:: DARN!! ::

My quit smoking check-up was today. I went, feeling a little anxious.. knowing that I've been smoking this morning.. I entered the clinic, passed the appointment book, checked my BP and was asked to blow into the Carbon-monoxide detector thingie..

I took a deep breath and blew. And it shows 7!! From 21 to 2 to 1 and now up again to 7??!! Damn! All this from that one freaking ciggie I had this morning? I didn't even need the ciggie.. saja je gatal tangan mintak kat orang.. hampeh tul..

I waited for my name to be called in.. Berborak with this very kind makcik.. with the kind nurse an finally my name was called. I entered nervously and true enough, the doctor scolded me like nobody's business. Hehehe.. i said nothing coz what she said was true.. It was stupid for me to smoke when I've passed the hardest part which was to stop cold-turkey in the first place. Its like I took 1 step forward and 2 steps back.. hahahah..

Anyway, the kind doctor asked me what went wrong and I started talking about me being a little disturbed because its July now... then about my job... then about me not being able to sleep till subuh.. Then she started motivating me.. Amazingly, I was all ok after that mini counseling session..

Isn't it amazing how some people who are not even related to you, not the same race or religion as you, not the same age as you can give you comfort just by showing true and sincere understanding and empathy.. I really adore the doctor..

So from now on.. I'm never gonna touch the ciggie stick ever again! Huaaarrrggghhh!!!

:: My Second Check-Up ::

I went for my second check-up at klinik berhenti merokok tanglin yesterday. I know.. I know.. A lot of people quit smoking just like that but I just wanna make sure that my plan to quit is not just a plan equipped with 1001 excuses. I wanna make it work this time so I thought it wouldn't hurt to get some support and back up. Besides, its free.. so why the hell not? (I LOVE MALAYSIA!!)

Anyway, every time I go for my weekly appointment, they will check my blood pressure, my weight and carbon monoxide (CO) level in my lungs. The first time I blew into the freakish machine, my CO level was 21. 21, mind you. Which means that almost 50% of my blood is rejected by my body already. During my first visit, the clinic was packed with a lot of guys, most of them in their 40s and have been smoking their whole lives and the highest among all of them was 13. Mine was 21! So when the loud nurse announced my number to the crowd, their jaws dropped. They just stared at the only lady patient in the clinic with disbelieve. I was taken aback by the sudden attention towards me and seriously didn't know what the most appropriate reaction should be. So I decided to jump up and down while shouting "Yey!! saya menang!!" Hahahaha.. it was hilarious!. Seeing their stunned faces was just priceless!

Then, during the talk by the doctor, using a chart, she explained to each and every patient their level of CO and what its doing to the body. When it was my turn, the doctor just kept quiet for a bit. She kept looking at the chart and said nothing. You know why? Because she didn't know what to say to me. Because the highest number in the chart is 20. hahahah. Mine is 21.

Being the only female in the whole lot (and being the loudest kot) I got special treatment from the doctor. Instead of the normal yucky nicotine gum, I got the fruity flavoured gum. And I also got the patches as well.. (the rest of the guys didn't get the patched even when a few of them asked for it) Because according to the doctor, "a pretty girl like u shouldn't smoke or chew too much gum..". hahahahaha... fewwittt..

Anyway, my second check-up was yesterday. So I went and blew into that freakish CO machine again.. and amazingly my CO level is now 2!!! wooohoooo!!! That is basically a normal level for non-smokers already. (1 to 4 is the normal level for non-smokers, living in KL). I'm psyched! Isn't our bodies great? (subhanallah!)

I'm all ok now.. just with occasional tantrums. But lately I cried a few times with no apparent reason. I'm not sad or anything.. I just felt like crying.. I mentioned it to the doctor and she said as long as I'm not feeling suicidal or something like that, I should just cry my eyes out.

So there you go.. For all the sceptics out there, I can quit, and I have. Say what you want. For those who want to quit but feel its too hard, contact me and we can go to the clinic together, if you need moral support. The clinic is provided by the government for the people. It free. It gives all the ammunition like patches, gums, vitamins for free. The same nicotinelle patches that you can get from pharmacies would cost you minimum RM80 per box. And a box would only last for only one week. So you do the math.

Till next time, take care of each other peeps..