Hi Sticky, Wow! Not (just) the face lift but you had under 30 units! I knew you could do it. Hope you have a great time in Thailand and the op goes well. Hope you get a chance to relax. It will be good for you to have a change of scenery. Take advantage of that to break out of normal routines. Don't concentrate on your units too much, that will come. Have an awesome time and look forward to hearing how you went (although we may hear from you from over there by the sounds). Warren

Hi all

Finally got my son off his beloved laptop and am now having to ask him every 2 secs how to scroll down, copy & paste, etc!
Well I look like I've been severely beaten up and coming to in a panic in the ICU the other nite I thought what the f*** have I done. Now I'm at the resort with my family I feel better. The staff at the hospital were all amazing and us 3 patients all got upgraded to a suite each ith 2 bathrooms and 2 TVs. Not that we needed all that space but it helped with the claustrophobia I feel in hospitals. The 2 women and guide we came with are good value and it has been great to have others going thru surgery at the same time.
Am trying to work out my units for last week and can't honestly remember what I had Fri. My Japanese girlfriend was in Auckland again on Sat, this time with her hubby whom we'd never met, so that was a late boozy night. Enjoyed a few wines on the LONG 11.5 hour flight to KL. Now off the booze hopefully for 8 days altogether to assist recovery.
We are meeting the others for dinner soon so will catch up on others' progress tomorrow.


cheers
Sticky


My progress so far (NZ units):
Week 1: 1,8,AF,3,AF,AF,3.5 total 15.5,3AF Week 2: AF,8,8,AF,AF,4,8 total 28, 3AF
Week 3: 4,8,AF,8,AF,5,AF total 25, 3AF Week 4: 16,AF,8,7,AF,10,AF total 41, 3AF
Week 5: 7,12,8,AF,8,AF,8 total 43, 3AF Week 6: AF,5,12,AF,AF,8,AF total 25, 4AF
Week 7: AF,14,AF,6,AF,5,AF total 25, 4AF Week 8: 8, AF, 12, 12, AF, 1.5, 1.5 total 35, 2AF
Week 9: 12, AF, 10, 2,AF, 10, AF total 32, 3AF Week 10: 9, AF, 10, AF,1.5, 6.5, AF total 27, 3AF
Week 11: 12, AF, 14, 3.5, 1, AF, 7.5 total 38, 2AF Week 12: AF, 8 AF, 9, 2, AF, AF total 19, 4AF
Week 13: 8.5, AF, 9, AF, 12, AF, 14 total 43.5, 3AF Week 14: 7.5, AF, 8, AF, AF, 9, 9 total 33.5, 3AF
Week 15: AF, 9, AF, 9, AF, 9, 10 total 37, 3AF Week 16: total 34, 2AF
Week 17: total 32, 3AF Week 18: total 34, 4AF
Week 19: total 33, 3AF Week 20: 32, 3AF
Week 21: total 38, 3AF Week 22: 29.5, 4AF
Week 23: 34.5, 3AF Week 24: 36, 4AF
Week 25: 30.5, 3AF Week 26: 29, 3AF
Week 27: 22, 4AF

Ouch! Hope you recover quickly and smoothly!
EL

Hi again from WARM Phuket

Didn't manage to go a whole week post op without a drink. Us girls were all hanging out for our first one & our guide said a couple would be fine after 5 days. Unfortunately my couple was more like 6 units. Had a couple of cocktails which I haven't had in YEARS! Felt OK yesterday though. Last night I was so thirsty after walking around the shops that I stuck with beer and only had 2. It was remarkably easy. Have thought it would be nice to have a glass of wine but decided I would rather have beer to quench the first. It is filling too. Hubby bought gin, Baileys and port duty free. He drank all the Baileys but I had a gin the first night.

My face seems to be healing well. Still quite puffy and the eyes still look bad (had upper & lower eyelid surgery, mid-lower face & nec lift) but each day looks better and feels less tight. Stitches come out tomorrow. Now I'm a bit better we've booked a day trip out to James Bond island & 3 other islands and a day elephant trekking,which I've never done.

Our oldest son hit his head in the swimming pool & had to have 4 stitches (after being told repeatedly not to do back flips!) and hubby had an operation on his hand a few weeks back so our bathrooms are like pharmacy dispensaries with all the drugs. Our youngest has fallen in love with massages and shops with cheap soccer outfits.

Hubby & I are going to have a night out in the red light district tonight. I hope I can stay awake past 9 pm or I might miss all the action. I have seen it before, but it was 18 years ago. First time for hubby.

Hope you are all doing well.

Cheers
Sticky

Glad to hear recovery is going well Sticky! And you know, I still think those 6 drinks are better than 12 Jealous of your trip!
All best,
EL

Hi Sticky - Sounds like you are doing well. Yep, I remember the puffy face and swollen eyes. I looked like a basketball! But, it is worth it. You will be amazed at how great you look. My mom told me that I looked 20 years younger after I had my face lift, and that was 10 years ago. After 10 years I still look better.

I'm still hanging in there. I haven't dropped a bunch in units yet, but I'm getting there slowly but surely. I still practice TSM faithfully at least in terms of the Nal, but I have not been tracking my units quite as faithfully. Still, I haven't gone over a bottle of wine any one night, so that is a blessing.

I'll keep checking in on you my friend. You will have to post your pictures before, during and after! Just kidding.

HG and Sticky... and Electra. Girls after my own heart!!! Pizza party in Thailand anyone??

Man, what we do to stay as beautiful as possible!!! No pain, no gain!

I know there is a facelift in my imminent future. But in Thailand??? Huh. Whodathunk?

I hope it turns out beautifully, Sticky! I really do!

I was thinking that you have many more triggers than I do. I think because A) You have a husband, and B) You have kids, and C) You drink very, very socially. I, in comparison interact with the masses professionally and then retreat to my flat in order to drink alone.

In my 14th week I have definitely made a BIG turn. Nal is working its magic.

And I am reading up on your and HG's progress, and at your 23rd or (what?) 26th week you both are experiencing big unit intake still. Wonder if that has to do with the range of social drinking, or anti-social drinking-- as in my case.... I wonder if the more drinking venues we book ourselves in means the longer it will take to extinguish all of it. In other words, maybe you and HG and many others have many more triggers than say an alcoholic that sings a one-note tune. I really don't know.

So, the facelift is worth the money/time/pain???

It certainly is around my bend then,

Ketchikan1

Sa wat dee Sticky, good to hear your getting on well in beautiful Phuket and that the op went OK. Sounds like your responding really well to a change of environment. Looking forward to seeing how your figures go and hearing about your holiday, enjoy the warmth! Lah gorn, Warren

Hi everyone

I wrote a long post yesterday but it didn't work. Probably because we have a cable fault and internet access has been down most of the week. Very frustrating, especially when we are running a business from home.

Ketch - I went to Thailand for my op because it cost between a third and half what it would here. I expect I will be very happy with it given another week - at this stage it's still a bit uncomfortable and my eyes aren't great.

The end of the holiday was great. Lots of yummy food, especially seafood. A bit of shopping. Lazing by the pool & at Karon beach. Swimming with face above water. Hubby and I went to the red light district one night (Bangla Rd), had a few drinks and checked out an infamous Ping Pong show. Lots of fun but a bit sad too. Went on a boat trip to James Bond Island and 3 other islands where we kayaked in lagoons and swam. Beautiful. The highlight for me was elephant trekking, as I'd never done that before. We went to the north of Phuket. On the return trek I rode on the elephant's neck - that was so cool. Had my facial support & scarf on as my surgeon suggested, so got some funny looks! Then we kayaked down a river with spectacular scenery in the pouring rain! Had a day room in KL on the way home and lazed by the pool. We won a weeks' free accommodation in Phuket after listening to a presentation. I'm already planning my next trip! If I'm feeling rich I might have something else done. Cosmetic surgery, like alcohol, is quite addictive. I could do with a boob job (& hubby would like me to have one) but perhaps more than that I'd like PKR eyesight surgery, which restores your eyes to how they were (if they were good) before late 40's hit. I am forever looking for my reading glasses, even tho' I have about 5 pairs scattered around the house!

After my 6 days of not drinking I got stuck into the cocktails and holiday mode so units were 33 for week before last. Since I've been home I haven't felt 100% - maybe drank some dodgy water on the last day away. Drank heaps on the flight home to try & sleep (which doesn't work) then didn't drink for 4 days. Last night was very disenheartening though. I had a stressful day in the office & had a few gins. I got totally depressed (bawling my eyes out) and argued with hubby. Spent half of today in bed feeling crap, instead of going to my "foot in the door" AA meeting. All the alcohol I've been drinking and also the nal I think (since it makes things less pleasurable) is negating the effects of the antidepressants I have to take and I am getting depressed. I am starting to think that TSM won't work for me. I won't give up yet, as like WJ I'd like to be able to drink socially and within healthy guidelines (no more than 14 std NZ units per week.) I'm not in a good space though. Will try not to drink for a few days.

Sorry to end on a discouraging note for those of you behind me, but I am being honest.

Take care all of you
Sticky

My progress so far (NZ units):
Week 1: 1,8,AF,3,AF,AF,3.5 total 15.5,3AF Week 2: AF,8,8,AF,AF,4,8 total 28, 3AF
Week 3: 4,8,AF,8,AF,5,AF total 25, 3AF Week 4: 16,AF,8,7,AF,10,AF total 41, 3AF
Week 5: 7,12,8,AF,8,AF,8 total 43, 3AF Week 6: AF,5,12,AF,AF,8,AF total 25, 4AF
Week 7: AF,14,AF,6,AF,5,AF total 25, 4AF Week 8: 8, AF, 12, 12, AF, 1.5, 1.5 total 35, 2AF
Week 9: 12, AF, 10, 2,AF, 10, AF total 32, 3AF Week 10: 9, AF, 10, AF,1.5, 6.5, AF total 27, 3AF
Week 11: 12, AF, 14, 3.5, 1, AF, 7.5 total 38, 2AF Week 12: AF, 8 AF, 9, 2, AF, AF total 19, 4AF
Week 13: 8.5, AF, 9, AF, 12, AF, 14 total 43.5, 3AF Week 14: 7.5, AF, 8, AF, AF, 9, 9 total 33.5, 3AF
Week 15: AF, 9, AF, 9, AF, 9, 10 total 37, 3AF Week 16: total 34, 2AF
Week 17: total 32, 3AF Week 18: total 34, 4AF
Week 19: total 33, 3AF Week 20: 32, 3AF
Week 21: total 38, 3AF Week 22: 29.5, 4AF
Week 23: 34.5, 3AF Week 24: 36, 4AF
Week 25: 30.5, 3AF Week 26: 29, 3AF
Week 27: 22, 4AF Week 28: 33, 2AF
Week 29: 24, 4AF

Sticky, I was where you are just a week ago (in terms of feeling discouraged). I think that medically speaking, if you've had a positive reaction to nal at all, that means that it works for you, and then it's just a matter of time and degree to which you will feel "cured". But I wouldn't give up hope. Sometimes I get really frustrated but I think we all need to accept that even with TSM and nal, alcohol is never going to be completely neutral for all of us, the way it might be for a non-alcohol abuser. It's going to get easier and easier (hopefully!) but I suspect we'll always have to be somewhat conscious of our ability to slide back into old patterns. This makes me quite petulant and angry sometimes but hey, every has their cross to bear. I suppose this is ours.
Anyways, enough rambling. What I mean is: keep hope! I think TSM will work for you too.