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Morning Open Thread. My cecum and my ciggies. [1]

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Date: 2022-09-10

Yes, as me dear old muddah used to say, “What a revoltin’ development!” That revolting development developed in the wee hours of Monday a.m., back on the 29th. I’m just healed up enough now be be getting back out and about a little, but it’s a long-term situation. One thing it’s not: it’s not the end of the world. In fact, there’s a very bright spot of change in it all.

Morning Open Thread is a daily, copyrighted post from a host of editors and guest writers. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue in an open forum. This is a post where you can come to share what’s on your mind and stay for the expansion. The diarist is on California time and gets to take a nap when he needs to, or may just wander off and show up again later. So you know, it's a feature, not a bug. Grab your supportive indulgence(s) of choice and join us, please. And if you’re brand new to Morning Open Thread, then Hail and Well Met, new Friend.

As many may know, I’ve been having complications from diverticulitis that had worsened in the past months. It literally blew up, inside me, early Monday morning. I called 911 at 2:00 a.m. At 7:00 a.m. I was in surgery, and when I woke up later that day I learned a portion of my large intestine, including my cecum which is where the small intestine transitions to the large, had been removed I had an ileostomy bag now, which will remain for several months. In future, I also need the sigmoid colon surgically removed, but that is down the road. In the meantime, my life will be returning as close to normal as possible, all the more as my surgery heals.

It has/had been my intention for more than a couple of years now to stop smoking. If you’ve never smoked you might not understand just how difficult (near impossible for some people) it is to shake this addiction. It’s so powerful that even after thirty-five years of being quit, seventeen years ago I started again. For me, I know what I needed: seclusion, inaccessibility to cigarettes, and diversion.

Boy, does being confined to a hospital bed give you all of that.

When I came around after surgery and my sister came to see me, I told her that this was it, I was quitting, and would she please go to my apartment and take my five remaining packs of smokes out and toss them in the dumpster. She dutifully and most happily obliged.

While I was in the hospital I had Rick air the apartment out and spray some Febreeze frequently so the place wouldn’t stink too bad when I got home. It worked.

As you read this it’s been thirteen days since I quit. This time it’s forever. I’ve had my fling in life with tobacco and never again.

I was spending at least $400/month on ciggies. That money now stays in my account, and will build toward the purchase of this, come this next spring. It’s not a car, but it’ll sure be getting me farther than my pedal-only bicycle could ever.

Aventon Level electric bike.

Eight-speed gears, electric throttle, pedal assist, up to 60 mile range.

Just under $2,000

Fair trade, cigarettes for an electric bicycle like this, eh?

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/9/10/2121456/-Morning-Open-Thread-My-cecum-and-my-ciggies

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