Over 18 months ago something happened that changed my life in the most pivotal way!
I had a lovely summer in Greece (Serifos) and an even lovelier September break in Istanbul and I was enjoying life: I was eating whatever I wanted, I was smoking to my heart's contempt (or the opposite, as it was proven) and I had absolutely no care in the world! I was happy, albeit oblivious to the dangers I was putting my life into...
In Istanbul, we were staying at a hotel down a hill, and my friend noticed that I was having difficulty to go up that hill to go to town. I was wheezing while breathing, often stopping and complaining that "this is too difficult" and I didn't want to walk. My friend was worried (and a bit annoyed with me) and she was telling me off, but I was discarding her comments with "I'll be fine".
In general in the past few years, I was avoiding walking long distances, climbing hills or stairs or any kind of fatigue or exercise. Too much hard work. I was mocking the joggers who were passing me by, them running, me smoking... Oblivious, careless, stupid.
Come October, one day after filming my Halloween video (video was filmed on Sunday the 27th of October 2012) I went to work in the morning and while I was going in, I felt a strange pain on my back. I ignored it as I thought it might have been not sleeping in a good position at night.
By the time I sat on my desk, the pain had moved to my left hand, then to my right and finally I had a horrible heartburn on my stomach. I had never felt like this before. I would never alert my work colleagues and managers for something trivial, but I felt that this was serious and I sent the following email to one of my managers:
So for those of you who say that it's not easy to give up, I can tell you this:
No, when I was smoking, it wasn't easy to give up, because it never occurred to me that something would happen to me and because I absolutely loved it. It turned out, (I now conclude) that giving up the actual habit more than giving up the actual cigarette looked hard, but in reality it took me a second to do it, it wasn't hard at all.
I am living proof that you can give up and give up for good. I am not trying to preach or brainwash you, I would hate this now as much as I hated it when I was smoking. All I am saying is that you will definitely see a very big difference for the better if you decide to quit.
Do it your own way, go to NHS for support, get patches if necessary, chewing gum, spray, consultations, or (if you have the guts :P ) do it like me, cold turkey! Once and for all!! It is nothing but a state of mind :D
I am so much happier now, I enjoy life more and I don't miss the little stinky tubes at all!
This was probably the scariest thing that ever happened to me, but also the best one, that brought out the best in me. As a friend of mine said :
I had a lovely summer in Greece (Serifos) and an even lovelier September break in Istanbul and I was enjoying life: I was eating whatever I wanted, I was smoking to my heart's contempt (or the opposite, as it was proven) and I had absolutely no care in the world! I was happy, albeit oblivious to the dangers I was putting my life into...
In Istanbul, we were staying at a hotel down a hill, and my friend noticed that I was having difficulty to go up that hill to go to town. I was wheezing while breathing, often stopping and complaining that "this is too difficult" and I didn't want to walk. My friend was worried (and a bit annoyed with me) and she was telling me off, but I was discarding her comments with "I'll be fine".
In general in the past few years, I was avoiding walking long distances, climbing hills or stairs or any kind of fatigue or exercise. Too much hard work. I was mocking the joggers who were passing me by, them running, me smoking... Oblivious, careless, stupid.
Come October, one day after filming my Halloween video (video was filmed on Sunday the 27th of October 2012) I went to work in the morning and while I was going in, I felt a strange pain on my back. I ignored it as I thought it might have been not sleeping in a good position at night.
By the time I sat on my desk, the pain had moved to my left hand, then to my right and finally I had a horrible heartburn on my stomach. I had never felt like this before. I would never alert my work colleagues and managers for something trivial, but I felt that this was serious and I sent the following email to one of my managers:
After a few minutes a First Aider came to pick me up and escorted me to the doctor's office. Over there, they had already called an AMBULANCE, which took me to the hospital, where, after examining me, they dropped the bomb that I was having, very simply, a heart attack! And that I needed a by-pass operation!"Could you please arrange a meeting with a doctor for me a.s.a.p.?[...]I have a terrible pain on my arms and back. I need to see someone soon [...]I also feel dizzy and sick, like I need to throw up? What is this?"
What followed is quite depressing and boring. Basically, I was at home crying for two days non-stop.
Until my doctor called me and said that they can repair my 3 blocked arteries with only a stent and didn't need a by-pass. Not to bore you with medical details, the procedure went very well and I left the hospital the next morning! :)
Depressing stuff over, now for the good part!
The amazing results of my little adventure was that
- I QUIT SMOKING THERE & THEN! FOREVER!!! Cold turkey and without a second thought. I was one who enjoyed smoking like nothing else: it was my sense of freedom, relaxation, solace, I loved the taste, the feeling and the whole process of sitting down and having a coffee and a cigarette. I adored it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. There were times I was smoking nearly a pack a day...I was one of the people who would rather freeze outside to have a cigarette, than stay indoors and not smoke... Pathetic! So when that happened, there was no other alternative - I quit the second I heard the words "heart attack" and I never had a cigarette since. And I feel just GREAT :-D I don't think about smoking, I don't miss it at all, I don't mind if my friends light up in front of me and I don't mind about talking about smoking. Plus, I am saving money to feed my obsession with my beauty and makeup ;)
- I started eating very healthy. No more Burger King, KFC, pizzas, souvlaki, kebabs and all the other junk shit I was stuffing myself with. My fridge is now full of salads, fruit, healthy soups, lean meat and fish. I stopped adding salt and sugar to my food and I learned lots of lovely, healthy recipes, spending time in my kitchen cooking and discovering new, healthy foods that I actually like. And if I find something tasting a bit blunt, I add herbs and spices to make it tastier! Five-a-day? More like eight-a-day!!! Yes, I admit, I will have the occasional slice of pizza or souvlaki in Greece, but never again overdoing it.
- I started exercising! At first I followed the cardio-rehab progragmme, once weekly and for 8 weeks and then Heart-Smart for almost a year, all arranged by the wonderful NHS. Now, I am going to the gym whenever I want and I enjoy a lot the cross-trainer and the swimming pool. I no longer wheeze up a hill or a flight of stairs and I feel energetic, light and active! I enjoy long walks, in parks, or going to the gym or all around town. I LOVE WALKING! And I adore swimming, It's marvelous!!! I even consider going out for a run! (People who know me, can't believe it, LOL)
- I have lost weight and I am losing more slowly but steadily. Because I am eating healthier, non-fat foods and I am exercising, my body has changed and I think also my metabolism. I have set a goal, which is two sizes smaller before August and I am nearly there!
- My skin and face are much better. My face is relaxed, colour has come back to my cheeks and my skin is healthier and doesn't have dry patches anymore. Drinking lots of water helps as well, and also another little trick, which I learned recently and has reduced my dark circles: I drink half a lemon, squeezed in a glass of warm water every morning before I drink or eat anything else!
- I stopped coughing. That awful, itchy, tickling, annoying, painful cough that wouldn't let me sleep, enjoy a movie (I was almost thrown out of a cinema once because of my cough!) or talk for a long time. This has gone together with the wheezing and the shortness of breath. Gone and not missed at all... ;)
- My clothes, breath and house don't stink of nicotine anymore! Only for that it was well worth it, as I adore things smelling flowery and lovely <3
- My life has changed so much. I hear compliments all the time of how well I look, how I've lost weight, how much better my skin looks and how much I've changed overall for the better!
- I am not catatonic, lazy, tardy, a sloth and a slob (names my best friend has called me over my smoking years...) any more!
No, when I was smoking, it wasn't easy to give up, because it never occurred to me that something would happen to me and because I absolutely loved it. It turned out, (I now conclude) that giving up the actual habit more than giving up the actual cigarette looked hard, but in reality it took me a second to do it, it wasn't hard at all.
I am living proof that you can give up and give up for good. I am not trying to preach or brainwash you, I would hate this now as much as I hated it when I was smoking. All I am saying is that you will definitely see a very big difference for the better if you decide to quit.
Do it your own way, go to NHS for support, get patches if necessary, chewing gum, spray, consultations, or (if you have the guts :P ) do it like me, cold turkey! Once and for all!! It is nothing but a state of mind :D
I am so much happier now, I enjoy life more and I don't miss the little stinky tubes at all!
This was probably the scariest thing that ever happened to me, but also the best one, that brought out the best in me. As a friend of mine said :
"Sometimes, the greatest gifts come in the ugliest packages"Stay happy :D
0 comments:
Post a Comment