I was contacted by a journalist yesterday
She is interested in doing a story on me
She is a freelance journalist
So I don't know what publication it is yet
It's also a paid article
She rang me yesterday
And we spoke for some time
Part of me is really excited to do this
I want to share my story with as many people as possible
I want to show that there is life beyond an eating disorder
That it is possible to get out relatively unscathed
How ever I made it clear that things are not perfect
And I still have a lot of work to do
But part of me is also a bit wary
Putting myself out there like that sounds pretty scary
As she would use my real name
And she also asked for photos
l guess I need to be careful
Not to put myself in a vulnerable position
The journalist found me through this blog
After a few emails back and forth
I gave her my phone number
And she rang yesterday afternoon
She asked me a lot of questions
About both my ED and my drug addiction
She said she thought my story would resonate with readers
I know I need to be cautious here
And not give away too much of myself
But I still want to do it
I didn't talk about my family at all
Other than to say that they are very supportive
Which they are
She even asked me if I had pets
I told her about Honey and Lea
And she asked for some photos of them
I told her how when I was in hospital last year
Lea's fur started to fall out
And the vet could not find any medical explanation for it
It continued to fall out over the next few months
And then when I came home
And started to get well
Her fur started to grow back
I think that is really amazing
And I have no doubt that her fur fell out due to stress
And she began to recover when I did
It makes perfect sense
This is the second time that a journalist has contacted me to tell my story
If you remember a journalist from the Telegraph contacted me last year
When I was in treatment
That turned out well
The article was considered and well written
So I just hope this goes the same way
I was wondering about you
Have you ever been contacted through your blog to do something like this?
If you were me would you do the story?
Saturday 20 September 2014
Friday 19 September 2014
Clothes Post
As my weight is ever changing
I have had to buy some new clothes
I have put all my 'anorectic' clothes away
I haven't been able to get rid of them yet
Can you think of any suggestions as how to say goodbye to my skinny clothes?
I threw my scale in the lake near my house
I smashed my ashtray with a hammer
Now I need to find a creative way to get rid of my old clothes
All suggestions welcome..........
I have had to buy some new clothes
I have put all my 'anorectic' clothes away
I haven't been able to get rid of them yet
Can you think of any suggestions as how to say goodbye to my skinny clothes?
I threw my scale in the lake near my house
I smashed my ashtray with a hammer
Now I need to find a creative way to get rid of my old clothes
All suggestions welcome..........
 |
| Grey top - Roxy Blue Jeans - Roxy (Yes I wear a lot of surf clothes and no I am not a surfer) |
 |
 |
| Cream top - Dorothy Perkins Maroon chinos - Brakeburn |
 |
| Couldn't resist this onsie - Penneys |
Thursday 18 September 2014
Hospital
I was in the hospital this morning with my sister
As she had to have some tests done
It was very strange being back there
The last time I was there was when I had pancreatitis
In March of last year
And before that I was in there in 2007 for 3 weeks with my ED
At the lowest weight I have ever been
The smell of antiseptic and sickness hit me as I walked in the door
I saw the shop on my left where I used to magazines
The toilets where I used to go to purge
The smoking area where I chain smoked cigarettes
I saw faces that looked familiar
The church where my mother brought me to mass
I wasn't allowed walk
And had to be pushed in a wheel chair
I remember hating that
But they wouldn't let me go anywhere without it
Back in 2007 I was eating very little
And I was working too
I was running on adrenaline
As my body was getting very little fuel
I had been feeling so weak and dizzy
That my mother insisted that we go in to A&E
I didn't put a fight
I didn't have the energy
My memories are very foggy from that hospital stay
I remember in A&E the nurses were so so nice to me
One in particular was so kind
I'll never forget her
I was worried that they would send me home
And tell me that nothing was wrong
But they took my case very seriously
I learned later that a girl had died from anorexia some weeks previous
So I guess they were being super cautious with me
After a long day in casualty on a drip
I was brought up to a ward
Where I was weighed
Afterwards I heard the nurses talking
'My God, she only weighs xxkg'
I myself had no idea of how thin I was
But my Dad told me recently that I looked like a 'bag of bones' around that time
The next day I was given a room of my own
This was a bad idea for me
But great for my ED
I ate my food
But I purged every bit of it
I also plagued the poor staff for meds
Namely sleeping tablets
I had no intention of playing along with them to get well
I was just there for a rest
That hospital stay lasted about a week
And I left no better
I was back in within weeks
This time they did things a lot different
They put me in a high observation ward
So they could keep an eye on me
And also had a care worker sit with me most of the day
This made maintaining my ED a lot more difficult
But I was very creative
And still managed to get away with a lot
Like hiding my food
Or pretending I had drank my Ensures
When really I had tipped them down the sink
I was weighed every second day
My weight continued to drop
In hospital I spent my days reading, writing and sleeping
I hated getting visitors as I just didn't have the energy to talk and be sociable
My Dad used to come every day
But that was fine
As he used to read his paper while I slept
He drove and hour every day to see me
And always brought my favourite chocolate
My carer used to bring for a smoke a few times a day
Thinking back I had no idea how bad things were
It never even occurred to me that I was in danger
Never mind die
My body and mind were so starved that I was in another place
A place where nothing really registers
Where feelings are not felt
And emotions mean nothing
I was numb
There was nothing going on behind my eyes
I was held hostage by anorexia
And she kept me distant and cold
I stayed in that hospital for about 3 weeks
Before I was transferred to the local psychiatric hospital
As much of a pain it is to be in hospital
I have some fond memories of being there
The staff were so nice to me
Although some did keep their distance
I don't think they knew what to say to me
And my illness being so obvious meant you couldn't really avoid the subject
Looking back I am lucky to be alive
Given what I have put my body through
It was good today
To be going to hospital with some one else
And not being the patient for once
My sisters tests came back clear
So that was a relief
And I was glad to leave the hospital
Here's hoping I won't have to go back anytime soon........
As she had to have some tests done
It was very strange being back there
The last time I was there was when I had pancreatitis
In March of last year
And before that I was in there in 2007 for 3 weeks with my ED
At the lowest weight I have ever been
The smell of antiseptic and sickness hit me as I walked in the door
I saw the shop on my left where I used to magazines
The toilets where I used to go to purge
The smoking area where I chain smoked cigarettes
I saw faces that looked familiar
The church where my mother brought me to mass
I wasn't allowed walk
And had to be pushed in a wheel chair
I remember hating that
But they wouldn't let me go anywhere without it
Back in 2007 I was eating very little
And I was working too
I was running on adrenaline
As my body was getting very little fuel
I had been feeling so weak and dizzy
That my mother insisted that we go in to A&E
I didn't put a fight
I didn't have the energy
My memories are very foggy from that hospital stay
I remember in A&E the nurses were so so nice to me
One in particular was so kind
I'll never forget her
I was worried that they would send me home
And tell me that nothing was wrong
But they took my case very seriously
I learned later that a girl had died from anorexia some weeks previous
So I guess they were being super cautious with me
After a long day in casualty on a drip
I was brought up to a ward
Where I was weighed
Afterwards I heard the nurses talking
'My God, she only weighs xxkg'
I myself had no idea of how thin I was
But my Dad told me recently that I looked like a 'bag of bones' around that time
The next day I was given a room of my own
This was a bad idea for me
But great for my ED
I ate my food
But I purged every bit of it
I also plagued the poor staff for meds
Namely sleeping tablets
I had no intention of playing along with them to get well
I was just there for a rest
That hospital stay lasted about a week
And I left no better
I was back in within weeks
This time they did things a lot different
They put me in a high observation ward
So they could keep an eye on me
And also had a care worker sit with me most of the day
This made maintaining my ED a lot more difficult
But I was very creative
And still managed to get away with a lot
Like hiding my food
Or pretending I had drank my Ensures
When really I had tipped them down the sink
I was weighed every second day
My weight continued to drop
In hospital I spent my days reading, writing and sleeping
I hated getting visitors as I just didn't have the energy to talk and be sociable
My Dad used to come every day
But that was fine
As he used to read his paper while I slept
He drove and hour every day to see me
And always brought my favourite chocolate
My carer used to bring for a smoke a few times a day
Thinking back I had no idea how bad things were
It never even occurred to me that I was in danger
Never mind die
My body and mind were so starved that I was in another place
A place where nothing really registers
Where feelings are not felt
And emotions mean nothing
I was numb
There was nothing going on behind my eyes
I was held hostage by anorexia
And she kept me distant and cold
I stayed in that hospital for about 3 weeks
Before I was transferred to the local psychiatric hospital
As much of a pain it is to be in hospital
I have some fond memories of being there
The staff were so nice to me
Although some did keep their distance
I don't think they knew what to say to me
And my illness being so obvious meant you couldn't really avoid the subject
Looking back I am lucky to be alive
Given what I have put my body through
It was good today
To be going to hospital with some one else
And not being the patient for once
My sisters tests came back clear
So that was a relief
And I was glad to leave the hospital
Here's hoping I won't have to go back anytime soon........
Wednesday 17 September 2014
500
So today is my 500th post
Which is a bit of a milestone
So much has happened
I started writing this blog May 2012
At time I wasn't interested in recovery
In fact in the beginning my blog was quite unhealthy
I wrote about fasting
And taking diet pills
And generally being a bold Ruby
The last two and a bit years really have been a roller coaster
I was hospitalized with pancreatitis
I spoke at an eating disorder conference
I met Mary
I travelled to Australia to see my sister
So many ups and downs
Highs and lows
But I am still here
Just about
Things have changed a lot since 2012
My mind set has shifted
I'm not entirely sure when or why
Probably when my meds were changed around
And we finally found a combination that worked
My mood lifted
And that made everything else so much easier
I had been purging endlessly every day
Spending so much money on food
Not to mention stealing food
I remember one night when my Dad was staying here
I used to wait until he had gone to bed
And then start binging
This particular night
He went to bed as usual
As soon as I heard his footsteps up the stairs
I headed for the kitchen
And raided the presses
I put a pot of pasta on
And began making a sandwich to have while I was waiting
Next thing I heard the kitchen door open
I had been so engrossed in my binging
That I didn't hear him coming down the stairs
He came in and caught me mid binge
He just shook his head
And walked back out
I can remember feeling so shit
But I couldn't stop
I was out of control
There were days when I thought I was going mad
I remember going to my Mother one morning
And telling her that I thought I needed to sign myself in
Because I thought I was losing it
And I really did
My thoughts were becoming so warped
I was paranoid
Couldn't be around people
Couldn't make sense of anything
And the binging and purging was reaching crisis point
My Mother sat me down and spoke to me
I remember I went out with her that day
I felt a little better
But only a little
Having the pancreatitis was a real low point
It was after that
That I lost all the weight again
And got really sick
Then of course there was treatment
This time last year I was preparing to go to hospital
I was so motivated before going in
But when I got there
It all just evaporated
Things went downhill
I couldn't let myself gain weight
I manipulated staff to get more meds
I purged multiple times every day
Then was discharged just before Christmas
Christmas came and went
I had a family wedding
So that was quite stressful
I went back in to treatment around New Year
But I didn't do anything different
And I've since come to the conclusion that treatment just doesn't work for me
It's just too hard being around other girls with EDs
There was a constant competition
To be the thinnest
And the sickest
It just didn't work
I came out of treatment in February
And continued to slip
My weight dropped the lowest it's been in years
The outlook was grim
I sank in to depression
I was so lost
So low
So hopeless
This culminated in an overdose
Which I told nobody about
It wasn't until a week later that I told Mary
She took action immediately
And I saw my psychiatrist the next day
He put me on 40mg of Prozac
But I didn't hold out much hope
I have put on so many meds over the years
And they rarely helped
But then something happened
The dark cloud in my mind began to lift
The heaviness shifted
And my mood started to get better
Bit by bit
That made everything a little bit easier
The binging and the purging miraculously ceased
Not completely
But it was a hell of a lot better
Mu quality of life improved
I started to see my friends again
I got out in to the world again
It's was a feakin' revelation my friends
My weight began to increase right around the time I started the Prozac
But I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just the meds
It was the fact the I was a lot more relaxed around food
I can't lie
The weight gain has been really difficult to come to terms with
It's probably the hardest part of all of this
But I'm listening to the advice that my mother gave me
And I am going to hang in there
Other events were that
I gave up smoking after 20 years
I threw my scale in the lake
And I got finally got my teeth fixed
So that's the last two and a half years in a nutshell
It's been eventful to say the least
Let's just hope that the next two years are better
Happy 500th post blog!!!
Here's some photos from the last 2 years
.JPG)
Which is a bit of a milestone
So much has happened
I started writing this blog May 2012
At time I wasn't interested in recovery
In fact in the beginning my blog was quite unhealthy
I wrote about fasting
And taking diet pills
And generally being a bold Ruby
The last two and a bit years really have been a roller coaster
I was hospitalized with pancreatitis
I spoke at an eating disorder conference
I met Mary
I travelled to Australia to see my sister
So many ups and downs
Highs and lows
But I am still here
Just about
Things have changed a lot since 2012
My mind set has shifted
I'm not entirely sure when or why
Probably when my meds were changed around
And we finally found a combination that worked
My mood lifted
And that made everything else so much easier
I had been purging endlessly every day
Spending so much money on food
Not to mention stealing food
I remember one night when my Dad was staying here
I used to wait until he had gone to bed
And then start binging
This particular night
He went to bed as usual
As soon as I heard his footsteps up the stairs
I headed for the kitchen
And raided the presses
I put a pot of pasta on
And began making a sandwich to have while I was waiting
Next thing I heard the kitchen door open
I had been so engrossed in my binging
That I didn't hear him coming down the stairs
He came in and caught me mid binge
He just shook his head
And walked back out
I can remember feeling so shit
But I couldn't stop
I was out of control
There were days when I thought I was going mad
I remember going to my Mother one morning
And telling her that I thought I needed to sign myself in
Because I thought I was losing it
And I really did
My thoughts were becoming so warped
I was paranoid
Couldn't be around people
Couldn't make sense of anything
And the binging and purging was reaching crisis point
My Mother sat me down and spoke to me
I remember I went out with her that day
I felt a little better
But only a little
Having the pancreatitis was a real low point
It was after that
That I lost all the weight again
And got really sick
Then of course there was treatment
This time last year I was preparing to go to hospital
I was so motivated before going in
But when I got there
It all just evaporated
Things went downhill
I couldn't let myself gain weight
I manipulated staff to get more meds
I purged multiple times every day
Then was discharged just before Christmas
Christmas came and went
I had a family wedding
So that was quite stressful
I went back in to treatment around New Year
But I didn't do anything different
And I've since come to the conclusion that treatment just doesn't work for me
It's just too hard being around other girls with EDs
There was a constant competition
To be the thinnest
And the sickest
It just didn't work
I came out of treatment in February
And continued to slip
My weight dropped the lowest it's been in years
The outlook was grim
I sank in to depression
I was so lost
So low
So hopeless
This culminated in an overdose
Which I told nobody about
It wasn't until a week later that I told Mary
She took action immediately
And I saw my psychiatrist the next day
He put me on 40mg of Prozac
But I didn't hold out much hope
I have put on so many meds over the years
And they rarely helped
But then something happened
The dark cloud in my mind began to lift
The heaviness shifted
And my mood started to get better
Bit by bit
That made everything a little bit easier
The binging and the purging miraculously ceased
Not completely
But it was a hell of a lot better
Mu quality of life improved
I started to see my friends again
I got out in to the world again
It's was a feakin' revelation my friends
My weight began to increase right around the time I started the Prozac
But I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just the meds
It was the fact the I was a lot more relaxed around food
I can't lie
The weight gain has been really difficult to come to terms with
It's probably the hardest part of all of this
But I'm listening to the advice that my mother gave me
And I am going to hang in there
Other events were that
I gave up smoking after 20 years
I threw my scale in the lake
And I got finally got my teeth fixed
So that's the last two and a half years in a nutshell
It's been eventful to say the least
Let's just hope that the next two years are better
Happy 500th post blog!!!
Here's some photos from the last 2 years
Tuesday 16 September 2014
Hi.I'm Ruby. I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
A lot of the time
I am confused about what it happening
Please be patient with me
Please understand that this is all new to me
And I am doing the best I can
To stay as well as I can
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I struggle with body image every day
Some mornings I try on every item of clothing in my wardrobe
And can't find a thing that I look nice in
This body is new and unfamiliar
Please forgive me if I ask for constant reassurance
It's something that I really need to hear
As I can't trust my own eyes
Or my own judgment
Hi
Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Some days I just don't want to get out of bed
Some days I can't find a reason to go on
Some days I just want to disappear
Please be patient with me if I am struggling
Please give me a hug and tell me that everything will be alright
I need to hear that sometimes
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I'm starting a new phase of my
It's new
It's scary
It's unfamiliar
A lot of the time it's like feeling your way in the dark
Forgive me if I am short
Or cranky
Or snappy
Sometimes it all gets too much
And I am trying my best
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Food is still a bit of a minefield
I'm trying not to categorize food
I'm trying not to label it safe or unsafe
I'm trying to eat like a normal person
Please give me time to adjust
I will get there
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I know you want to acknowledge how far I have come
I know you want to celebrate that
And give me a compliment
But please don't make too many comments about my weight
Or draw attention to my body
I'm self conscious enough as it is
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
There is a lot of change happening right now
Everything is changing
From my weight
To my mood
To my thinking
Please be patient with me during this transition
It's all new to me too
I just need support and love
And many many hugs
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Sometimes I'm not sure if I am doing the right thing
Sometimes I miss my ED
I miss the comfort
And safety of it
But I know that that is just an illusion
I know there is nothing safe or comfortable about it
I know that my ED wants me dead
And wants me miserable while it's doing it
Please understand that sometimes I feel torn
Sometimes I need to be reminded why I am doing this
I need the reassurance
Please be kind and gentle
And tell me that I am doing the right thing
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Some days are harder than others
Some days I slip
And fall
And mess up
I'm not perfect
So please understand that there will be days like this
And help me to get back on track
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I'm doing the best I can
To be the best person that I can
I am learning how to live
How to cope
How to manage
I am learning new ways of dealing
New ways of surviving
New ways to manage pain and fear and anxiety
Give me time
I will get there
In the mean time
Be patient
Be forgiving
Be kind
I need to hear that I am doing ok
And that everything will be fine
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I need your support now more than ever
Even if I tell you that I don't
Please just be there
To listen
To hug
To laugh to cry
What I am doing is not easy
But it's easier if you stand beside me
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
A lot of the time
I am confused about what it happening
Please be patient with me
Please understand that this is all new to me
And I am doing the best I can
To stay as well as I can
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I struggle with body image every day
Some mornings I try on every item of clothing in my wardrobe
And can't find a thing that I look nice in
This body is new and unfamiliar
Please forgive me if I ask for constant reassurance
It's something that I really need to hear
As I can't trust my own eyes
Or my own judgment
Hi
Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Some days I just don't want to get out of bed
Some days I can't find a reason to go on
Some days I just want to disappear
Please be patient with me if I am struggling
Please give me a hug and tell me that everything will be alright
I need to hear that sometimes
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I'm starting a new phase of my
It's new
It's scary
It's unfamiliar
A lot of the time it's like feeling your way in the dark
Forgive me if I am short
Or cranky
Or snappy
Sometimes it all gets too much
And I am trying my best
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Food is still a bit of a minefield
I'm trying not to categorize food
I'm trying not to label it safe or unsafe
I'm trying to eat like a normal person
Please give me time to adjust
I will get there
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I know you want to acknowledge how far I have come
I know you want to celebrate that
And give me a compliment
But please don't make too many comments about my weight
Or draw attention to my body
I'm self conscious enough as it is
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
There is a lot of change happening right now
Everything is changing
From my weight
To my mood
To my thinking
Please be patient with me during this transition
It's all new to me too
I just need support and love
And many many hugs
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Sometimes I'm not sure if I am doing the right thing
Sometimes I miss my ED
I miss the comfort
And safety of it
But I know that that is just an illusion
I know there is nothing safe or comfortable about it
I know that my ED wants me dead
And wants me miserable while it's doing it
Please understand that sometimes I feel torn
Sometimes I need to be reminded why I am doing this
I need the reassurance
Please be kind and gentle
And tell me that I am doing the right thing
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
Some days are harder than others
Some days I slip
And fall
And mess up
I'm not perfect
So please understand that there will be days like this
And help me to get back on track
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I'm doing the best I can
To be the best person that I can
I am learning how to live
How to cope
How to manage
I am learning new ways of dealing
New ways of surviving
New ways to manage pain and fear and anxiety
Give me time
I will get there
In the mean time
Be patient
Be forgiving
Be kind
I need to hear that I am doing ok
And that everything will be fine
Hi
I'm Ruby
I'm recovering from an eating disorder
I need your support now more than ever
Even if I tell you that I don't
Please just be there
To listen
To hug
To laugh to cry
What I am doing is not easy
But it's easier if you stand beside me
Monday 15 September 2014
Milestones
Today is a day of milestones
First things first
I am 5 weeks exactly off the cigarettes today
I can't quite believe it
When I decided to give them up
I had very little faith that I would be able to do it
Because you see I was such a heavy smoker
And relied on the so much
As an anxiety reliever
A stress reliever
I meal finisher (Not a word but you know what I mean)
I smoked when I was happy
When I was sad
When I was bored
Upset
Angry
And occasion was a reason to smoke
And smoke I did
Like it was going out of fashion
Two weeks before I gave up
My uncle brought me back 2 cartons from Turkey
That's 400 individual cigarettes
I had it in my head that I would give up when they were all gone
So I went to town and smoked my little head off
The last supper as it were
Then on Monday morning the 11th August
I found myself with my last smoke
I saved it
I waited until I was gagging for it
I went out in to my Auntie's garden
Conditions had to be perfect
I made a cup of tea
Got my book
Found a comfortable place to sit
And lit my last cigarette
It was one of the nicest smokes that I have ever had
I relished it
Let the smoke swirl around my tongue before I inhaled in
And blew it out in little puffs
All too soon it was over
And I had to extinguish it
I didn't want to waver
So I quickly said my goodbye's
And walked away from my beloved smokes
Even though in the end I hated them
I don't regret smoking
I thoroughly enjoyed it when I did smoke
It helped me through hard times
Helped me celebrate good times
When I was at the end of my tether
A smoke always made things better
A cup of tea and a smoke really is heaven
I did my best thinking with a cuppa and a smoke
And of course anything can be resolved with these things
I can't lie
When I see someone lighting up
I get very jealous
I look at them longingly
And even try to inhale some of their second hand smoke
I can't help myself
Do I miss them
Yes and no
Yes I would love one
But no I just can't do it
I didn't give them up for health reasons
I wish I could say that I did
But I didn't
I gave them up because I just couldn't afford them anymore
A 30 a day habit was costing me 15 Euro a day
That's 105 Euro a week
Maybe if I was working I could afford that
But I'm not
So I can't
Milestone number two
Is that I have reached 20mls of methadone
As in my methadone has been reduced to 20mls
I have been on methadone for 10 years
I was put on it after being addicted to heroin
It is an opiate substitute
It's a syrupy green liquid that I take once a day in the morning
Going without it will leave me with in serious withdrawal
I was originally put on 80mls of methadone
After a few years of slipping and sliding
I finally got to a place where I could begin to reduce it
So slowly but surely over the years it has decreased
And now I am on 20mls
I can't lie
I am terrified to come off it
The only thing that helps is that I know I have other meds to rely on
But still
It's hard
It's scary
It's unfamiliar
But in the same breath
It would be amazing to be off it
No doctor every week
No hassle when travelling
I would be free
First things first
I am 5 weeks exactly off the cigarettes today
I can't quite believe it
When I decided to give them up
I had very little faith that I would be able to do it
Because you see I was such a heavy smoker
And relied on the so much
As an anxiety reliever
A stress reliever
I meal finisher (Not a word but you know what I mean)
I smoked when I was happy
When I was sad
When I was bored
Upset
Angry
And occasion was a reason to smoke
And smoke I did
Like it was going out of fashion
Two weeks before I gave up
My uncle brought me back 2 cartons from Turkey
That's 400 individual cigarettes
I had it in my head that I would give up when they were all gone
So I went to town and smoked my little head off
The last supper as it were
Then on Monday morning the 11th August
I found myself with my last smoke
I saved it
I waited until I was gagging for it
I went out in to my Auntie's garden
Conditions had to be perfect
I made a cup of tea
Got my book
Found a comfortable place to sit
And lit my last cigarette
It was one of the nicest smokes that I have ever had
I relished it
Let the smoke swirl around my tongue before I inhaled in
And blew it out in little puffs
All too soon it was over
And I had to extinguish it
I didn't want to waver
So I quickly said my goodbye's
And walked away from my beloved smokes
Even though in the end I hated them
I don't regret smoking
I thoroughly enjoyed it when I did smoke
It helped me through hard times
Helped me celebrate good times
When I was at the end of my tether
A smoke always made things better
A cup of tea and a smoke really is heaven
I did my best thinking with a cuppa and a smoke
And of course anything can be resolved with these things
I can't lie
When I see someone lighting up
I get very jealous
I look at them longingly
And even try to inhale some of their second hand smoke
I can't help myself
Do I miss them
Yes and no
Yes I would love one
But no I just can't do it
I didn't give them up for health reasons
I wish I could say that I did
But I didn't
I gave them up because I just couldn't afford them anymore
A 30 a day habit was costing me 15 Euro a day
That's 105 Euro a week
Maybe if I was working I could afford that
But I'm not
So I can't
Milestone number two
Is that I have reached 20mls of methadone
As in my methadone has been reduced to 20mls
I have been on methadone for 10 years
I was put on it after being addicted to heroin
It is an opiate substitute
It's a syrupy green liquid that I take once a day in the morning
Going without it will leave me with in serious withdrawal
I was originally put on 80mls of methadone
After a few years of slipping and sliding
I finally got to a place where I could begin to reduce it
So slowly but surely over the years it has decreased
And now I am on 20mls
I can't lie
I am terrified to come off it
The only thing that helps is that I know I have other meds to rely on
But still
It's hard
It's scary
It's unfamiliar
But in the same breath
It would be amazing to be off it
No doctor every week
No hassle when travelling
I would be free
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