Quitting Smoking

I apparently fell off the face of the planet for a few weeks... I can place blame on 2 different things... I quit smoking and bought an Xbox 360. I used to smoke a cigarette and think about what I wanted to blog about... now I sit in front of my Xbox and not think about anything except how I going to get past that Cyclops to obtain the Earth Relic to complete the next segment of my quest.

My first day of not smoking was April 1. As a professional quitter, I used my normal method. My last quit lasted almost 2 years before it was foiled by a cigar on a camping trip.

My biggest hurdle for quiting smoking is the chemical depression the lack of nicotine creates. So in preparation for quitting, I started anti-depressants about a month ago.

On the night before Quit Day, I smoke my last cigarette. Clear away all the evidence that I ever smoked and head to bed. In the morning, I wake up extra early and put on a nicotine patch. I try to go back to sleep so the patch has kicked in before I'm forced to enter my morning routine without a cigarette. I don't wear a patch to sleep as it causes wicked dreams. Everyday I delay putting the patch on for as long as I can. I wore my final patch on Friday, April 4.

I am now 15 days without a cigarette, 11 days without nicotine and a couple of months without caffeine. I wonder what I'm going to give up next...

Rough and Tumble

Well... another trip to the emergency vet clinic tonight. Charlie decided all the cool cats were falling off of balconies so he thought he'd give it a try (Only a story drop). Fortunately, he was trying to climb back onto the balcony when I found him. As we stood in the exam room, the vet asked if he had any other injuries or illness... I'm a little embarrassed from the list and a little broke....

1. When we found him, he had a de-gloving injury of his lower lip. De-gloving injuries occur when the tissue is separated from the bone. 9 stitches later, his lip was re-attached to his gums. He tore out 2 stitches and the rest healed nicely.

2. He took a 3 story dive off a balcony and his tail was a little crooked for a few months.

3. He impacted a hairball in his intestines 3 years in a row (strangely every August) eventually resulting in the removal of about an inch of his intestine. Now he wears a snazzy home hair cut and ugly sweaters on the cold days.

4. He impacted an anal gland a few months ago. Ow.

5. He ruptured his cruciate ligament in his hind right knee about 2 months ago. During the X-ray to check his knee, they captured his right hind foot and found signs of arthritis.

6. Tonight, he injured his left hind knee. The vet is pretty sure he didn't rupture the ligament, but he definitely damaged himself. No xrays needed, so no new gems provided. I'm sure we will need to xray something soon enough.

So this is my 9 year old cat... the vet thinks he has 3 lives left. I was just proud that he didn't draw blood on this vet.