWING WHICH I GATHER IS PAR FOR THE COURSE. THIRDLY, I WOULD GUESS BESIDES ENDING SMOKING (40 CIGS PER DAY FOR 34 YEARS) THE FACT THAT i AM ALSO RETIRED HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MY FEELING OF BEING DEPRESSED! BUT SIX WEEKS AGO IT WAS SCARRY AS SUICIDE TYPES OF NOTIONS FLASHED THROUGH MY MIND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT AND SUGGESTIONS YESTERDAY. I ORDERED THE BOOK FROM BARNES AND NOBLE.
In a message dated 10/23/2001 1:03:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, bill-dot@... writes: If your work WAS your life, then it's a time to take stock of what you always wanted to do but never had the time, what your hobbies are, maybe taking up a new hobby, taking courses (my husband got a teaching degree for Adult School Teaching and taught PageMaker courses at night for 8 years) maybe volunteering, and of course, tempered by whatever physical handicaps you may. Good advice Dot. I chose early retirement at age 57 (7 years ago), 5 years after 2nd bypass. I had started long distance cycling and got back into golf. Fortunately I was able to cycle across the country in 97 and do Seattle to San Diego in 99. Never could have devoted so much time for the training and the trips if not retired. Couple of years ago I hooked up with a group of volunteers at hospital in central NJ that does about 1500 open heart surgeries per year. We visit open heart patients day before surgery and about 3-4 days post. I find it very rewarding to be able to help. Cut back a little on the cycling but the golf game has improved. Regards, Harry K